Police say Mississippi woman bought $140,000 in stuff using ID of elderly woman in her care

Published 4:24 pm Monday, April 13, 2020

Police say a Mississippi woman is facing charges for illegally buying $140,000 in goods and services using the personal information of a 77-year-old woman she assisted with bills and shopping.

Tammie Scott, of Vancleave, had access to the victim’s bank accounts and credit cards and used the victim’s personal information to open additional accounts and lines of credit, spending thousands over two years, Ocean Springs Police Capt. Ryan Lemaire told WLOX-TV.

Scott was charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult and was being held in Jackson County Adult Detention Center on a $100,000 bond.

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Ocean Springs police said they began to investigate the identity theft in February, conducting a credit check and reviewing the victim’s bank and multiple credit card companies. Scott was arrested in Hopkins County, Texas, weeks after the investigation began. She was extradited back to south Mississippi on Wednesday.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Scott had an attorney who could speak on her behalf.