An 87-year-old woman from Mesa, Arizona, lost $500,000 to an online romance scammer after posting on social media about her husband’s death, she told ABC15 in late September. Police later recovered nearly $200,000.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said scammers found her quickly after her post. Over the next seven months, the man she met online built her trust, then directed her to nearby cryptocurrency ATMs. She eventually withdrew a cashier’s check for $500,000 and sent it to him. She said her own bank tried to stop her, but she did not listen.

Embarrassed once she realised it was a fraud, she said she initially wanted to hide rather than speak to police. She eventually contacted the Mesa Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit, where Detective Tim Letson traced the transactions on the blockchain and recovered close to $200,000. Letson said anyone can be a victim, and that the sooner investigators can reach the evidence, the easier it is to trace the money.

Red flags police list

A stranger online pushing an investment opportunity
A push to move the conversation to WhatsApp or Telegram
Pressure to decide quickly and to keep it secret

In September 2025, Arizona’s attorney general introduced tighter restrictions on crypto ATM use, particularly for first-time users, including a cap on the daily amount they can send. The woman said she is sharing her story to warn others, especially women, about the danger online.