Chicago woman lost nearly $5,000 in tap to pay scam, but bank wouldn't help her for months

A woman has been fighting with her bank for months to get her money back after she fell victim to a scam, and she finally got her money back on Friday.

The tap to pay scams target good intentioned people who agree to donate a small amount of money by tapping their credit or debit card to a cell phone, only to be charged thousands.

Soon after Monika Wieske with realized she was the victim of such a scam in November, she contacted the bank to dispute the charges, and filed a police report. She did everything right and still couldn't get her own money back until Friday.

Wieske not only loves to cook, she earns her living in the kitchen as a personal chef.

"Hardworking people who work hard for their money should feel like their bank is going to protect them and have their back. I didn't feel that," she said.

Wieske said as she left the Whole Foods in Lakeview in November, two men approached, asking for a donation, and shared a story that pulled on her heartstrings.

"I believed them at the time. They seemed genuine. They had a brother the same age as my son that died tragically," she said. "I had $10 cash. He goes, 'I'm sorry, we don't take cash.'"

Wieske said the men insisted that she donate the money using tap to pay on their cell phone, so she pulled out her debit card and tapped. But instead of $10, the scammers charged her nearly $5,000.

"Two $2,400 transactions seconds apart," she said. "On no planet would I have authorized two $2,400 transactions."

Last month, a local couple, Drew and Leilani, were targeted the same way.

"Just asking for donations because they were trying to help bury their baby little brother," said Drew. "We were feeling in a giving mood that day." 

There's a growing number of people in Chicago sharing their personal stories online about falling victim to the same scripted tap to pay ruse 

As for Wieske's fraudulent charges, she disputed them with Fifth Third Bank, but was denied over and over again.

"I've had to fight tooth and nail for three months," she said.

After months of getting nowhere, CBS News Chicago asked the bank for an explanation, and just before an interview with Wieske on Friday, Fifth Third Bank returned the money

"I don't think it was random, I think it was timed," she said. "I don't think that's a coincidence."

Fifth Third Bank declined to provide any comment or statement for this story.