Alert re: Auto Repair Scheme in Bellevue, Renton, and Tukwila

Special note from ENN Member Diana Thompson

Each year in June I make a presentation to the Bellevue City Council in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.   Each year I request an Eastside case from the King County Prosecutor’s office.  

This year I was asked to spread the world on the case below, as multiple seniors have been taken advantage by Defendant S.  The prosecutor’s office would like reports from more people who were taken advantage of by Defendant S.   If any of your members or friends/family of the members have had this happen and have not reported it, they should either contact their police department or let me know  and I will send it on to the King County Prosecutors office.

Diana Thompson

Here is the description of the prosecutor regarding Defendant S:

“We have filed seven cases in King County since February 2021 all involving the same “auto repair scheme.”  To date, there are victims in Bellevue, Renton, and Tukwila. 

The defendant targets women between the age of 60 to 90 years old.  The defendant’s usual pattern is that he approaches the victim in a parking lot, says there is a problem with the victim’s fender (which he creates by pulling on the fender), claims he is from AAA auto and offers to fix it for just the cost of a few plastic pins. 

The defendant has a portable debit card reader, which he pulls out of his vehicle, to facilitate the victim’s payment for the pins.  After the victim puts their card into the card reader, the defendant has the victim input a PIN number, and then creates a diversion to leave the area with the card still in the card reader.  The defendant then uses the debit card and PIN to withdraw money from the victim’s account at the nearest ATM or to get cash back with a small purchase from a store nearby. 

Once the victim realizes that the defendant is not coming back and that he still has their debit card, they call their bank to cancel the card.  However, the defendant has usually acquired a couple thousand dollars before the card is cancelled."

I have urged the police to get the word out in their communities about this defendant and his scheme.  It would be wonderful if you could do the same!

City Hall Agendas: https://bellevue.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx 

Agenda subject to change.

For information about World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, visit the NCEA web site (National Center on Elder Abuse).