Mystery guide via earbud helped homeless woman steal more than $15,000 in identity theft: police

Police are searching for a homeless woman accused of stealing more than $15,000 from Fulton Bank branches in Lancaster County with the help of a mystery guide talking to her through earbuds.

Lancaster city police arrested Carol Ann Cook, 56, a native of Wilmington, Delaware, June 12 after she tried to use a fake passport to withdraw money from an account that was not hers at the Fulton Bank office on Penn Square in Lancaster, according to charging documents.

The arrest spurred an investigation, during which police discovered Cook tried to withdraw money from the accounts of five people at six different Fulton Bank locations between May 30 and June 12, according to charging documents. She successfully withdrew money and cashier checks from two accounts totaling $15,894 in losses for the bank.

In video footage of the withdrawals, Cook is wearing earbuds and appears to be speaking with someone guiding her through the transactions. Cook told officers she knew the person she was speaking with only as “Mike.”

Video footage from the June 12 withdrawal shows Cook being dropped off by a silver Honda Accord with a Michigan registration of ECQ074, according to charging documents. Police found the same license plate on a white Ford truck in the city of Wyoming, Michigan, eight days later, but did not say whether they arrested anyone.

Lancaster city police are still investigating and said they will prosecute anyone involved in the frauds. Police have been unable to find Cook since she posted bail June 17.

Cook’s phone records show she was on a call with Mike the entire time she was in each of the banks, according to charging documents. Mike would text Cook account information for the people she was trying to steal from, police said.

Police charged Cook on Tuesday with five counts of identity theft, one count of corrupt organizations and seven related charges. Cook is wanted on multiple active arrest warrants and was last known to live in Wilmington area.

A Fulton Bank representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.