7OYS helps woman scammed by con artist

MARIN, Calif. (KGO) -- A Marin County woman who fell victim to a ruthless scam artist just before Christmas, hit a nerve with people all over the Bay Area. It touched their hearts so deeply, they just had to help her.

As heartless as this scam was, the response from viewers was far more uplifting. Right after this story aired, 7 On Your Side received an outpouring of offers to help make things right for this woman. Thanks to many Bay Area residents, 7 On Your Side surprised her with a gift she couldn't believe.

Carolyn Collins received a shocking phone call in her room at an assisted living home. '"I'm a policeman, my name is Zach Miller and you are under arrest. There is a warrant out for your arrest now,"' she said.

The man said Collins failed to show up for jury duty and that she had to pay $500 right away or she'd go to jail. "I was stunned. I believed him. He was a policeman, I trust policemen," she said.

The man ordered her to go to her bank to withdraw $500 and load it onto a Green Dot Money Card. The man stayed on the line the whole time as Collins walked to her bank, then to CVS to buy the money card. "And he told me, 'don't tell people why you're taking this money out of the bank and going to CVS. Don't tell them it's CVS or they'll have you arrested,"' she said.

When she got home the man told her to scrape the silver lining off the money card. '"And there's a number there and I want you to give me that number,"' she said.

Collins did and the crook used it to steal all the money loaded on the card.

It wasn't until later that a friend told her he wasn't a cop and that it was a scam. She'd just lost all her savings. "I live on SSI and I don't have that much money at my fingertips," Collins said.

"The story came on about Carolyn and how she'd been taken for $500 by this person and it really annoyed me. It actually angered me," Los Altos florist Brian Davino said.

Davino felt so outraged, he vowed to help restore her savings. "I just wanted her to know that despite all the not so desirable people that are out there in this world there's a lot of people who do care," he said.

"I felt really sad and I teared up a bit, I was really moved by what really happened to her," San Jose resident Uma Krishan said.

Krishnan contacted 7 On Your Side asking how she could help and offers poured in from all over the Bay Area.

Paul Ray in San Jose wrote, "My heart was broken when she said she's been saving and living on SSI. I want to give her $500 as a gift."

San Francisco resident Ballow said, "It's so sad that there are folks out there who would do such a thing."

And Ray in Santa Rosa wrote, "I am not a wealthy man, but I would like to donate to resurrect her faith in human kind."

Donations flowed in and Legal Aid of Marin collected money on Collins' behalf. Then, 7 On Your Side surprised her with a gift on Friday.

Finney: "Hi Carolyn "I'm Michael Finney from Channel 7. I've got a check here from the viewers of 7 On Your Side for the $500 you were scammed out of."

Collins was overwhelmed.

"At least it is a happy ending," Krishan said.

"It just made me feel good because I knew that would put a smile on her face," Davino said.

Donors gave more than enough to restore her savings.

"We have created the Carolyn Collins Fund," Legal Aid Paul Cohen said.

"I'm speechless," Collins said.

All of the extra money is going to be used in a fund to educate other seniors so that they're not taken advantage of.