Manatee County Resident Loses $25,000 in Bank Scam
A Manatee County man lost thousands of dollars after falling victim to a scam in which criminals posed as bank representatives.
The incident began when the man received a phone call from someone claiming to be with Chase Bank. The caller said his account was linked to a fraud investigation and instructed him to withdraw $25,000 in cash to assist with the probe. Following the caller’s directions, he went to a local Chase branch, withdrew the money, and handed it over to a woman in a nearby parking lot.
Soon after the exchange, the man realized he had been deceived. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Fraud Unit is now investigating, though authorities say the likelihood of recovering the stolen funds is low because such scams often involve multiple couriers and overseas transfers.
According to investigators, these types of schemes are becoming increasingly common. Scammers frequently gain access to victims’ account details through fraudulent links in emails or text messages. They then use that information to make their calls appear legitimate, often pressuring victims to keep the transactions secret and providing fake documents to reinforce the deception.
Authorities warn that older residents are frequently targeted and that many victims never report their losses out of embarrassment. Law enforcement agencies across the region are working with state prosecutors to address the rise in fraud cases.
Chase Bank has emphasized that legitimate financial institutions will never ask customers to withdraw or transfer money in this manner. Residents are urged to hang up on suspicious calls, delete fraudulent messages, and report incidents to local law enforcement.
The case remains under investigation.
