Fake Walmart manager accused of tricking shopper out of $15,000 identified, OK cops say

For about two decades, a California investigator has been following a man who he calls a “frequent flyer” known for scamming people across the country.

So, when he saw a police Facebook post about a fake Walmart manager accused of scamming an Oklahoma shopper out of $15,000, he was able to immediately recognize the imposter.

The Oklahoma City Police Department shared this update in the case Thursday morning, about two weeks after the department’s original post.

In that first post, police were requesting the public’s help in identifying a man and woman who they say tricked a 71-year-old Walmart customer at an Oklahoma Walmart.

Officers called the case an “obviously well-rehearsed scam,” McClatchy News previously reported, and say the pair convinced her to withdraw the $15,000 from her bank account. The man who pretended to be a manager was dressed in business attire, as captured in surveillance footage.

“The pair fled with her money and were never seen again,” police said.

While the man in the surveillance photo was identified, police say charges against him have not been filed yet.

“Thanks to the power of social media, the male suspect has been identified,” police wrote. And they say he “has scammed numerous people out of hundreds of thousands from coast to coast.”

The woman still hasn’t been identified and the investigation continues. If you can identify her, police ask that you call Crime Stoppers at 405-235-7300 or visit www.okccrimetips.com to submit your tip.

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This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Fake Walmart manager accused of tricking shopper out of $15,000 identified, OK cops say."