Two suspects connected to carrier scams were recently taken into custody by the Financial Crimes Unit (FCU) of the Prince George’s County Police Department. Scammers posing as carriers received gold bars and substantial sums of money from the victims in both cases.
Detectives detained Grove City, Ohio resident Parmveer Parmveer, 25, in the first case. He faces charges related to a scam that started as a pop-up notification on the victim’s laptop telling them to call Apple security at a given number. The victims were contacted by a number of scammers who pretended to be Federal Trade Commission representatives and security guards.
The con artists persuaded the victims to take money out of their bank accounts and put it into a Bitcoin ATM, claiming that their money was not secure. Additionally, the con artists persuaded the victims to withdraw additional funds and buy gold from a nearby dealer. Several times, scammers had a carrier come to the victim’s house to retrieve the gold.
When Parmveer went to the house for one of the scheduled pickups, FCU detectives were able to apprehend him.
Detectives charged 47-year-old Gyoung Lee of Flushing, New York, in a connected but separate case. This case likewise started when the victim’s computer displayed a pop-up message telling him to call Microsoft Support at a certain number to discuss a security issue.
The scammers pretended to be both a US Treasury Department representative and a tech support agent. The victim was persuaded to do several cash withdrawals from his bank account and then give the money to a carrier who would pick it up from his house in order to secure his money.
When Lee showed up at the victim’s house to retrieve money, FCU investigators took him into custody. The con artists took $40,000 from this victim.
Residents are reminded by the PGPD to never offer cash, gold, gift cards, or anything else of value to strangers, especially if they are claiming to be from reputable companies, banks, or government organisations. If you are concerned about computer security, get in touch with your anti-virus software provider or the firm that manages your software directly. Additionally, you should use the number on the back of your bank card to call your bank if needed.
