A Florida woman accused of posing as a bank employee to take a senior citizen’s card is facing an additional charge after deputies say the exact amount drained from the victim’s account was later found concealed inside her body at the jail.
Moniquie Love Turnbull, 31, of Miami, is accused of showing up at a Martin County senior’s home after a man called the victim pretending to be a Chase Bank fraud representative.
The caller claimed the victim’s account had been compromised and said someone would come to collect the card and destroy it. Investigators say Turnbull arrived using the name “Monica,” took the card and cut it in half in front of the victim.
Minutes later, $3,180 disappeared from the account. After Turnbull was arrested, authorities say the same amount was discovered concealed inside her body while she was being processed into jail, according to CBS12.
A Fake Bank Representative Called Before She Arrived
Investigators say the scheme began with a phone call from an unidentified man who claimed to work in Chase Bank’s fraud department.
He told the senior that the bank account had been compromised and that a representative would come to the home to collect the debit or credit card before a replacement was issued. Turnbull then arrived and identified herself as “Monica,” according to arrest affidavits described by CBS12.
Investigators say she verified herself using a code relayed through the caller, adding another layer of apparent legitimacy to the story. She took possession of the card, cut it in half in front of the victim and placed the pieces inside a manila envelope.
The Victim Wrote Down the License Plate
The senior became uneasy about what had happened and wrote down the vehicle’s license plate number as Turnbull left, investigators said.
Authorities say the victim’s account was hit with a $3,000 withdrawal followed by another $180 ATM withdrawal. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said the $3,180 represented everything the woman had, including money she needed for rent.
While deputies were investigating, they received another report involving a nearly identical attempt that same day. A second senior had also been approached, but a family member became suspicious and refused to surrender the card.
A Second Victim Helped Deputies Find the Car
The second attempted transaction was captured on a Ring doorbell camera, according to investigators. That victim also provided authorities with a license plate number and vehicle description. Deputies located a gray two-door Nissan Altima on Bridge Road in Hobe Sound near Interstate 95.
Body-camera footage showed deputies stopping the vehicle and taking Turnbull into custody. The first victim was brought to the scene and identified Turnbull as “Monica” from about 15 feet away, according to CBS12.
Investigators said a search of the vehicle uncovered a surgical mask and multiple yellow envelopes matching descriptions provided during the investigation.
Deputies Say the Missing $3,180 Was Concealed Inside Her Body
The case took another turn after Turnbull was taken to jail. Authorities initially described roughly $3,200 in cash as having been found concealed inside her body.
Budensiek said Turnbull complained of pain during a jail phone call with an unidentified man. Detectives returned to interview her, and she acknowledged having money concealed inside her body, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say Turnbull initially indicated that she had $400 before later telling investigators the amount was $3,180. The cash was recovered and placed into evidence. Fox News reported that deputies said the money had been concealed vaginally when she entered the correctional facility.
Investigators Are Looking for Who Else Was Involved
Turnbull faces charges including scheme to defraud, grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit or debit card without consent involving a victim 60 or older, fraudulent use of identification without consent and felony use of a two-way communication device.
She also faces an additional charge of introducing contraband into a corrections facility. Her bond was set at $500,000. Investigators seized her cellphone and Apple Watch and were seeking authorization to search the devices, according to CBS12.
The sheriff said major questions remain about the alleged operation, including how those involved identified Chase customers and knew which homes to approach.
Turnbull told investigators she was part of a larger organization, Budensiek said, although authorities have not verified that claim. Investigators are also still trying to identify the man accused of making the calls. The investigation remains open, and the charges against Turnbull are accusations that have not been proven in court.
A Bank Will Not Send Someone to Your Home to Collect Your Card
The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers frequently impersonate banks and other trusted organizations to obtain money or financial information. Caller ID can also be manipulated, so seeing a familiar bank name or phone number on the screen does not prove the call is legitimate.
Do not hand a card, cash or valuables to someone who unexpectedly arrives claiming to represent a financial institution. End the call and contact the bank independently using the number printed on the back of the card, on a bank statement or on the institution’s official website.
If a card has already been surrendered or unauthorized withdrawals appear, contact the issuing bank immediately, ask for the card to be disabled and report the transactions as fraudulent. The FTC advises consumers whose debit cards were used fraudulently to contact the issuing financial institution and ask that fraudulent transactions be reversed.