Licking County woman loses $500K to Social Security scam
LICKING COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) – A central Ohio woman who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to a scamming scheme hopes her experience will prevent others from going through something similar.
It's been about a year since the direction Lori English's life was headed completely changed. She worked for 40 years and was able to retire early, but now she's looking for a job.
"All my dreams are gone. Everything is gone," she said.
In March 2023 she got a phone call and said caller identification indicated it was the Social Security Administration. She said she was transferred to others who identified themselves as other federal agencies. She now knows they were all part of a scam. It turned out to be the first of many calls she had over the next couple months and would cost her more than half a million dollars.
“They were so slick, the guy I talked to everyday had an answer for everything and he was smooth, I had no question he was who he said he was. He didn't hesitate on any of his answers, he knew what he was doing," English said.
English said the people on the phone told her that her social security number was linked to a drug trafficking and money laundering operation.
“They made her believe somebody was using her identity and had committed these crimes, therefore they needed these things from her to help clean her name of this investigation," said Det. Sgt. Justin Woodyard from the Licking County Sheriff's Office who was the lead detective on the case.
The scammers told her in order to get her name cleared, she had to drain her retirement and investments and then buy gold, according to English. She did. She was also told she couldn't talk to anyone about this. She said they were praying on her fear.
"He’s got me so sucked in and so scared I'm going to go to prison and just the things he kept telling me to enforce that but yet it's ok Lori, we got you," she said. "I've had people say to me that's not going to happen, people aren't going to do that legitimately, and I say until you’re in my shoes you can't judge.”
Investigators said on two different occasions, people part of the operation met with English inside her home and took the gold she purchased.
“I do not know of another case where scammers actually come into your residence in your living room and take possession of your property," Woodyard said. "This case is very unique because I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing."
The individuals who showed up at English's house the first time have not been caught and the gold has not been found. Justin T. Cao and Tuan Hung Van were the ones who showed up the second time, according to Woodyard. He said they were pulled over in Oklahoma with the gold in the car and English's receipt. Court documents show they were recently sentenced to two years in prison. Woodyard said they are involved in what is an elaborate, international, organized crime operation.
“I don't want other people to have to go through this. It was a long process, a long scary process. And they got everything from me. And I want to educate people, teach them how these operations work and what happens and what to do if you do get into my situation," English said.
English hopes those higher up in the operation are caught too. She has set up a P.O. Box, P.O. Box 604, Pataskala, OH 43062 for those who may want to help her.