'Sweetheart Scams' Growing Popular in Santa Clara County

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is on the lookout for predators taking advantage of lonely, often elderly people after making a major bust late last week. 

Gina Mitchell was arrested in San Jose after tricking an 85-year-old Clayton man into marrying her and then stealing more than $350,000 from him.

According to the DA's Office, Mitchell is already common-law married with several children.

Mitchell lured the victim into her plot using a "Sweetheart Scam." The technique is described by the DA's Office as when "people romantically manipulate vulnerable, often elderly, victims into giving up their money."

The practice is becoming increasingly popular in Santa Clara County. 

Mitchell met her victim in line at a grocery store. She told him she was an interior decorator who had fallen behind on payments. The victim ended up giving her hundreds of thousands of dollars and they were married in November. 

She never moved in with the victim, but instead called him remotely asking for money for her business. The victim was living in a convalescent home and his family grew suspicious that he had been scammed, the DA's Office said. 

Mitchell and the victim were set to meet last Thursday to exchange $7,000, when DA investigators arrested her in a San Jose hotel. 

"The sad fact is that there are people who criminally prey upon the lonely, using their hearts to get at their bank accounts," Deputy DA Cherie Bourlard said. 

Elderly singles need to be aware of this scam and its prevalence in Santa Clara County, Bourlard said. 

“Be involved and know what your parent or grandparent is up to," she said. "Visit them. Ask them if they are dating anybody, and then look into it, research who they are.”

Have you ever been scammed? Got advice to avoid it? Tell us in the comments!