SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Many hugs and thanks were shared inside a Scottsdale CVS between one of its employees and a retired couple she saved from a scam.
“Oh what would we have done?" says Francie Hidalgo while hugging Elaine Ramjeeawon."That was all of our money! ”
It was Monday when Francie and John Hidalgo almost fell victim to a gift card scam. They received a call from a scammer who claimed to work for their bank. Telling them they needed to take out $3,000 before their accounts were frozen. Hidalgo says they were convinced when the person provided them their address and apartment number.
“All and all it was just awful,” Hidalgo told 12News on Tuesday.
The scammer then told them to spend that money on gift cards at a nearby CVS. It almost worked, until Ramjeeawon stepped in.
"I knew right away," she told the Hidalgos remembering how that situation went. "When I saw you with an open phone then, I knew."
CVS allegedly trains its employees to look out for this scam because it happens so often.
"Too often," Ramjeeawon said adding that just before the Hidalgos entered the store, "I had a lady today just come in and want two Nordstrom 500 dollar gift cards."
The woman told Ramjeeawon she was told by her bank to purchase them which is the same situation Francie and John were in.
"I didn't sell them to her," Ramjeeawon said.
All three of them chatted inside the store for about 30 minutes with more hugs shared between them.
"You're a good angel to have," Francie said before she and John walked out waving bye to Ramjeeawon.
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