A Roswell woman with dementia lost $14,500 to a caller posing as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The scam, first reported by Appen Media, involved the woman withdrawing cash and mailing it hidden inside a book.

The woman's daughter filed the report with the Roswell Police Department on Wednesday, Sept. 23. She told officers the scam began Sept. 5, when someone called her mother claiming the FTC had accidentally deposited $15,000 into her account instead of $500. The caller told the mother she needed to send back the difference.

The mother was instructed to withdraw the money in cash, place it inside a book and mail it. After she shipped the cash, she began receiving calls demanding more money. That is when she realized she had been scammed.

The daughter, who holds power of attorney over her mother's affairs, told police she does not know how her mother traveled to the Bank of America branch on Alpharetta Highway or why clerks allowed her to withdraw that much cash given her dementia diagnosis. No response from Bank of America regarding the withdrawal appears in the police report.

The daughter also discovered a Barclays JetBlue credit card had been opened in her mother's name on Sept. 2 with an $11,000 credit limit. The name on the card was misspelled. It was never used.

She told police she has contacted both the FTC and the Social Security Administration (SSA) about the incident. She also asked Bank of America for a copy of the currency transaction report, but the bank said it could not release that information, according to the police report.

No arrests have been reported in connection with the fraud.

Gunshots heard near Roswell Creek apartments

In a separate incident, Roswell police officers dispatched to Roswell Creek Lane around 11:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, heard about five gunshots fired from woods behind the Roswell Creek apartment complex.

Officers had responded after a resident reported a suspicious person pulling on vehicle and residence door handles. During their check of the area, they found a 2007 Ford Explorer with its emergency lights flashing but saw no signs of forced entry.

While still on the premises, officers heard the gunshots coming from the tree line behind one of the buildings. Additional officers responded to help search the area.

Officers did not enter the woods, citing safety concerns. They held positions around accessible portions and monitored exits to see if anyone emerged.

One officer spoke with several male residents seated outside their apartment. The residents reported seeing two people walking along the main entrance of the complex toward the Holcomb Bridge Road entrance about 30 minutes before officers arrived.

Officers checked the surrounding area but did not locate any suspects or anyone leaving the woods.

The Roswell Police Department held a free "Fraud Talk" event Sept. 16 at the Roswell Adult Recreation Center on Grimes Bridge Road, focused on common scams. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises that real government agencies never ask people to withdraw cash or mail money. Residents who suspect fraud can file a report with the Roswell Police Department or the FTC.