SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. — A Brooklyn man has been arrested and charged in connection with a tech support scam that defrauded elderly victims in New York and Idaho out of tens of thousands of dollars.
On July 10, 2025, New York State Police arrested Wei H. Li, 54, of Brooklyn, on a warrant for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree.
The case began in November 2024, when troopers received a complaint from an elderly resident of Saratoga County. The victim reported being tricked by a pop-up message on their computer that falsely claimed the device was compromised.
The pop-up instructed the victim to call a number, where someone pretending to be a Microsoft representative advised them to transfer their funds to a bank account for “safekeeping.” Following the scammer’s instructions, the victim sent over $30,000 to an account linked to Li.
An arrest warrant was issued for Li by the Malta Town Court on March 12, 2025, after investigators traced the funds.
During the investigation, authorities discovered an additional victim in Idaho, targeted by the same scheme. Local law enforcement in Idaho confirmed that the individual had also fallen victim to the fraud.
Li was arrested at his Brooklyn home and transported to SP Saratoga for processing. He was later arraigned in Malta Town Court and released on his own recognizance.
