Police Say Senior Citizen Is Flim-Flam Suspect

Authorities Release Picture Of Suspect

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Montgomery County police are searching for a senior citizen who is wanted for defrauding an elderly woman in Rockville, Md.

Police spokesman Derek Balliles said, "What happened here is one of the oldest scams in the book."

Balliles said the incident happened Nov. 14 at the Montrose Crossing Shopping Center. The 89-year-old victim was had just finished shopping and was placing her things in her car when a woman called out to her. He said the victim thought maybe they knew each other.

Balliles said as the two women began talking, a third woman approached and said she found a purse with some money in it.

Police said inside the purse the suspects only pretended to find a note saying the money was to be used to by drugs in Washington, D.C.

The two women offered to split what police will only describe as a large sum of money with the victim, but there was a catch.

Balliles said the 89-year-old woman drove from the shopping center to her home nearby and then back to the Chevy Chase Bank branch in the shopping center where she handed over $5,000 to the suspects.

Police said the suspects told the victim to wait at a nearby Starbucks while they went to a United Bank across the street. There a teller was supposed to process the drug money. Then the suspects would bring the victim her share plus the original $5,000 to the Starbucks.

Balliles said, "Needless to say, nobody showed up.

Police released pictures of the suspect that were taken at the United Bank.

Police said the victim trusted the suspects because they were women, one either in her 50s or 60s and the possibly in her 70s.

Balliles said, "This has taken a tremendous impact on this woman. At 89-years-old, she didn't have a whole lot, but now she's lost $5,000 more and her pride."

There is a $1,000 reward in this case and you don't have to put up any of your own money to get it. Just call Montgomery County police if you recognize the woman in the picture or if you know anything about this crime.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.