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Denver police say scammers are using the coronavirus to take advantage of senior citizens

Posted at 8:04 PM, Apr 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-06 08:37:43-04

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DENVER — One woman in Denver found a safe, reliable person to help her during the coronavirus outbreak, but Denver police say that's not always the case and are warning residents about scams.

Cassandra Aguilar-Glaub, a nursing student, said she is taking classes at home while caring for her family.

"My oldest daughter she actually got diagnosed with reactive airways disease when she was young so taking her out is really scary," she said.

Because her daughter is at a high risk for infection, she got help from Kasia Teske, who started volunteering her time to give back to the community. Teske said she started offering her help for free when the coronavirus hit Colorado.

"Running to go get groceries, running to the pharmacy, doing things like that," Teske said. "Most of them are high-risk individuals who would like to stay protected and are just reaching out to someone who is willing to do that for them."

From the start both women wanted to make sure they could trust each other. Teske said she wants to be completely open and transparent.

"They are more than welcome to have my full name, my license plate number, my address, my phone number," she said of those she's helping.

But the trust they have has not been shared all around.

Denver police says scammers are targeting seniors and telling them they’ll do their shopping and deliver the items as long as they pay up front.

In one case, one senior agreed to let the person into their home to get their shopping list, police said.

If you or someone you know is in need of help with picking up supplies, before you do, ask the person for a list of references, never pay any money up front, don’t give out your address and don’t let strangers into your home.