EASTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A woman in Ionia County is out tens of thousands of dollars after scammers convinced her she was the victim of identity theft.
The Ionia County Sheriff's Office says the 72-year-old's tablet appeared to be locked out starting on May 8. A message on the screen provided a number for "Technical Support." The person on the other end of that number claimed to work at the Federal Trade Commission, telling the woman her accounts had been compromised in an identity theft case from out-of-state.
The woman was told her money in her bank accounts was not safe. She was told to withdraw those funds and put them in a box in preparation of "federal agents" to pick them up for "safe keeping."
A day later she handed over more than $40,000.
After the money was taken, a relative of the woman found out about the situation and called the Sheriff's Office.
As deputies began investigating, the scammers reached back out to the 72-year-old, saying they would come back to secure more of her money. Investigators set up an undercover sting.
Deputies arrested two men who arrived in a rental car. One of the men admitted to being part of a larger fraud ring which paid the men to pick up boxes of money from fraud victims.
Both are now charged with Conspiracy to Commit False Pretenses with a value of $20,000 to $50,000. 25-year-old Jainav Patel from Carbondale, Illinois and 27-year-old Alonzo Waheed Jr. of Marion, Illinois each have a bond of $25,000.
Detectives are still working to recover the woman's cash, and track down other victims of the fraud ring.
If you or someone you know is a victim of a scam, reach out to your local police agency to report it. According to the Ionia County Sheriff's Office, no government agents will ever ask you for large amounts of cash for safe keeping.
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