THIBODAUX, La. — When scrolling through social media, Louise Soudelier, 76, of Thibodeaux is drawn to stories about old Hollywood actors.
“I enjoy reading about them because I was really young when they were movie stars,” said Soudelier.
She saw one of those stories last week on Facebook.
“When I clicked the read more at the bottom of the little story, that’s when it happened,” said Soudelier.
Soudelier says she got warnings that her computer had been hacked. She was instructed to call a number for help.
“That’s where I made my mistake. I called the number,” said Soudelier.
A scammer who claimed to be with Microsoft Security answered. He told her hackers had gotten into her computer and bank accounts and were committing online crimes, which she could be responsible for.
“I was instructed not to call anybody, not to talk to any friends or neighbors,” said Soudelier.
To fix everything, she was told to withdraw $16,000 cash from her checking account. With the scammer on the phone the entire time, she was told to deposit the money into a cryptocurrency ATM near her home.
“I wasn’t trusting my instincts. I fed in all the money. It took a long time,” said Soudelier. “I didn’t really understand how to use the machine.”
She was told she’d get a call the next day with updates. When the phone rang, the same scammer said her savings account was compromised this time. Soudelier withdrew $15,000 and deposited the money into that same machine.
“Both days I had to pay a $1 fee to Rockitcoin,” said Soudelier.
After a family member found out what was happening, Soudelier realized she had been scammed out of $31,002. That’s when she went to the sheriff’s office.
“We’re learning more that these machines, while they do have a legitimate and practical use are being used more and more for illegitimate purposes,” said Public Information Officer with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Captain Brennan Matherne.
Matherne says he wants this story to get families talking about scams.
“In her case, it got so bad that they made her think that she was potentially involved with child pornography and convinced her that she could be in legal trouble, to the point where she was basically putty in their hands,” said Matherne.
“One of the disadvantages, perhaps to someone my age, is that I didn’t grow up with all of the technology and I’m still learning a lot of it,” said Soudelier.
Looking back, Soudelier says she should have seen the red flags and knows she may never see her hard-earned money again. She just doesn’t want it to happen to anyone else.
“I’m a very trusting person and I think maybe that was my downfall,” said Soudelier.
Soudelier says the entire experience has changed her trust in other people.
“It’s changed everything about me, and I actually hate that part of it, that I feel so changed,” said Soudelier.
It’s even changed to the point that stories of old Hollywood actors will never be the same.
There are plenty of common signs to look out for to determine if you're dealing with a money scam or not. According to consumerfinance.org, one of the biggest signs is asking for money up-front. A legitimate agency or company will not require rushed payments.
Another sign is when you’re asked to wire money or put it on a gift card. Verified agencies will have specific instructions on how to submit legitimate payments.
Also, remember if sounds too good to be true, it likely is and you should alert authorities.