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Viewers donate hundreds of dollars to Google listing scam victim

By: Pete Knutson

Posted at 12:28 PM, Jul 01, 2021

and last updated 2021-07-01 13:28:19-04

TULSA, Okla. — Generous viewers turn traumatic times for a Tulsa grandmother and her grandchildren into days of gratefulness.

We first told you about Regina Sanders and her grandkids last week.

She was scammed out of her last thousand dollars after clicking on a fake google listing when trying to rent a car to get to the funeral of a loved one and then to a long-planned once-in-a-lifetime family reunion.

Overwhelmed by sadness, overcome by grief, Regina Sanders fell victim to a scammer.

"My life is in shambles right now."

Regina is raising two of her grandbabies as her own, all on a monthly disability check.

She hadn't slept since the crook stole her money.

"It just broke my heart. I've never been so tired in my entire life, never, ever been this tired in my life."

But in the hours after we told Regina's story, even as she read her Bible for her daily devotion, she would be overwhelmed again.

This time though, not by the greed of a scammer, but by the generosity of folks who heard her story.

Folks asked how they could help, how they could donate financially to Regina and her grandbabies.

"God said it was going to be alright, it's going to be alright, and it's going to be alright."

Regina calls it a miracle as strangers donated hundreds and hundreds of dollars to her family, all anonymously.

As we told her the good news, tears were replaced with a smile. One that brightens Regina's face and lights up her eyes.

"It's a blessing in disguise."

One young father told us, "I just really felt sad. She was raising her grandkids. It really touched us."

Another viewer, 83-years-old herself, told us, "It broke my heart, just looking at a grandmother raising her grandbabies. She was so devastated."

Still another married couple says, "It hurt our hearts to see this woman hurting. Shame on those people who steal from others. It's heartless."

"I would like to meet some of these people if I could."

So would Regina's grandchildren. Both are soft-spoken and shy, she says, especially the oldest.

Yes, the girls speak softly, almost silently, but the words they whisper are from the heart.

"Thank you."

For those generous souls who gave them money, even for those who just whispered a prayer during their time of desperate need, Regina says she'll be forever grateful.

She doesn't even know who they are, yet Regina says, she feels they'll be connected always.

Regina says she's thankful they were able to get to the funeral.

As for the grandkids, they'll get treated to pizza and fun at a water park.

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