Support Jose After Heartbreaking Fraud

Dear Friends, Family, and Community,

My name is Amanda and you may have recently seen my father’s story circulating on the local news in New Mexico. My 71-year-old father, Jose Lopez, recently became the victim of an elaborate scam that robbed him of $73,590. This is the majority of his hard-earned retirement savings, which has been a truly devastating loss for my father and mother financially and emotionally.

The scam began when a man claiming to be a US Marshal contacted my father, alleging fraudulent activity tied to his finances. The scammer was alarmingly convincing, even involving a woman who called from a local number posing as an Espanola police officer to validate the scammer's story. Together, they coerced my father into believing he needed to verify his money with the "Treasury Department" to prevent legal consequences. This led to one of the scammers physically going to my father’s home to collect the money.

The scammer then called again a few days later stating they had made progress in the investigation but needed more money for the “Treasury Department” to verify. At this point, my father called the city police and found out he had been scammed. My father agreed to participate in a sting operation with the sheriff’s department. When the scammer came back to my father’s home to collect more money the local sheriffs were waiting and able to make the arrest. While we’re grateful for the fast-acting local sheriff’s department, the financial damage has already been done, and recovering the stolen funds does not look promising.

I never would have thought my father would be the victim of fraud. My father has always been so careful and purposeful with his money. He typically asks me for help when something arises that he is uncertain of and I am in contact with him on a daily basis. It breaks my heart that the scammer was able to still somehow isolate my father from me so I couldn’t help. Now, my father’s retirement fund is gone which is what my parents are depending on to provide for them for the rest of their lives. And they plan to live a long life. Anyone who knows my father knows that he is incredibly frugal and a modest man. He worked tirelessly throughout his life to provide for our family and ensure a secure future. It’s infuriating to see my father who is the most giving person I know and always willing to lend a hand or a tool being faced with this tragedy.

This is not an easy ask but we are humbly requesting for you to consider supporting my father at this time. Your donations will go directly toward helping him recover some of his financial losses, pay for any potential legal fees associated with seeking justice, and regain peace of mind during this challenging time.

No contribution is too small, and every bit of support means the world to us. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this post with your family, friends and community would be an incredible help. Prayers are also appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to read our story and for considering lending your support. Your kindness will make a profound difference in my father’s life and our family’s ability to move forward from this devastating ordeal.

Again, thank you to the Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Department for arresting the scammer. We are grateful to God that everyone involved is safe.

With gratitude,

The Lopez Family