EASTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The Ionia County Sheriff's Office says two suspects have been formally charged in connection with a wire-fraud scam targeting an elderly woman.
Sheriff's investigators say 25-year-old Jainav Sanjaykumar Patel of Carbondale, IL., and 27-year-old Alonzo Lee Waheed Jr. of Marion, IL., were arraigned May 20 on a charge of 'Conspiracy to Commit False Pretenses - $20,000 or more, but less than $50,000.'
Detectives said a 72-year-old woman from Easton Township had her computer tablet locked out on May 8, with it displaying a phone number to call for technical support. When the woman called that number, she was told they were the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and that her accounts had been compromised in an identity theft in another state.
As part of the scam, they told the woman that her money wasn't safe in the banks, and the they would be sending federal agents to her home on May 9 to pick up money that she had withdrawn from her bank and placed in a box. Police sain in a news release that she gave more than $40,000 to the people she was told were federal agents.
A week later, she received another call asking for more money to be given to them for “safe keeping”. At this point, a relative had become involved and recognized that this woman had been scammed and contacted law enforcement.
Upon learning that the scammer would be sending additional people to the victim’s home, the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office deployed undercover officers around the woman’s home and waited for the scammers to arrive posing as federal agents.
"These scam artists are really good, and even provided her with the type and color of car that was to arrive at her home to pick up that money to make things seem more official," the Sheriff's Office said in the release. "While conducting surveillance, the car that had been described to the victim (and listening investigators) arrived in the area, but instead of picking up a box of money- they were instead stopped by the Ionia Sheriff’s Office Deputy who is contracted to Easton/Orleans Townships."
It turned out to be an out-of-state rental car, and police said one of the suspects eventually admitted they were part of a larger fraud ring.
Here is more from the news release:
Electronic evidence was recovered on the suspects phones linking them to the address on N. Bellamy Rd.
The two subjects were transported and lodged at the Ionia County Jail, each on the charge of CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FALSE PRETENSES - $20,000.00 OR MORE BUT LESS THAN $50,000.00 (i.e. Fraud).
Both subjects were arraigned on 5/20/2024. Those subjects have been identified as:
Jainav Sanjaykumar Patel, 25 of Carbondale, IL and Alonzo Lee Waheed Jr, 27 of Marion, Illinois. The pair had their bond set at $25,000 dollars each.
Investigation is continuing on this case, with the hopes of recovering money for victims that have been defrauded. Additional charges are likely, and the Sheriff’s Office is reviewing electronic data seized to identify other persons who were targeted in this scheme.
Unlike other wire frauds, in these types of cases it is cash that is handed over to the scammers making it very difficult to locate once the cash has changed hands. Early investigation has discovered that the persons on the phone with the victim in this case were based overseas, using various anonymity apps to hide their identities and call spoofing to seem like the phone calls were really coming from the FTC.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of this type of scam, we encourage you to contact your local Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, or Michigan State Police depending on where you live. No government agents, be it federal, state, or local will every ask you for large amounts of cash for “safe keeping”.
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Mug shot of wire fraud suspect Alonzo Lee Waheed Jr, 27 of Marion, Illinois.Photo: Source: Ionia County Sheriff's Office
Mug shot of wire fraud suspect Jainav Sanjaykumar Patel, 25 of Carbondale, IL.Photo: Source: Ionia County Sheriff's Office