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Posted: October 6, 2008

Alleged scammer found, arrested

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Raleigh, N.C. — A Fayetteville woman who allegedly scammed a local support group for divorcees out of more than $6,000 has been arrested after a two-month search.

To get money from the group Margaret Irene Haithcock, 51, of 655 Monogan St., allegedly made up stories about having cancer and her son dying in Iraq. The group held several events to raise money for her and held a memorial service for her son.

According to the warrant issued for her arrest, Haithcock's actions "were intended to deceive the group into providing monetary donations for issues which were made up entirely."

After months of investigating Haithcock's claims, Raleigh police issued the warrant in June.

When Fayetteville police went to the home listed on the warrant in July, her ex-boyfriend said she was gone and had told him she was in a mental hospital.

Haithcock was arrested Sept. 18 and has a court date scheduled for Thursday.

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9 Comments

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Having been one of the ones scammed by her, I have to say I'm glad she was finally caught. It was terribly upsetting that a woman who we all called a friend would do something like that to us, when we're all in a vulnerable state was just incredible and unbelievable. Some of us figured it out, but because she was so beloved, we couldn't bring to the group because it would be believed.

I hope that we're able to get her a) punished and b) treatment because it takes a truly sick individual to do what she did.

Spacewarp
October 7, 2008 6:10 p.m.

She will post bail ...go somewhere else and do the same thing...she is a professional scammer..that's her job title

jdman
October 7, 2008 9:30 a.m.

Tougher laws should be enforced for criminals like her. The criminal must be made to pay back in full with interest to the victim like Wade stated. Flim-flam con-artists, people that steal our identities, etc. need to be far more severely punished than they are at this time. More emphasis on catching these leeches by the police should be initiated. I'm tired of everyday people, whom are law abiding, tax paying and hard working being taken advantage of by lazy, no account scumbags that do not want to work for a living but would rather steal from their neighbors. These people do not pull off a scam just one time, this is how they make their living. I say after they pay every penny back to their victims, they should then be locked up for a very long time.

TRose
October 7, 2008 8:03 a.m.

$6000.00 plus interest and court costs should equal about 30 years of pounding rocks 10 hours a day in a prison in Siberia.

makeitright
October 6, 2008 9:10 p.m.

Here is an idea. Instead of locking her up and making me pay for her crime, why not make her pay back 3 what she stole. A bigger deterrent, if you ask me. Then the victims could get double what was stolen and the state can get one part for administrative costs.