A Vermont man faces multiple criminal charges after police accused him of electronically deceiving two residents, accessing their bank accounts and transferring $18,002.46 into an account connected to him.
Investigators also allege that Tyrin A. Smith, 22, opened a bank account using identification that did not belong to him.
Vermont State Police arrested Smith in Winooski on July 29, one day after receiving the initial fraud report.
Authorities have not disclosed the specific message, website or story allegedly used to gain access to the victims’ accounts.
Police Traced $18,002.46 From Two Bank Accounts
Vermont State Police began investigating on the morning of July 28 after two Moretown residents reported that money had been transferred from their bank accounts without authorization.
The combined amount was $18,002.46, according to the agency’s official incident release. Police did not disclose how much was taken from each resident or whether the money moved through one transaction or a series of transfers.
The agency identified EastRise Credit Union as another victim in the case. Investigators said Smith used “electronic means” to deceive the residents and gain access to their bank accounts. WCAX reported that the money taken from the Moretown residents was transferred into an account Smith allegedly opened with someone else’s identity.
A Search Allegedly Found Evidence and a Firearm
Troopers located Smith in Winooski at approximately 3:37 p.m. on July 29 and took him into custody. Later that evening, police executed a search warrant at his residence on Bellevue Street. Investigators said they found evidence connecting Smith to the alleged financial activity. They also seized a firearm.
Police said Smith has a prior conviction for burglary into an occupied dwelling that prohibits him from possessing firearms. WCAX reported that the conviction resulted from a plea agreement in a case that originally included an attempted-murder charge connected to a 2023 Burlington break-in and shooting.
Smith Faces Six Charges and Was Held on $8,000 Bail
Police announced charges of false pretenses, grand larceny, identity theft, access to a computer for fraudulent purposes, false personation and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Smith was processed at the Vermont State Police Berlin Barracks and lodged at the Northeast Regional Correctional Facility for lack of $8,000 bail.
The initial police release scheduled him to appear in Washington Superior Court’s Criminal Division at 12:30 p.m. on July 30. No plea or final disposition was included in the available reports.
Unauthorized Transfers Should Be Reported to the Bank Immediately
A customer who discovers money missing from a bank account should contact the bank or credit union through its official app, website or the telephone number printed on the debit card. The customer should identify each disputed transfer by date, amount and recipient and ask the institution to block further electronic access, replace compromised cards or account credentials and open a formal unauthorized-transfer investigation.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says a bank or credit union generally has 10 business days to investigate after receiving notice of an unauthorized electronic transfer. The institution must correct an error within one business day after determining that an error occurred.
Available protections can depend on how the transfer was initiated and how quickly it was reported. Customers should not wait for a monthly statement when an account alert or online balance already shows unfamiliar activity. Statements, transfer confirmations, security alerts, text messages, emails and records showing password or contact-information changes should be preserved for the bank and investigators.
A New Bank Account May Not Appear on a Standard Credit Report
Someone whose identification was used to open a checking or savings account should report the identity theft through IdentityTheft.gov and contact the financial institution where the account was created.
Traditional credit reports do not always contain checking-account information. Banks may instead use specialty consumer-reporting companies such as ChexSystems or Early Warning Services when reviewing deposit-account applications.
The CFPB says consumers can request free copies of their checking-account reports and dispute accounts, applications or closures that do not belong to them. ChexSystems can provide a report and place a security freeze. The CFPB lists its consumer telephone number as 800-428-9623.