Nancy Fend thought she was helping PNC Bank when she was scammed out of $15,000.

The 78-year-old Butler resident received a call at the beginning of March from a woman claiming to be a PNC Bank employee. The woman knew the exact amount in Fend’s PNC Bank checking account and said she needed help investigating a different employee who was allegedly committing fraud.

“Deep down inside, I did not want to do that, but they just had me so convinced after talking to me for two days,” Fend said.

Fend grew frustrated as the scammer called her three to four times per day over two days. Fend said she spent more than 10 hours on the phone over the two days.

Fend doesn’t use the checking account often and had recently deposited the $15,000 to transfer to her son.

She said the scammer called her on a phone number that had a “PNC Bank” caller ID, then the woman said she would call Fend back on a different line.

“When I look back on it, I just can’t believe I fell for it,” Fend said.

The scammers wanted Fend to withdraw the $15,000 and send the cash to a PNC Bank branch in Pittsburgh. The scammers sent their own driver to collect the cash, Fend said.

A real PNC Bank representative had called Fend at one point to discuss the withdrawal and other suspicious charges, some of which were fraudulent.

However, Fend didn’t tell the representative the real reason for the withdrawal. Fend said the scammers told her not to tell PNC Bank so the employee allegedly committing fraud wouldn’t know they’re being investigated.

“They tried to get me not to take it out,” Fend said about the bank. “They did try to protect me.”

Fend said her son was “very upset” when he found out about the fraud.

“Like my son always says, ‘when in doubt, call me,’” she said.

Fend has since obtained all new cards for the account and reported the scammers’ phone number to Butler police.

She learned later at a March 26 seminar hosted by Butler City Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service that alternate phone numbers, the urgency of needing the cash, requests not to tell her bank and sending drivers to the home are red flags in potential scam operations.

Fend said she hopes her experience can serve as a cautionary tale to keep others from getting scammed.

“I still cry every night over this one,” she said. “I just can’t believe how good they were.”

https://www.butlereagle.com/20260326/butler-police-us-postal-inspection-service-share-tips-on-avoiding-scams/?CSAuthResp=1634089911%3A173807578679725%3A23604%3A3%3A24%3Asuccess%3A4545230FB9423CD416470A5551B0DEB1