Kentucky sheriff unveils details of elaborate scam
A Bourbon County woman loses thousands to a complex web of deception
BOURBON COUNTY, KY – A local woman claims to have lost a significant sum to con artists pretending to be agents of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and representatives of financial organisations. The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) managed to halt the extensive scam.
“This could happen to anyone at any time, and it does every day,” stressed Bourbon County Sheriff Tony Asbury.
Scamming Starts with a Single Email
According to the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, in April, the woman received an email advising her that her investment account had been compromised. A link was included with an offer of assistance. The moment she clicked on the link, an unexpected call came through.
“They portrayed themselves as agents of that investment portfolio company and also IRS agents, banking institute agents and they basically just bombarded her with calls,” explained Asbury.
A False Sense of Security
The woman was informed that her finances were no longer safe and was offered assistance in transferring her funds to a purported federal safety locker. Believing her money to be at risk, she complied with their demands.
Victim Contacts Authorities
The victim alerted the authorities when, even after she withdrew and wired money to an unknown party in New York, the scammers persisted in their harassment. Based on the arrest citation, the victim said she had withdrawn more than $200,000 and deposited it into a Bitcoin location. The wired funds, totaling an additional $240,000, would supposedly pay for gold bars to be delivered to her.
The Sting Operation
With the assistance of law enforcement, a counter plan was enacted. The sheriff’s office and an FBI agent met two unsuspecting Ohio college students who had come to retrieve a decoy package.
The two, Mayurkumar Sanjaybhai Patel and Akshay Rai Priyadarshi, were promptly arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit theft by deception over $10,000.
“This will definitely tie to many other cases throughout the country,” said Asbury, suggesting a much wider web of deception may be at play.
The Aftermath
While some funds were recovered, the victim’s substantial loss underscores Sheriff Asbury’s stern advice. He urged the public to contact their local law enforcement agency if they suspect they are being scammed. Encouraging them not to feel intimidated or deceived by falsified facts or threats.
“Their whole life savings can be wiped out in an instant. Once those are done it’s just so hard to track those down.”
While this cautionary tale serves as a grim reminder of the vast array of scams operating today, it also showcases the commitment of law enforcement in combatting these crimes.
