News and Headlines

Actions

Woman says elderly mom victim of credit card theft from nursing home

Posted
and last updated

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Greenwood woman says her 91-year old mother was a victim of a scheme designed to get money out of senior citizens.

Dawn Bruce contacted Call 6 Investigates because her mom, Bonnie, is still on the hook for some of the thieves’ credit card purchases.

“It’s very frustrating because my mother is 91 and she has dementia,” said Bruce.

Bruce said the thieves stole the credit cards from the Bickford of Greenwood assisted living facility and racked up $6,500 in purchases on her mom’s four credit cards at multiple stores.

PREVIOUSFishers senior citizens scammed out of thousands of dollars

“They hit Target and Walmart five times in one day, so we knew it wasn’t mom,” said Bruce.

Greenwood police is investigating, and Lt. Matthew Fillenwarth said Fishers police is taking the lead on the case.

Police believe two women are behind the thefts and dressed in scrubs to get into facilities.

Bruce said credit card thieves racked up $1,500 in charges at two Lowe’s stores in Indianapolis, but she’s been unable to get the charges reversed.

“I have power of attorney,” said Bruce. “They will not reverse the charges, and now they’re accruing late fees and it’s going to hit her credit report.”

Records show a slew of purchases were made with Bonnie’s Lowe’s credit card on July 1.

Bruce contacted Call 6 Investigates in the hopes of clearing her mother of the charges.

"Her only option is to get her credit destroyed or pay the $1,500 and she's 91 and has a great credit rating, and she's worked really hard for everything she has," said Bruce.

Call 6 Investigates contacted Lowe’s on Bruce’s behalf.

Lowe’s spokesperson Sarah Lively said their investigations team is looking into the matter, and they are working with police.

Lively said the bank that owns the account, Synchrony, would be the entity to release the funds to Bonnie’s account.

Call 6 Investigates is working to get in touch with Synchrony about the $1,500 charge to Bonnie’s Lowe’s credit card.

Bruce said after a month of trying to clear her mom’s name, she hopes to get some resolution.

"Her credit cards and money were her last bit of independence and now it's kind of been taken from her and we've had to remove all of that,” said Bruce. “It's sad. She's frustrated."

The string of credit card thefts is still under investigation and no arrests have been made.

Call 6 Investigates also left a message for Bickford of Greenwood.