Rod Ashby lost his home, then his wife, then nearly $40,000. The North Carolina man’s ordeal started in September when Hurricane Helene hit. The floodwaters swept away the home Rod and his wife, Kim Ashby, had spent the last two years building, CNN reported.
The couple was eating breakfast when their house began moving in the floodwaters. Rod grabbed Kim and their three dogs, and held onto a mattress and a wall, as their house floated down the river, Kim’s daughter, Jessica Meidinger, told the outlet. Eventually, Rod and Kim were separated. Kim hasn’t been seen since. She’s one of two people still missing as a result of the storm, which killed more than 200 people, the outlet reported.
Rod soon realized that he needed a four-wheel drive truck to navigate the destroyed roads, so that he could search for Kim. His own vehicle had been ruined by the hurricane. The Navy veteran came across a seemingly “legit” website that claimed to sell repossessed vehicles at lower prices, Ansley Ashby, Rod’s daughter, told the outlet.
Rod wired almost $40,000 to purchase the vehicle and waited for the car to be delivered. Soon, though, Ansley realized the car was still listed as available. Ansley called the website, pretending to be interested in the vehicle her dad had purchased, and was told the truck was available. Upon further research, Ansley realized that the website was impersonating a real car dealership and that her dad had been scammed.
Rod Ashby’s Family Speaks Out
“It’s just another gut punch,” Ansley told the outlet. “You just feel so helpless.”
Rod contacted his bank about the scam, but has yet to recover the funds. He’s also filed a police report Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. The case is under investigation, a spokesperson for the office told the outlet.
With Kim and three dogs still missing, Ansley lamented how the scammer “took advantage of our situation.”
Amid the devastating period, Jessica set up a GoFundMe for the family. It has raised nearly $65,000 of its $100,000 goal.
“Our hearts are breaking more each day, but no one has been more mentally and emotionally impacted than Rod,” Jessica wrote on the fundraiser’s page. “Kim and Rod have dedicated their lives to public service, Kim as a NC teacher for over 20 years and Rod serving in the U.S. Navy and retiring after 30 years of service.”
“With everything they’ve given to our community over the course of their lives, it is our turn to help them in their time of need,” she continued. “We can’t do much to help them physically or emotionally, but we can help lift the financial burden this disaster has caused them.”
The post Hurricane Helene Victim Scammed Out of Nearly $40K Amid Search for Missing Wife appeared first on VICE.
The post Hurricane Helene Victim Scammed Out of Nearly $40K Amid Search for Missing Wife appeared first on VICE.
