Posted Wednesday, June 14, 2017 3:29 pm

- The Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) has arrested a 35-year-old Orlando woman who stole over $17,000 from a 96-year-old Deltona woman to buy a Lexus SUV by pretending to be a bank employee. The VCSO began investigating the case involving scam artist, Samara L. McCastler, in late May after her victim's caregiver reported an unwarranted $17,223.99 bank charge. On Friday, May 26, the victim answered a phone call from a woman claiming to be an employee at Wells Fargo. The woman was told by the "employee" to put her debit card in an envelope and to place it in her mailbox because the bank was going to send her a new one. The victim told the woman over the phone what her PIN number and last 4 digits of her Social Security number were. By Sunday, May 28, $17,000 dollars were spent at Walmarts in Orange City and Orlando. After these charges were made, the victim's caregiver deactivated the debit card and froze the bank account. On Wednesday, May 31, the victim received a call from a woman claiming she was "Ella Wilson" about what had happened to her debit card. Before hanging up, the victim told the unknown caller, “You have my debit card and took my money!” Meanwhile, detective Julian Elmazi with the VCSO was tracking purchases of Visa gift cards and money orders and saw the same woman making the purchases in Orange City and Orlando. The woman in the videos had a silver and black purse and drove a light blue Chevy Malibu, and in one video, had two children with her. A money order was used at the Auto Express Enterprises dealership on Goldenrod Road in Orlando. There, camera footage showed the woman with the same purse and one of the same children. McCastler put a $11,999 downpayment on a 2006 Lexus SUV and gave the dealership her identification. On Tuesday, June 13, Elmazi got a warrant for McCastler's arrest and ultimately arrested her in Orange County on Wednesday, June 14. McCastler is charged with organizing a scheme to defraud, grand theft and the fraudulent use of a credit card. The charges carry a $125,000 bond. Currently, VCSO detectives are investigating the possibility of more transactions and more charges for McCastler.

(McCastler mugshot courtesy of Orange County Government)

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