CENTRAL FLORIDA -- According to officers, someone is trying to rip-off seniors in Lake and Sumter counties. The suspect pretends to be a family member who's in gambling trouble, then asks the victims to leave cash in an unlocked car.

One victim said she lost $8,000 in the scam, which is always the same. A man sometimes in tears calls an elderly victim claiming to be a relative who's gambled and lost.

He knows personal information and gets his victims to drive to a public place for some quick cash. If they don't, he says he'll get hurt.

That is how a 72-year-old Sumter County woman was scammed three days ago.

"This particular case, he claimed to be her son and he said he did something wrong and he needed $8,000," said Paul Valentino of the Wildwood Police Department.

The latest victim said she was directed to the Old Movie Gallery off of SR-301 where she was told to park her car and leave an envelope full of cash on the driver's seat along with her cell phone. She never heard from the suspect again.

"It's very sad that people prey on people like that especially in this economy," said resident Debbie Arp.

A few months ago a 91-year-old was robbed of $2,000. She left an envelope in a car at a Wildwood CVS and waited inside.

Lake County investigators are looking into a $6,000 theft in their county. The victim is 84.

"It's so hard for the elderly. They're just trying to survive, but if they get a call from their grand-kids, they're always there to help," said resident Lorraine Jones.

"We want get the word out if someone calls claiming to be a family member call local law enforcement," said Valentino.

Investigators said there was surveillance video at two of the drop-off locations, but nothing usable.