Hampton woman scammed out of $7K

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - A Hampton woman admits that she noticed red flags during a scamming incident that lost her $7,000.

Ruby Holmes told WAVY.com she stopped at Wal-Mart to pick up a few things on June 28.

"This man approached me and told me he was from Africa," Holmes said.

The man told her he was having trouble and people were being rude, so Holmes offered to help.

"At that time, another man approached and asked what the problem was, so I was explaining it to him," Holmes said.

The second man told her he worked with Wal-Mart security.

"He said, 'Let's go to the car, and he can explain to you what he's doing and what he needs.'"

Outside, the first man told Holmes that he needed to find a church to donate a large amount of money to, but the banking system was different in the U.S. and that he needed a trust-worthy Christian like Holmes to help.

"I just wanted to tell everybody else to be aware," Holmes said. "You know, people saying that they are Christians and not [actually being Christians] and you [are] trying to help them and that's the way they do."

Holmes drove the two men to the bank in her car, parked across the street as they asked, and then took out $7,000 which the man put into a bag with his money and told her to take it.

"I was going to give it to the church give it to my pastor," Holmes said.

She said she and the two men prayed together and then somehow, the two men switched her bag of money with an empty bag.

"Somehow he made a switch without me even knowing it," Holmes said. "I looked in that bag, and there wasn't anything [in there] but a roll of newspaper and counterfeit money."

When she went back the men were gone.

"The Lord is going to judge them and eventually they are going to get it," Holmes said.

Holmes filed a police report and police say they are looking into the incident.

In the meantime, officers advise you never give your bank information to anyone. Never give a ride to a stranger and always ask for identification.