ATM Fraud Costs one man $24,000

The man profiled in this segment from Eyewitness News had suffered multiple health issues and needed a health aid. His partner hired a woman from a local agency. But when money started disappearing from their bank account, they realized they had been robbed.

"It was the ultimate betrayal." That's how they defined an alleged robbery to Seven On Your Side's Tappy Phillips. He says the home health aid he hired for his companion ripped him off.

"Things like Jiffy Lube, Stop & Shop, K-Mart, Wal-Mart and I knew he wasn't shopping at those place." And it got worse. He found mysterious trips to Atlantic City charged to the bank account and hundreds of dollars withdrawn from ATMs in a single day. The account started out with over $24,0000 in it. But after a couple of months, "It was now whittled down to $34.10, emptied out."

Soon after a police complaint was made the home health aid became a suspect. Police believe she watched as Jim entered a PIN at an ATM and then stole the card. Shortly afterward, she was arrested.

But Steve and Jim thought the bank should have stopped the withdrawals long before the account was depleted.

"The bank never called us, they made not one phone call inquiring about any suspicious activity, which is what you would think a bank would do."

Steve reported the fraud to the bank but they denied his claim.

"I thought that banks were places where your money is safe, and now I've learned otherwise," says Steve.

Then Jim and Steve got Seven On Their Side. "We got our money back!" said a surprised Steve.

PNC Bank put the entire amount, more than $24,000 back in the account.

The company that hired the home health aid said she passed a criminal background test before she came to work. It says it suspended the health aid and hasn't charged J for another home health in weeks. As for Jim and Steve, they say they've moved their money to another bank - this time without an ATM card.

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Education

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[thintwexaslem]

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[Gutsyndicate]

@hperez19 they are thousands of whites who scam these ppl to, just this one happen to be black.

[NowKillYourself]

Ahh the power of the media, basically it's power to the people because the media reports any mistreatment of anykind and we, the people, deside whether or not we're going to patronize these businesses. You got that bitches?! Don't fuck with the average man, you never know when he many have connections in the local media.

[MongooseFreeRider]

Black Biatch

[bboy9aint]

NIGGA!!!

[hperez19]

It's always ghetto black people with those scams

[FortNikitaBullion]

LOL they look like they had just won the lottery when they got the money back.

[ChueHang17]

I'm glad channel 7 came through.