Albany woman arrested for scams on elderly in Southwest Georgia

Investigators believe she may have stolen up to $300,000.

By Jim Wallace

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - An Albany woman has been arrested for scamming a woman in Dougherty County and investigators say there may be six other victims across South Georgia.

Martha Bearden, 72, was arrested by the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office’s investigators early Tuesday morning at an Albany motel.

She is reportedly charged with two felony counts of elderly exploitation and two counts of theft by deception, one count is a felony.

Investigators said there are at least six other victims in other counties in South Georgia. But there could be more.

Investigators said Bearden has been working scams on South Georgians for around five years. Investigators estimate the money scammed from the victims they know about so far is around $300,000.

Investigators say she was telling victims she was coming into a large inheritance and needed cash to receive the inheritance.

WALB News 10′s Jim Wallace talked with one of the victims who claimed she has scammed by Bearden, who she considered a friend for 40 years. Debbie Blanton is the former executive director of the SOWEGA Council on Aging. Blanton was a victim of this scam, as well.

“For the last 15 years of my life, I was dedicated to protecting the vulnerability of senior adults against financial exploitation and abuse,” Blanton said. “It’s extremely difficult to come out and say that I was also a victim of this. I wanted people to know it can happen to me and I worked with it. It can happen to anyone.”

Blanton gave three warning signs for people to look out for.

Blanton said, first, the Internal Revenue Service does not put a hold on any type of inheritance.

“The only time our arrests will be involved is when you pay taxes at the end of the year and an inheritance tax. They do not hold any money that comes to you, and inheritance is a gift and that is free and clear,” she said.

Second, she said you should never give money to receive money.

Third, someone you have a relationship with may be scamming you.

“The only thing you’re going to be guilty of is having a big heart wanting to help someone and trusting. You need to report anything that you are suspicious of,” Blanton said.

Blanton said to alert the local authorities in your county if you believe you are being scammed.

“The only way to stop abuse, elder abuse financial exploitation is to report it,” she said.

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Albany woman arrested for scams on elderly in Southwest Georgia