A Roswell woman withdrew $4,500 in cash from her Wells Fargo account and mailed it overnight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday, June 6, after a caller convinced her the bank was investigating suspicious activity on her account.
The scammer told the woman the cash transfer was "for her protection," according to a Roswell Police report. During the call, she was transferred to a second number and spoke with someone who identified himself as "Kenneth," who instructed her not to tell anyone about the situation.
The woman pulled the cash from the Wells Fargo branch at Ga. 9 and Mansell Road and sent it via U.S. Postal Service overnight delivery.
After the package was sent, the caller told the victim an "agent" would meet her at her workplace on Old Milton Parkway on Tuesday, July 7, at 2:15 p.m., nearly a month after the initial call. The scammer said someone would phone her 30 minutes before the meeting.
The responding Roswell Police officer advised the woman not to interact with anyone unfamiliar at work and to leave the building with a group of people. The officer also suggested she contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to try to intercept the package before it reached Florida.
As of July 15, it has not been publicly confirmed whether the Postal Inspection Service intercepted the package or whether anyone appeared at the woman's workplace on July 7.
A pattern in Roswell
The June 6 incident is one of at least three phone fraud cases reported to Roswell Police over a five-week span. On Sunday, June 28, a woman paid nearly $2,000 via Apple Cash and Zelle to a caller posing as "Officer Carlton Mitchell" of Cobb County pre-trial services, who claimed her son had been arrested. The next day, Monday, June 29, another Roswell woman lost $7,000 to a caller identifying himself as "Lt. J. Owens," who said she had missed jury duty and would face arrest.
Across the three incidents, Roswell residents lost at least $13,500.
The scams share a common playbook: callers create urgency, impersonate authority figures, and pressure victims to pay quickly through hard-to-trace methods like cash, Apple Cash, or Zelle.
How to protect yourself
Roswell Police advise that no legitimate bank, law enforcement agency, or government office will ask you to withdraw cash and mail it, or demand immediate payment over the phone.
If you receive a suspicious call:
- Hang up and call the institution directly using the number on your card or statement.
- Never send cash, gift cards, or digital payments to someone you haven't verified.
- Tell someone. Scammers rely on secrecy.
Residents who believe they've been targeted can file a report with the Roswell Police Department at (770) 640-4100. Mail fraud can be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or online at uspis.gov/report.
