ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A 73-year old restaurant employee at a St. Johns County Wendy’s says she was scammed while on the clock and told deputies that thousands were stolen from both the restaurant and her bank account, the Sheriff’s Office said.
For her safety, News4Jax has chosen not to identify the woman.
According to a police report, the woman told investigators that she answered her cellphone and believed she was speaking to a Wendy’s corporate manager. She told deputies the voice sounded like her district manager.
Investigators said it was a scammer and that the woman was instructed to pull cash from the safe and then wire the money to her bank account so that it could be withdrawn to cover the cost of a sanitation unit that was going to be dropped off at the restaurant.
The woman told investigators the caller told her she would be reimbursed and receive an extra $500 for her cooperation.
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said the woman may have been the perfect target for a scammer because she is a senior citizen.
“Seniors have a propensity to be naive to things and not tech-savvy,” Jefferson said.
Jefferson, a former Jacksonville police officer, says a major fast food chain would never tell a minimum wage employee to use their personal bank account to help cover the cost for something the company can pay for on its own. In this case, he says the employee could have taken steps to avoid this problem.
“That employee should verify, then verify again. Then if need be, verify again that person on the other line is who she suspects they are," Jefferson said.
A Wendy’s spokesperson released a statement that reads: “At this time, we are fully cooperating with law enforcement and will take appropriate actions when we have investigated the situation.”
The woman who says she was duped told News4Jax she is currently suspended while Wendy’s investigates.