THOMASTON — A New York man was arrested on Friday after attempting to defraud a local victim out of $18,000 through a computer scam, according to Thomaston police.
Zhaozhu Lin, 38, has been charged with second-degree conspiracy to commit larceny. He was released after posting a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Torrington Superior Court on September 16.
The victim reported that their computer had been hacked and they were instructed to call a number claiming to be “Microsoft” for assistance. A representative informed the victim to withdraw $18,000 from their bank, stating that an “FDIC agent” would collect the funds.
While officers were monitoring the victim’s residence, they noticed a suspicious vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. Following a brief investigation, police determined that Lin was en route to the victim’s house to pick up the package and subsequently took him into custody.