Victim Of Lottery Scam Takes Out Anger On Bank Employee
GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4)- A Greeley man learned the hard way that he had been scammed out of his life savings.
It happened Tuesday at the Wells Fargo branch in the Westlake Shopping Center off 35th Avenue in Greeley.
Police in Greeley said David Walker gave $80,000 to the scammers after they told him he won the lottery.
But Walker didn't find out until he went to the bank to get a loan in order to claim the winnings.
Police were called to the Wells Fargo branch after reports of a crime in progress.
"We went in expecting the worst," said Greeley Police Department spokeswoman Susan West. "The information we received was possibly a robbery in progress with a possible hostage situation."
When police arrived they realized what was happening was a customer realizing he had been ripped off.
"A gentleman was speaking to a loan officer about obtaining a loan," said West.
Walker told the bank employee he needed money in order to pay for a lottery he had won, that's when the employee said he had been scammed. And Walker reacted.
"He got angry, upset, shut the door and told her she wasn't going anywhere," said West.
Walker talked to the police and that's when they discovered the severity of the situation.
"In excess of $80,000," said West.
Police warn people to be more vigilant when it comes to scammers.
"You shouldn't have to pay money to get money," said West.
Walker was cited with false imprisonment, a misdemeanor. Police are assisting Walker in trying to find out who scammed him out of all that money.
