A 75-year-old Florida woman received a call about a supposed $1,400 Apple laptop purchased through Walmart in her name.
After denying the transaction, she was transferred between several people before reaching a man who introduced himself as U.S. Marshal Adam Peterson. He claimed her identity had been connected to a federal criminal investigation.
The callers eventually convinced her to liquidate family savings accumulated over approximately 33 years and convert the money into gold. Her loss exceeded $300,000.
Broward detectives later arrested Mohit Mohit, 21, of Jacksonville, and identified him as a participant who allegedly conducted the in-person exchanges, according to Local 10 News.
The Call Began With a Supposed Walmart Purchase
The scheme began when someone claiming to work for Walmart’s fraud department contacted the Tamarac resident about the Apple laptop. The woman said she had not made the purchase. Instead of ending the call, the person transferred her through a series of supposed officials until she reached the man presenting himself as a federal marshal.
Investigators say the callers used fictitious government employee names, false telephone numbers, badge numbers and case numbers to make the conversation resemble a legitimate federal investigation. The supposed marshal told the woman that authorities had found an abandoned vehicle in Texas linked to her identity. The vehicle reportedly contained narcotics, cash and evidence of human trafficking.
The caller claimed that a federal warrant had been issued for her arrest because of that connection. She was given two choices, hire an attorney for $100,000 or cooperate with the supposed investigation to prove that she was not involved.
More Than $300,000 Was Converted Into Gold
Cooperation meant liquidating her financial assets and purchasing gold, investigators said. The callers claimed the metal would be secured while federal authorities completed their work.
The woman packaged the gold according to their instructions, wrote an account number on it and remained on the telephone as she transported it. She was directed to a gas station, where a courier provided or confirmed a code before taking the package.
Detectives Identified the Suspected Courier
Broward investigators identified Mohit as the person who allegedly conducted the exchanges. They also connected a red Honda Accord and a gray Jeep SUV to the operation. Authorities described Mohit as an active and willing participant in what they believe was a large-scale nationwide organized fraud scheme.
He was arrested August 3 in Bradford County on a Broward County warrant. Jail records listed charges including scheme to defraud, grand theft from a person 65 or older and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Investigators believe additional victims may exist. Anyone who may have encountered a similar scheme can contact Broward Sheriff’s Office Detective Steven Lees at 954-720-2225 or the agency’s non-emergency number at 954-764-4357.
Real Federal Agents Will Not Demand Gold or Retirement Savings
The U.S. Marshals Service warns that impostors may use official-sounding names, badge numbers, case numbers and spoofed government telephone numbers while threatening victims with arrest. The agency will not demand money over the telephone to resolve a warrant or investigation.
Anyone receiving such a call should hang up without using a telephone number supplied by the caller. The alleged investigation can be checked by contacting the named agency through a number found independently on its official website. The Federal Trade Commission says instructions to buy gold, transfer money for protection or hand cash to another person always indicate a scam.
Government impersonation scams can be reported to local law enforcement, the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.