<![CDATA[
]]>
As the economy goes down, scams usually go up and one Midlands woman’s mother lost $15,000 thanks to a scam.

Trudy Shealy is steamed, knowing someone has swindled her 79-year-old mother out of some big bucks.

“They called her saying they had $250,000 and an SUV for her if she taxes or whatever,” said Shealy.

That February phone call eventually wound up with Shealy’s mother making several wire transfers to the supposed lottery, but the money was gone, and Trudy only found out when the bank got suspicious and called her.

“This is my mother’s money that has been sent to Jamaica, and I know we’re not getting it back,” said Shealy.