Cape Cod Resident Nearly Loses $10K To Scam

YARMOUTH, MA — A 96-year-old Cape Cod resident was nearly the victim of a $10,000 scam. A local banker is to thank for making sure it didn't go through.

Yarmouth police received a call from a local bank Monday morning reporting a "potential fraudulent transaction taking place," police said.

The 96-year-old Yarmouth resident attempted to withdraw $10,000 after receiving a call from a man claiming to be a bail bondsman earlier in the morning. The caller told her that her son was in jail, and she needed to withdraw the money to bail him out.

Yarmouth Police Officer Jefferson Willis responded to the bank and identified the transaction as fraudulent, noticing that it was similar to others reported across the country.

Through his investigation, he learned the scammer had instructed the victim to place money in a box and it would be picked up by a ride-share driver, who was not involved in the scam.

Yarmouth Police Detectives set up a surveillance team and, through a combined effort with the Massachusetts State Police, tracked the package delivery to Worcester.

Upon delivery, Carlos Santos, 34, of Methuen and Maria Ayala, 41, of Lawrence, were arrested and charged with conspiracy and larceny by a single scheme over $1200 and were transported back to the Yarmouth Police Department.

Following a search of their vehicle, another $30,000 was located, which was from another scam they had accomplished in Western Massachusetts. Santos and Ayala were arraigned in Barnstable District Court Tuesday morning.

"The Yarmouth Police Department commends the actions of the bank employee who noticed the transaction and alerted police as well as the Police Officers and Detectives who worked together to successfully prevent a substantial loss of money and recovered thousands of dollars that had already been sent by people who were scammed," police said.