GENEVA, N.Y. – Police in Geneva arrested Abhishek Rameshbh Patel, a 25-year-old man from Kingston, Pennsylvania, for his role in a phone scam that defrauded a local resident of $80,000.
According to police, Patel contacted the victim twice in June, pretending to be a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agent. He convinced the victim they owed money and needed to verify that their bank funds were not linked to narcotics.
To build trust, scammers sent fake FTC credentials and kept the victim on the phone during the drop-off. A verbal passcode system was used to finalize the transaction. Once the money was in hand, the scammer allegedly transported the funds to New Jersey.
Investigators devised a plan to lure Patel back to Geneva under the pretense of receiving more money. He returned to the victim’s home and was stopped and arrested by police shortly afterward.
Patel was arraigned at Ontario County Jail and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to face charges Thursday morning.
Authorities believe the calls originated from India, and that the scheme primarily targeted elderly victims. The same fraud tactics have been reported in Victor, Syracuse, and Schenectady.
