Setauket-East Setauket NY
4-30-2023 1:35pm

Setauket woman scammed out of $650G by phony FBI agent, DA says

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, a scammer who pretended to be an FBI agent defrauded an 87-year-old resident of Setauket of over $650,000. Fortunately, authorities were eventually notified and managed to retrieve $140,000 of the stolen funds.

The woman was informed that her Social Security number and identity were taken to rent a car that was involved in a suspected offense in Texas. She was referred to speak with "FBI Special Agent Johnson," who suggested she transfer some money to other people for safekeeping and apply for a new Social Security number. The fraudster swindled the woman out of more than $650,000 through cashier's checks over five months, starting from July, according to prosecutors.

In a statement, District Attorney Ray Tierney commented that scammers are getting better at their deceptions and are specifically targeting our elderly population who are susceptible to their schemes. He emphasized the importance of educating the public on how these scammers operate so that people can take necessary measures to protect their finances in case they fall victim.

In December, the local authorities were notified of the scam by an Indiana investigator who came across the name of the victim while working on a separate case.

Tips to avoid being scammed

  • Hang up the phone on anyone who requests personal information or money and do not respond to similar emails.
  • Call your bank or the agency the scammer says they are from using published phone numbers, not a number the scammer gives you.
  • Consult an expert or law enforcement, or just speak with your dependable friends or relatives about the phone conversation, before accepting the story as true and sending money.
  • If you or someone you know may have been a victim of this or any scam, please call the Suffolk County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit at 631-852-6821 or the Nassau County Office of Crime Victims at 516-571-1598.

Source: Suffolk County District Attorney's Office

"We were able to recover $140,000 and return it to the victim thanks to the timely and conscientious work of our law enforcement partners," Tierney stated.

According to the press release, $115,000 of the refunded money was obtained by confiscating assets from a bank account located in South Bend, Indiana. The remaining $25,000, which was a cashier's check sent to Queens through Fed Ex, was intercepted by investigators before it reached its destination.

According to prosecutors, during the first phone conversation, the scammer informed the victim that the car she had rented was discovered with drugs and blood in it. The scammer, who identified themselves as "Agent Johnson," proceeded to deceive the victim by making daily calls to her under the guise of checking in on her.

According to a news release, the victim was initially skeptical when Suffolk police detectives reached out to investigate, as she had been warned by a supposed "FBI agent" that someone might impersonate law enforcement. The con artist also used FBI letterhead and falsely informed her that a "gag order" prevented her from discussing their conversations with others.

Detective Dena Miceli from the Suffolk County Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit collaborated with Lucie Kwon, the Chief of the Financial Crimes Bureau, and Michael McCoy, the Deputy Bureau Chief of the district attorney's office's Financial Crimes Bureau to investigate the case.

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