LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Ionia County officials arrested and arraigned two Illinois men in connection with a wire fraud scam that targeted a 72-year-old woman from Easton Township, Ionia County. The suspects, Jainav Sanjaykumar Patel, 25, from Carbondale, Illinois, and Alonzo Lee Waheed, Jr., 27, from Marion, Illinois, were charged with Conspiracy to Commit False Pretenses involving $20,000 or more, but less than $50,000.
Both men are currently held at Ionia County Jail, with bond set at $25,000 each. The arrests occurred after an Ionia Sheriff’s Deputy stopped the suspects, who were driving an out-of-state rental car. Following further questioning, the men were detained on suspicion of participating in the wire fraud scheme.
The investigation began on May 17 after a 72-year-old woman reported being scammed. The fraud started when her computer tablet displayed a fake “Technical Support” number. When the woman called the number, a scammer posing as a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agent claimed her accounts had been compromised due to identity theft in another state.
The scammers convinced her to withdraw more than $40,000 from her bank accounts, which she handed over to individuals who posed as “federal agents.” A week later, when they asked for more money, the woman’s relative realized it was a scam and alerted law enforcement.
Authorities believe the scammers were operating from overseas, using spoofing technology to mask their identities and make it appear as though the calls were from the FTC.
Officials are reviewing electronic data and expect to file further charges as they investigate other potential victims. Efforts are also underway to recover the victim’s stolen money.
