BERKELEY — Police arrested a New York man accused of participating in an elaborate computer scam that cost a senior citizen $50,000 and sought another $30,000, authorities said.
Berkeley Township police responded Aug. 14 to a home in the Holiday City section after the resident reported the theft.
The woman told investigators that a pop-up message claiming to be from Microsoft had recently taken control of her computer screen and instructed her to call a telephone number.
After calling, she spoke with a woman posing as a Microsoft representative who falsely claimed that the victim’s bank accounts had been compromised, police said. The call was then transferred to a man pretending to work for Wells Fargo.
Believing the callers were legitimate, the victim mailed a cashier’s check for $50,000. The alleged scammers remained in daily contact with her over the following several days in an effort to maintain her trust, authorities said.
After realizing she had been deceived, the woman contacted police but continued answering the callers. While officers were at her home, the suspects allegedly demanded another $30,000 and said a courier would collect the money for safekeeping.
Detectives and patrol officers established surveillance outside the residence while monitoring the continuing calls.
Police said investigators saw a gray Toyota RAV4 pass the home, leave the neighborhood and return a short time later. The vehicle parked one house away as the victim received a call stating that the courier had arrived.
Officers arrested Gurdutt Singh, 24, of South Richmond, New York, and took him to police headquarters for processing. He was later lodged in the Ocean County Jail under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines.
Singh was charged with conspiracy to commit third-degree theft by deception and conspiracy to commit third-degree money laundering.
The charges are accusations. Singh is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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