As the family of a mother of four who has been missing for months struggle to hold on to hope that she will be found safe, they say they have become the target of scammers looking to make money off their nightmare.
Tami Ruth, the grieving mother of missing Colorado resident Casey Yoder, 34, says her family was devastated when they recently received fake messages on Facebook from scammers claiming to be her daughter, who disappeared in January.
“Give me the money and I’ll come back tomorrow.” Ruth told CBS News. I explained the messages I received from the scammers.
“It’s awful, it’s devastating,” the grandmother said of the mental stress.
The Weld County Sheriff’s Office had asked the public for help in searching for Yoder, who had not returned since leaving his home around 4 p.m. on January 14.
The sheriff’s department said “no criminal activity is suspected” in her disappearance.
Family members said the sheriff’s post helped spread information about Yoder’s disappearance, but it appears the news fell into the hands of bad actors looking to take advantage of the missing woman’s family.
Yoder’s 9-year-old son, Havin, received the message from his mother, and the overjoyed boy ran to his grandmother to tell him the good news.
“He kept saying, ‘Grandma, she’ll be back tomorrow,'” Ruth recalled.
But Ruth said she quickly realized the message wasn’t from her daughter because the scammer couldn’t answer basic questions Yoder knew she should have.
The scammer then claimed he couldn’t remember the answer because the kidnappers had beaten him so badly, and said he was in Russia.
“I said, ‘You’re not my daughter. I have to find my daughter,'” Ruth said before ending the exchange.
The grieving mother reported the incident to police and Justice Takes Flight, a Colorado nonprofit that helps families of missing people.
The Weld County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating about 50 reports, including sightings, of Yoder’s disappearance but does not yet have any solid leads as to her whereabouts.
“Unfortunately, this investigation does not reveal where Casey went or where he currently is, however no criminal activity is suspected in Casey’s departure from his residence,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
