Man accused of scamming elderly Chandler woman out of $3,700

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Police are searching for a suspect accused of scamming an elderly woman out of $3,700 in Chandler.

According to police, the woman said that a man showed up at her home on May 23, claiming that he was an employee of AAA and that one of the wheels on her car needed to be fixed.

"The male provided information about damage to the victim's vehicle, specifically to the wheel nuts of the tires," Chandler Police said. "He added it appeared one of the wheels was about to fall off."

The man then offered to fix the wheel nuts for $3,700.

The suspect and the victim then drove to the bank, where the woman withdrew $3,700. The suspect took the money and did not perform any work on the woman's vehicle.

Police watched the bank surveillance video and identified the suspect as Joe Miller.

"However, Miller is believed to go by many different names and may not currently be using that name," police said.

Chandler Police Det. Eva Zermeno says the elderly are targeted by scammers because of their age, their unfamiliarity with technology and because they often live alone.

"It can happen to anybody really. But at this point, our elderly community is at risk because they are on fixed incomes. They don’t have much, but they do value what they do have," Zermeno said. 

Another factor to note, he may no longer be in Chandler.

"He does appear to be changing his name quite frequently," she said. "He doesn’t stay around very long in one city or town."

How many times do the police think he’s scammed an Arizonan?

"Undetermined at this point," Zermeno said. "He seems to be a pro."

If you or anyone you know have been a victim of Miller, you're asked to call Chandler Police at 480-782-4130 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.