JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville woman’s debit card has been stolen after a scam convinced her to place the card under her doormat.

Earnette Green says that when she received a call last week from a man, claiming to be someone named Alex Samuels with Vystar, stating that fraud had been committed on her debit card. 

The caller told Greene that she needed to update her password so her card would be deactivated, then to put the card under her doormat so UPS could pick it up to replace it.

Green says that the caller told her that she had to do that now while I’m on the phone.”

Later that night, Green’s security camera caught video of someone walking toward her front door. When she woke up that morning, the debit card was gone and she got another call from Mr. Samuels telling her she needed to wait four days and update her password again.

Green hung up and called Vystar, where she learned about two $800 transactions at grocery stores. She was able to get those charges disputed successfully, but says that $2500 was transferred from her credit line and $1000 was withdrawn from her checking account.

“I was just vulnerable that morning, and they caught me off guard,” said Green.

Stephanie Curtis, a senior vice president with Vystar, explained how the bank would go about a legitimate fraud concern.

“We would not put a sense of fear in them,” said Curtis. “We don’t need personal information, we don’t need social security, we don’t need your password, we don’t need your full card number. We would verify certain transactions.”

Green says she filed a police report with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, so she’s hoping that even if she never sees her money again, they’ll be able to get to the bottom of this to keep it from happening to anyone else.

“Never let anyone talk you into changing your password over the phone,” said Green. “Hang up and call that financial institution back.”

First Coast News tried calling Mr. Samuels, but found the number came up as disconnected.