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Man wanted for allegedly scamming elderly in Newport News

Posted at 3:43 PM, Sep 12, 2012
and last updated 2012-09-13 02:26:05-04

Newport News, Va.–Police need your help to find a man who has been accused of scamming the elderly. 

Police say a 79-year-old woman was in the parking lot of a local bank when she was approached by a man who spoke with an accent on May 31, 2012.

Police say the victim described him as a light-skinned black man, medium height, 160 to 170lbs, 55 to 60 years old, wearing a cap and casual clothes.

According to police, the man told her he recently came into town from Africa and was looking for an African Church on Madison Avenue because he had a large sum of money he wanted to give his nephew who worked at the church.

During the conversation, police say an accomplice approached who pretended he was not involved. 

The victim and the man agreed to help the African man find his nephew.

The African man then offered to leave the money with the victim and suspect to do “good works” if they showed they were honest and had money of their own.

To prove this, they had to remove money from their banks to show the African man.

Police say the victim was scammed out of several thousand dollars. 

If you recognize the man in the photo or know anything about this scam, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.