Woman in her late 70s visited her bank for $24,500 in cash, but the banker says the ‘red flags’ led her to uncover an hour-long scam call

A woman who says she works at a bank said in her first TikTok video that a longtime customer in her late 70s came in looking unlike herself and asked to cash a check for $24,500. Patti, who posts as @pattihahnl, said the clip is aimed at people who dislike banks and that fraud happens every day. The video has drawn about 303,700 views and almost 3,000 comments.

Patti said the customer, whom she named Martha, usually arrives dressed beautifully, with matching earrings, done hair, and makeup. That day, she said, Martha wore jeans and a T-shirt, her hair was not done, and she did not look like herself. Patti said she hugged her, asked how she was doing, and heard that Martha was fine but in a hurry.

A teller then slid the check over, Patti said. She told Martha the amount was a lot of cash and asked what she planned to do with it. Martha answered that it was personal, which Patti described as “red flags.”

Banker said she took the customer’s phone after seeing an hour-long call

Patti said she asked Martha into her office and repeated that she needed more information before handing over that much cash. Martha said she was nervous and that she was getting renovations done at her house. When Patti offered to call the company and see if it would take a cashier’s check, Martha said it was an individual, not a company, which Patti called more “red flags.”

Patti said she told Martha the situation sounded fishy and that she was worried Martha was being scammed. Martha answered, “Oh no, I’m not getting scammed at all.” Patti said she then told Martha that if she could not give more details, she would call security, the police, and the Department of Elderly Services.

Martha pulled out her phone from her purse and was shaking, Patti said. Patti said she could see Martha had been on the phone for an hour and was still on the call. Patti said she asked for the phone, and Martha gave it to her.

Patti said she told the person on the line, “listen, you are not getting any money from my customer. She’s not giving you anything. You can take her name off of your list. Goodbye.” She said she gave the phone back and told Martha to hang up and that she was being scammed. Martha replied that she owed them money.

Martha then described the story as Patti recounted it. She said she got a text claiming $450 had been taken from her account for web services. She called to say that was too much, and they offered a refund. She clicked a link they sent. Patti said that while this was happening, they got into her account and moved money from savings into checking.

Martha said she typed 250 for the refund they offered, and they somehow added two zeros. They then told her she had put in $25,000, so she owed them $25,000 and needed to get cash from the bank to send it. 

Patti said Martha was so scared that she left home with her phone in her purse and came straight to the bank to cash $24,500. Scammers often target the elderly with urgent demands for cash, such as when an elderly couple was told they had won 4 million, but a years-long scam left them without their home, car, jobs, and life savings. 

Patti said bankers ask what large withdrawals are for to keep customers safe, not because they are nosy. She said that if she had not pushed, Martha might as well have thrown the money out the window. She added that Martha was grateful. 

On-screen text in the video read “Bank haters listen up!” Patti said in the caption that fraud happens every day, everywhere, and that people should stay alert whether they are young or old.

Some viewers said banks should not question customers about their own money. One commenter wrote, “They should not be asking anything! It’s her money!” Another wrote, “None of the banks business what it’s for it’s her money.” A third wrote, “People are supposed to be free to do whatever they want with their money. If they make a mistake that is on them. We don’t need the bank to be our “money police “”

Other commenters who identified themselves as bankers said the situation is common. One wrote, “Banker here, this happens so much!! And people get mad when you ask!” Another wrote, “As a banker, I see this so often. If people would just realize we are there to help, they would understand. Great job!!!”