ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Sherlea Dony, a senior who worked for more than 50 years, lost her entire retirement savings to scammers.

The scam occurred about a year ago, when Dony received an email claiming to be from PayPal, asking her to approve a $1,000 charge on her debit card.

Dony was instructed to call a number in the email to deny the charge. However, this call marked the beginning of the scam. After several emails and phone calls, Dony ended up handing her money over to a courier who came to her house. The scammers stole her entire retirement fund.

Dony said she wasn’t sure she wanted to live anymore after the scam.

Her friends and Lifespan, a local organization, helped her recover. Friends covered her rent and bills, while Lifespan assisted her in enrolling in benefits to manage her expenses. Dony said she now lives a radically different life, but not in a bad way.

Dony feels passionate about ensuring others do not experience what she did. Despite the shame and fear she felt, she has shared her story publicly multiple times.

If scammed, individuals can reach out to Lifespan for support. The organization has social workers ready to guide people through applying for benefits and programs that assist with medical appointments, prescriptions, groceries, and housing.

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