PERRY, GA — An elderly Perry woman reported losing about $70,000 after scammers posed as federal, court and law enforcement officials, according to the Perry Police Department. Investigators say the people behind the scheme threatened her with arrest and kept her on the phone while they pushed her to move money in different ways.
Police say the woman was directed to withdraw cash, buy cryptocurrency and use retail-payment barcodes to send funds. Officers later found her vehicle and intervened before the suspects could get more money, the department said. Financial records showed she withdrew about $63,000 during the scam, and she estimated her total loss at roughly $70,000.
Police say the scheme began with a missing person report on Sept. 21
The investigation started Sept. 21, when Perry police and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office looked into a missing person report involving the woman. During that effort, investigators determined she was being targeted by people claiming to be officials and using fear to control her actions.
Police said the suspects told her to stay in continuous telephone contact and not tell family members or local law enforcement what was happening. That kind of isolation is a common tactic in impersonation scams, because it makes the victim easier to pressure and less likely to get a quick reality check from someone nearby.
According to Perry police, the scammers used the threat of arrest to keep the woman moving money. The department said the woman was also instructed to deliver money to other people as part of the scheme.
Two Macon residents were identified in the case
Police identified 26-year-old James L. Card and 31-year-old Tykeria L. Washington, both of Macon, as being involved. The department said Card is in custody, while Washington is not.
The release lists multiple charges tied to the investigation. Card is facing theft by extortion, elderly exploitation and impersonation of an officer. Washington is listed on an elderly exploitation charge.
Perry police did not say in the release what specific role each person is alleged to have played in the scam. But the department said investigators are still working to identify additional participants, phone numbers, financial accounts and payment recipients tied to the operation.
Officers used Flock cameras to locate the woman’s vehicle
Police said the woman’s vehicle was located with help from the Flock Safety camera system while the scam was still underway. That allowed officers to reach her before the people behind the scheme could take more money, according to the department.
The intervention mattered because the woman had already moved a large amount of money. Police said financial records confirmed withdrawals totaling about $63,000, even as the reported overall loss climbed to an estimated $70,000.
Investigators said they recovered a portion of the stolen money, but they did not disclose how much was returned. The department did not give details on where the recovered funds were found or whether any of the money was tied to cash, crypto or another payment method.
Police say courts and agencies never demand secrecy or unusual payment methods
In its warning to the public, Perry police said legitimate courts and government agencies do not ask people to pay through Bitcoin kiosks, retail-payment barcodes, Apple Cash, gift cards or cash couriers. Officers also said real agencies will not tell someone to hide the payments from family members or from local law enforcement.
The department urged anyone who gets that kind of demand to cut off contact, avoid sending money or identification documents and call police right away. Those instructions are meant to interrupt a scam before more money leaves the victim’s control.
Authorities say impersonation schemes often rely on urgency, fear and confusion. In this case, police say the scammers used an arrest threat and constant phone contact to pressure the woman into complying.
Detective Tally is handling tips as investigators track more accounts and numbers
Perry police said anyone with information should contact Detective Tally at the Perry Police Department at (478) 988-2800. Investigators said they are still tracing the phone numbers, financial accounts and payment recipients connected to the case.
The investigation remains focused on how the scammers moved money and who else may have helped. Police have not said whether the missing money was moved through one payment service or spread across several methods, but they did say the woman was told to use cash, cryptocurrency and retail-payment tools.
The case adds to a long list of government impersonation scams that target older adults and exploit trust in public institutions. Perry police are urging residents to treat any demand for secrecy or nontraditional payment as a red flag and to verify the claim before sending anything.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
