Edmond Woman Warns Others After Narrowly Avoiding Scam Call

An Edmond woman is sharing her experience to warn others after nearly falling victim to a phone scam.

Mendy Stewart received a phone call from an unknown number that left her in shock and fear for her mother’s safety. Stewart, who was on her way to meet her mother, said the caller initially claimed to be a state trooper informing her that her mother had been involved in a severe car accident.

“I received a phone call from an unknown number,” Stewart recalled. “And I answered it and I just hear a woman crying hysterically.”

The caller then suddenly switched tactics, claiming to be a member of the Mexican cartel and demanding $30,000 in exchange for her mother’s life.

“I’m just in total shock, at this point,” Stewart said. “Threatening me with my life and with my daughter’s life. Everybody, that if I reached out to anybody, if I alerted police, if I did anything, that she was going to die.”

Stewart, overwhelmed by the situation, began to panic and feared for her mother's life. She was in the midst of what she described as “41 minutes of pure terror.” However, before she could send any money, Stewart received a text from her mother and realized the call was a scam.

“Absolutely terrifying,” Stewart said. “It’s just, how do you hang up whenever you think that they have your mom and they’re about to kill her?”

Now, Stewart is using her experience as a warning to others, urging people to remain vigilant. She acknowledged that she never thought she would fall for a scam but now realizes how quickly emotions can be manipulated.

“They get you in with your emotions from the very beginning,” Stewart said. “Just, you know, be aware that this is going on.”

Local authorities have confirmed that they have received several calls about similar scams. Edmond Police advise residents to be cautious and avoid responding to calls from unknown numbers. They also encourage individuals to never give out financial information over the phone.