MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. (WJZY) — A North Carolina couple is sending a warning to community members about mobile app scams.
Jordan Crumbley said she and her boyfriend were at Tuckaseege Park when they were greeted by a man and woman in a white truck.
“He said his phone had died, and he was asking to make a quick phone call.”
Crumbley’s boyfriend asked for the man’s keys, in exchange to use the phone, thinking it would prevent the man from running off with it.
Around five minutes later, the man returned the phone.
“They pulled away kind of fast, which made me kind of suspicious. So, I told my boyfriend to pull up his Venmo, and sure enough, $1,500 had been taken out of his account,” said Crumbley.
Crumbley said her boyfriend was in shock and angry that someone would steal during the holiday season.
“That’s savings, that’s rent, and it’s the holidays… COVID. It’s not easy times right now,” she explained.
When looking at the transfer memo, the couple noticed it said “rent,” and was sent to complete strangers.
At this time, Crumbley’s boyfriend is waiting on his bank to reimburse the fee, while police investigate who could have scammed the couple.
They’re now urging others to set a pin on apps like Venmo and Cash App to make sure thieves can’t access it.
“We were looking to help somebody at the wrong time, and it backfired,” said Crumbley.