75-Year-Old Claims 2 Women Befriend Her, Scam Her Out Of $6K In Savings

SYLMAR (CBSLA) — A Pacoima woman says she was drugged and tricked by a pair of suspected robbers then was forced to hand over thousands of dollars in savings.

Tatiana Salas says her mom, 75-year-old Lidia Chavez,  always saw the good in people. But that changed last week when she said she was approached by two women asking for directions in Spanish outside a senior center in Pacoima. The women befriended Lidia who, at one point, stepped inside the center to use the restroom.

"The tall lady was outside waiting for her and gave her a piece of gum. My mom said she started feeling really strange, a little confused, disoriented," victim's daughter Tatiana Salas said. "She lost her joy. She feels she can't trust anyone."

Then, the two women ordered Chavez to get in their car and threatened to kill her if she didn't.

"She had that worry in her head all she thought about was obeying."

Security video shows that the women drove to Chavez's house and told her they wanted $6,000. Lidia is seen walking back to the car after she got almost $1800 in cash. But the ride wasn't over. Next stop: A Bank of America in Sylmar. Chavez went inside to get more cash.

"She withdraws $4,000, gets back in the car with them, they're waiting for her at a distance."

The women finally dropped Chavez off, who later went to police. Now she's out almost $6,000 she had saved for her retirement. Salas has a message for the two women who were driving a black four-door Kia Sol.

"My mom didn't deserve this. She's a good person. I hope they will change their ways."