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Woman arrested for allegedly scamming Portage seniors

Posted at 4:02 PM, May 02, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-02 16:02:55-04

PORTAGE, Mich. – A Kalamazoo woman has been arrested and charged with trying to defraud residents at a senior community.

Deirbra Day Collier was arrested on April 20 and charged with seven counts, including forgery, ID theft and embezzlement of a vulnerable adult.

The Portage Dept. of Public Safety says there were at least five reports from residents at senior communities of a visitor who attempted to get personal information and banking numbers from them.  On April 11, victims reported first receiving a phone call that their credit card number was being used fraudulently and that a police officer would come over and get their card from them. A woman shortly after showed up at their residence.  There were three known victims from this occurrence.

On April 14, a woman knocked on at least two resident’s door at another community and identified herself as the representative of a bank.  She told the resident that their credit card was being used fraudulently and she was there to assist in getting the victim a new card.  She was able to get a credit card from one of the victims.

Portage detectives think there may be even more victims.  Anyone with information should call the Portage Department of Public Safety at 269-329-4567 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.