Today I read a story about how a Moncton woman who scammed her parents for more then $400K. That’s crazy! Tina Steeves was the woman who kept on asking for money from her parents first allegedly said she had a brain tumour and she was waiting for cheques from disability. Her stories kept on changing and then she needed money for keeping drug dealers away from her and had to hire security. At one point they were giving $3000 or more everyday. I can’t believe this woman scammed and defrauded her parents, Dorothy Smith 52 and Terry Smith 61. Four hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money but I don’t know about you but after the first $10,000 I would give my child I would start thinking something is wrong. I can understand how they didn’t want any harm to come to their child and their parental instincts kicked in but what would you do. All signs pointed to them that this was real from calling doctor which they were told was Tina Steeves doctor to a friend of hers who impersonated a police officer to make it sound legit about drug dealers after her. What a very planned scam fraud that she put into action. In my opinion she knew that her parents had the moneyand hse was gonna milk them for everything they had. Sad, sad, sad….
The Judge Irwin Lampert sentenced this Tina Steeves to 4 years in prisonafter 2 years was wanted for this case but he didn’t think it was adequate. I am glad he doubled it as I think of the parents who lost everything as they believed their daughter and was trying to protect her. Everything they ever worked for was lost! My wife and I talked about this and we are still in shock and moved by this story as much as everyone else I;m sure. Supposedly this fraud went on for more then 2 years but that’s a lot of money for a drug addiction. Tina Steeves was addicted to hydromorphone pills and spent it on that, food and other things.
Hopefully their daughter will learn a lesson but there is nothing that will fix the parents situation now. I feel so bad for them as everything they worked for they sold to protect their daughter from any harm that was supposedly the story. I just don’t understand how your own child can do this to their own. It just goes to show you how strong a drug addiction can do to someone just to get what they need. It’s a very sad story and has touched everyone.
The biggest comment that touched me was when Judge Irwin Lampert said, ” For more then 6 months they ate nothing but potatoes.” They never even had enough money to buy food because of what their daughter did. It makes me so upset how a couple, most likely retired and had everything all worked out but just in 2 years their own child caused life altering changes that will probably never be fixed, not in anytime soon anyway. Very, very sad day and my heart goes out to the parents who were scammed for more the $400k.
This is only one scam where people are defrauded by huge amounts of money. Scams like these go on everyday in the world but you would never think someone so close to you could do that to you! What I hope this story tells other parents to do is watch for warning signs and hopefully this one story can help stop this from happening to others. I know people or business’s can’t get involved with everything and giving money or appliances, but in this case I would hope or I put out a challenge to all local Moncton business’s to come together to help this family in need.
This is a very sad story and I hope that something can be done to help a little and show that Moncton cares over this very heart felt story! There should be a donation set up just to help get them back on their feet. I’m sure anything they receive whether it be furniture or small cash donations would be something and much appreciated. What do you think Moncton? Christmas in around the corner, I think it should come early for this couple, how about yourself?
Sorry, but they willingly gave the money, for over 2 years. $3,000.00 a day?
come on are people really that naive? They were not promised anything in return for the money. Did the daughter steal from their bank account? No they withdrew the money. They made the decision to GIVE her the money. They maxed out the credit cards, sold their cars, they could have stopped at any time.
I think it’s awful that a child would do that to parents, but they have to accept responsibility as well.
Oh I totally see your point but think of it like this, if you called and talked to doctor and they said it was true, there was a police officer which was posed by her friend, you wouldn’t really judge it, would you?? Mind you the $3000 a day is extreme but they were worried. I know the amount of money would ring bells for me but they loved their child and didn’t want any harm to come her way.
I understand what you are saying and I don’t realy disagree with you. If it was your child and a police officer said it needed to be done or your child would most likely be killed what would you do?? I see both sides but she did talk to doctor and police officer that said she needed protection.
So do you think she should go to jail for 4 years.??? Sounds like you are saying that she didn’t steal it, she did! It was a scam, fraud, deliberate scheme to take money from her parents. A well planned out scam.
I think they should have contacted more then one person in the case, when it came to the Police but when your child is in danger parents will do anything to protect them. I think the judge gave her what she deserved and glad he doubled it. It was an awful thing to do to her parents! Now she has time to think about it…
Yes I think she should go to jail, but they have to accept responsibility.
When the story about the brain tumor turned out to be a lie, why did they continue to give her money? That’s when it should have ended. Instead they gave her even more.
Did this couple talk to anyone during this 2 yrs? What about other family, friends? I also can’t believe this is the first time she’s gotten money out of them.
Once they found out the illness was faked & one of her friends had posed as a dr, why would they believe any other story?
If they really believed her life was in danger, why didnt’ they go to the police? Yes I know she had one of her friends contact them, but after the fake dr that should have been a bell going off.
There’s an old saying: Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Oh yeah they have to take responsibiltity too but they were going by the facts. From what I heard they only found out it was a scam when they went to drop off money as Tina Steeves supposedly went into hiding and then the parents seen here laughing with a friend. That is what prompted the investigation as the parents soke to friends about it then the friends called police.
They never knew they were both lies until then. Your right she would have known that it was very easy to get money from her parents, probably not the first time.
Now on the parents behalf, their judgement was clouded as it was their child. They are older and yes they made a bad call and its unfortunate. Their common sense was clouded over the close attachment, as it was their daughter.
The saying is true and the parents should have done things differently but again it was their daughter. I know myself I would have done things differently and I would do anything to protect my children. A sad story indeed!