An unsettling incident involving an elderly woman who was deceived into relinquishing her life savings has become a cautionary tale for the community of Santa Ana.

On March 19, a 75-year-old woman found herself the target of a cunning scheme while walking to her car near Raitt Street and McFadden Avenue. Two women approached her with a deceptive story.

According to the Santa Ana Police Department, these women claimed they possessed a winning lottery ticket worth $2.7 million but were unable to cash it due to their immigration status.

They successfully persuaded the victim to join them in their vehicle and drove her to her residence. There, they managed to defraud her of $45,000 in cash and jewelry, supposedly as collateral for cashing the ticket.

“They got the victim into their car and drove her to her home, where she handed over $45,000 in cash and jewelry as collateral. The suspects then fled the scene,” explained Natalie Garcia, the department’s public information officer.

Garcia emphasized that scams like these often target elderly individuals, urging the community to remain vigilant.

“They approach elderly people and victimize them, knowing that many are retired and may have money at home. These individuals are specifically targeted,” she added.

The suspects fled in an older model gray Ford Escape with chrome rims.

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