Photo: This is a copy of the text that the scammer sent out
Scammer takes 50k in cash from woman in Prescott
On Friday afternoon, Yavapai County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a woman in the Prescott area tricked into giving a scammer $50,000. The suspect told the victim that there was a fraudulent charge on her Apple account and that she could be arrested if she failed to pay.
The suspect called the victim by phone and instructed her to withdraw 50k from her bank. He told her to lie to the bank; otherwise, the bank would not give her the money, and she would be arrested. After the victim withdrew the funds, the scammer further pressured her to provide her home address so the fraudulent caller could pick up the cash.
The suspect drove up in a Toyota sedan and told the victim to put the cash in an envelope and put it in the car’s trunk. The victim did not realize that she had been scammed until hours later.
The victim called the Sheriff’s Office and described the suspect vehicle. Deputies immediately began searching the Prescott area but could not locate the car.
Yavapai County has seen a serious increase in fraud in 2025. Millions of dollars have been taken from unsuspecting victims. Much of that money is transferred via cryptocurrency, but occasionally, scammers are becoming more brazen by showing up at the victim’s home and demanding the cash.
It is essential to know that government entities will never come to your home or use cryptocurrency to seek payment. These scammers are persuasive.
Do not be a victim. Hang up the phone and call the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office 928-771-3260.
Driver Suspected of DUI and Going Over 100 MPH
On Sunday, around 7:40 pm, a vehicle traveling over 100 MPH flew past a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Deputy on SR 69 in Mayer. Another driver had previously called in saying the same vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed and had nearly crashed.
The deputy stopped the car in Spring Valley. The driver, 46-year-old Denise McCloe, immediately jumped out of the car and began talking to the deputy, claiming she had been drugged. The deputy noticed signs of drug impairment, and she was subsequently arrested for DUI. During the search of her car, deputies discovered 2 grams of methamphetamine and a half gram of an unknown powder. While searching, one of the deputies was accidentally exposed to meth. The deputy began feeling unwell and was transported to the hospital.
When McCloe was being booked into the Yavapai County Detention Center, more methamphetamine was found on her person. She was booked on criminal speed, reckless driving, DUI, drug possession, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and promoting prison contraband.
The YCSO deputy is doing much better and was able to go home last night.
