Retired Colorado teacher and daughter left homeless after falling victims to $200K townhouse email scam
LAKEWOOD, COLORADO: A retired Colorado teacher and her daughter were left homeless after being the prey of scamming. Vicki Ragle, 69, was purchasing a townhouse in Lakewood for herself and her daughter Sarah with her life savings when the hackers snooped on their email correspondence with the actual dealers and conned them out of nearly $200,000. They said the hackers created a spoof email posing as their lender while they went through the home-buying process.
“At some point, the chain of emails got hacked. I started getting fraud emails and I didn’t realize they were fraud emails,” Vicki told KDVR. Vicki got an email that appeared to be from the title firm two days before they were meant to close, asking for the $196,662.81 that was owed. When they went to the title company's office to consummate the purchase, the workers there informed them they hadn't received the cash. She properly paid the amount in full, and she didn't discover the fraud until two days later. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Lakewood Police, and the FBI have all now started an investigation into the event from February, DailyMail reported.
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'I'm 69 years old and now I'm broke and homeless'
In a conversation with KDVR, Vicki told, "We went to closing on Friday, and everyone was laughing and excited. We signed acres of papers, then the title lady said, "Let me check your funds,''. "The title lady said, 'Where did you send the funds to?' And I said, 'I sent them to you,' and she said, 'We don't have them.'' She added tearfully, "All I could think is now I'm homeless and broke. I'm 69 years old and now I'm broke and homeless." The con artist pretended to be from the title business and informed Ragle through email that they had "prepared the closing paperwork" two days before the transaction was scheduled to complete. "The amount due to close is $198,662.81. Polite reminder, as we require funds to be remitted 48 hours to closing," the scammers wrote.
Ragles was unperturbed by the messages because of the earlier conversation with the actual staff. Vicki added: 'We were supposed to close on a Friday, then on Wednesday they told me they needed the funds in 48 hours or it won't happen. I said, 'OK, I will call in an hour and we can do that. They mailed back stating, "Don't call 'cause I'll be in a closing, but here's the information."
Vicki retired after 42 years of service
Ragle was unperturbed by the messages because of the earlier conversation with the actual staff. Vicki added, "We were supposed to close on a Friday, then on Wednesday they told me they needed the funds in 48 hours or it won't happen". I said, "OK, I will call in an hour and we can do that. They emailed back stating, 'Don't call 'cause I'll be in a closing, but here's the information'."
Vicki worked as a middle school teacher for 42 years before finally retiring in July. She had saved up his entire life to buy the house. For the house, she had also bought new furniture. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for the Ragles, and as of Thursday, March 16, it had garnered $34,933 of its $200,000 goal.
