'You think you're smart enough that it's not going to happen': Raleigh family scammed for $1,800

Travis Beaman recently got a call while at work from a Raleigh Police Department phone number, and the person on the other end said that officers were on their way to arrest him because he had hit a vehicle in a parking lot and left the scene.

"The person knew his name, my name, our address, gave our address, gave his work and his work address," Beaman's wife, Danielle Beaman, said Thursday. "It sounded believable."

Travis Beaman was told he could pay $1,800 to avoid arrest.

“I think fear overcame rationalization in the moment," Danielle Beaman said.

"As soon as the transaction was over, they hung up the phone," Danielle Beaman said. "He immediately called the number back [and] got the actual Raleigh Police Department, and they just told him, 'You have been scammed. Sorry. File a report.'"

Travis Beaman was so ashamed that he didn't tell his wife what happened for two days.

"I was like, 'Are you serious?'" she said. "'How did you not know that was not real?' And he said, 'I just didn’t want to get in trouble.'"

The Beamans tried disputing the transaction with USAA, but because the funds were "sent to the recipient as requested," the bank declined to return the funds.

"It sucks, but it is what it is," Danielle Beaman said.

She shared the story to warn others against falling for scammers.

"You never really think it’s going to happen to you. You think you’re smart enough that it’s not going to happen," she said.

"I don’t want some other poor family to get conned out of the same thing here at Christmas. I just think it’s pretty crappy," she added. "We are going to function and keep going, and, hopefully, it’s just going to bless us in other ways down the line."

Police said people need to remember these three don'ts to avoid phone scams:

If you are at all suspicious, hang up and call the agency or company directly.