Barrington Police are crediting an alert shuttle bus driver for thwarting an attempted $70,000 scam.

Police said an elderly woman who lives at a Barrington senior living facility recently received a phone call from someone alleging to be an attorney. The caller told the woman that she owed $70,000 for a previous land purchase, and instructed her to pay him the money.

Police said the elderly woman, who has dementia, took the senior living shuttle to her bank where she withdrew $70,000. 

But that’s as far as the scam went. 

Police said the shuttle bus driver became aware of the situation and was concerned about the legitimacy of the call. The shuttle driver spoke to the facility director, who then contacted the elderly woman’s daughter. 

Police said officials were able to stop the transaction.