LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Police in Mesquite arrested a California man for nearly scamming an elderly woman of $45,000.
Mihirkumar Amin, 32 from Anaheim, California was charged with felony exploitation of an elderly person and felony conspiracy to commit grand larceny.
Police said the incident happened Sept. 7. The resident reported a phone call from an individual who claimed that her account was compromised.
She would later be contacted by someone falsely claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau. Police said the scammers also claimed to be agents from the IRS and FBI.
The scheme directed the woman to withdraw as much money as possible from her bank account and put the cash in a locked box at a business.
To complete the handoff, the victim was given a specific password to use during the exchange.
Police were alerted of the situation. A detective found a suspicious man driving around a parking lot. Amin was placed under arrest.
Police would also find nearly $100K worth of gold and silver in his car. Detectives believe this is connected to a separate fraud case.
This investigation is ongoing and further charges are pending for all suspects involved.
The Mesquite Police Department reminds the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity, especially scams targeting vulnerable individuals.
“This arrest is acritical reminder of the growing sophistication of scammers, and the lengths they are willing to go to scam you out of your hard-earned money. I commend the quick actions of our officers in preventing harm to the victim.” said Chief Chesley.
For more information on how to protect yourself from fraud, follow our Facebook page, or contact our nonemergency line at 702-346-6911.
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