Cabbie prevents elderly Kāpiti woman from being scammed

Taxi driver Florence Haines. Photo / David Haxton

A vigilant Paraparaumu Taxis driver has helped prevent an elderly woman from being scammed.

Florence Haines went to the Parkwood Retirement Village in Waikanae after a taxi request from a resident.

The resident, an elderly woman, wanted Florence to take her to 14 Mahara Place, Western Union.

"I said to her Western Union was actually the New Zealand Post Shop and that the Western Union was where you receive or accept money.

"I asked her if she was going to be receiving some money and she said 'no I'm going to pay my computer' and she explained that she needed to pay someone some money to get a number released so her computer could work.

"I said 'it's a scam' and she should use local if she was going to get her computer fixed.

"She said 'no they will reimburse me' and I told her they wouldn't."

The woman, who had various documentation all pointing overseas, insisted on going to Mahara Place so Florence decided to stop by an administration office in the nearby Woodlands area of the retirement village and explained the situation to a staff member.

"As soon as she [the resident] saw the office lady she said 'have I been scammed'?"

The woman soon realised she could have been the victim of a scam.

"She was a bit overwhelmed that someone could do that," said Florence, who has been driving a taxi for about six years.

Florence took the elderly woman home.

"She was thankful because she realised what was going on."

Florence said the Post Shop would likely have alerted the woman to the scam but it was good to stop it early on.

She was simply happy to help someone.

"I enjoy my job and don't like seeing people get conned."