© Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
Syndication: The Record
(Paterson, NJ) — A senior citizen in Paterson, New Jersey says she was scammed out of thousands of dollars, after a woman asking for directions put some sort of chemical laden rag on her shoulder. 75-year-old Maria Ramos says the chemicals in the rag put her into some sort of stupor where she lost control of her ability to make decisions. She says the scammer then escorted her to two separate banks, where she took out five thousand dollars and handed it over to the rag woman. Ramos says she only began coming out of the stupor at the second bank, but it was too late.
Paterson City Council Member Luis Velez says he knows of others who have had the rag scam pulled on them. Ramos says she is telling her story so others wont become victims like she did. Police say they are aware of the rag scheme, but have made no arrests.