MONTEREY WOMAN DEFRAUDED OF THOUSANDS IN DRIVEWAY SCAM
An 82-year-old Monterey resident fell victim to a financial fraud scheme involving a fraudulent driveway sealcoating service and subsequent bank card theft, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident, which occurred between August 24 and August 31, 2026, at a residence on East Cove Road, is currently listed as an active case under investigation by Investigator Bobby Moore.
Key Details of the Incident:
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The Initial Contact: A suspect driving a white Chevrolet truck arrived at the victim’s home claiming to represent a sealcoating service and quoted $4,400 for driveway work. The victim wrote a check for the full amount, which was cashed that same day.
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The Rebate Trap: Over text messages, the suspect promised a $1,500 rebate and convinced the victim to provide her banking details to process the return.
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The Financial Loss: Unauthorized withdrawals totaling $2,450 were made across the victim’s Regions Bank and US Bank accounts on August 31.
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The Investigation: Law enforcement traced identification documents used during the check-cashing process to a 45-year-old suspect from Cookeville.
Authorities urge residents to remain vigilant against unsolicited home repair offers and to never share sensitive financial information over text or phone communications.
NOTE: While a suspect has been named in the report, they have not been charged or arrested, and so will go unnamed until more information is made available.
