An elderly woman from Garden City South, NY, fell victim to a disturbing elder scam, police reported. The 87-year-old was contacted by an unknown man who falsely claimed that a Chinese pornographic website had stolen money from her bank account.
To resolve the issue, the scammer instructed the woman to purchase a gold bar worth $97,875, promising that someone would pick it up using a secret code. Concerned about the situation, the woman reached out to Nassau police, who launched an investigation.
Authorities tracked down the suspect, He Zheng, 31, of Queens, and arrested him as he attempted to collect the gold bar. Zheng was charged with second-degree attempted grand larceny. He was arraigned on Tuesday at the First District Court in Hempstead.
Nassau County Police urge residents, particularly those with elderly family members, to be cautious of similar scams. Anyone who believes they may have been targeted by Zheng is encouraged to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.
