MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A California “scammer” was arrested on Thursday after deputies accused him of trying to scam an 82-year-old woman out of thousands of dollars, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
In a release, deputies said that the scam started when the woman’s computer began “emitting a loud persistent alarm with multiple pop-up windows.”
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One of the pop-up windows displayed a phone number for a “Windows technician” to help with the problem, and when she called, the supposed technician “fixed” the issue, deputies added.
However, the “scammer” — later identified as Jiaan Cao, 33 — contacted the woman shortly afterward, posing as a Truist Bank manager and convincing the woman that her accounts had been hacked, the release shows.
Detectives said Cao told her that her name was being used to open additional accounts for illegal activities like purchasing child pornography.
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Investigators said that the scammer told the woman to send $7,300 using a cryptocurrency ATM, which she did.
But Cao didn’t stop there, deputies announced; he called yet again, this time telling the woman to buy $160,000 in gold to safeguard with a “Federal Agent,” which was later revealed to be Cao himself.
“The victim was sent to a gold dealer in Jacksonville, who grew suspicious and contacted law enforcement,” the release reads. “When Cao arrived to pick up the ‘gold,’ he found MCSO deputies waiting for him.”
According to the sheriff’s office, detectives learned that Cao had traveled to Florida all the way from California to play the role of the “Federal Agent.”
Cao was taken into custody and now faces a charge of fraud. He is held on no bond.
“This is a reminder to always stay alert and never let anyone cause you to make hasty decisions when it comes to your money,” the release continues. “If something doesn’t feel right, REPORT IT!”
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