American Airlines flight attendant arrested at MIA in $25K scam targeting elderly woman

An American Airlines flight attendant was arrested at Miami International Airport after authorities said she scammed a 75-year-old Florida woman out of more than $25,000. WSVN reported that the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as a 24-year-old woman from Brooklyn, New York, who used her employee travel benefits to visit the victim’s home.

The scheme began in November 2025 when the victim received a call claiming she had won a sweepstakes prize but needed to send a $500 gift card to claim it. The victim complied, and later lost access to her email after a password change. Investigators said the suspect received over $14,000 in cash and Zelle payments from the victim.

On November 18, the suspect flew from New York to Daytona Beach using her airline benefits, then took an Uber to the victim’s home, where she stayed about 15 minutes before returning to the airport. Detectives found the suspect was added as an authorized user on the victim’s Apple Card, with 88 transactions totaling over $10,500, including purchases at various retailers and many Uber rides and food orders.

Surveillance footage showed the suspect using the victim’s credit card at a Queens supermarket. A note found in the victim’s home instructed a family member to tell the credit card company the suspect was the victim’s granddaughter and had permission to use the card, according to WSVN. The arrest was made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers after the suspect arrived at Miami International Airport on an international flight.