In a shocking incident, five individuals have been arrested for their involvement in a tech support scam that targeted elderly individuals across at least ten U.S. states. This well-orchestrated scheme stole over $8 million from victims, some as old as 82, who were led to believe that their retirement savings and financial accounts were in serious jeopardy.
These criminals posed as tech support professionals, tricking victims through phone calls and electronic messages. They claimed that hackers had compromised the victims’ financial accounts and urged them to act quickly to protect their funds. The victims, fearing they could lose their life savings, followed the scammers’ instructions, which often involved transferring their money to accounts controlled by the criminals.
In some instances, the elderly were asked to buy gold bars to secure their assets. The scammers would then send couriers to the victims’ homes to collect these bars, which were later transported to various locations by handlers working within the scheme.
How the Tech Support Scam Worked
The scammers executed their tech support scam using a highly organized plan. They contacted their elderly victims, pretending to be from legitimate tech companies, and scared them into believing their financial accounts were under immediate threat. The victims, worried about their savings, did exactly what the scammers told them, thinking they were protecting their funds.
Victims were instructed to open new bank accounts, transfer their money, and even wire funds overseas. In a strange twist, many were also told to purchase gold bars—an unusual request for a tech support problem. The criminals likely chose this method to make the stolen assets harder to trace.
Couriers were sent to the homes of these elderly victims to collect the gold bars. In some cases, the scammers used Uber rides or rental cars to retrieve the valuables. These couriers worked under handlers, who were responsible for organizing the pickups and ensuring the gold was transported safely to other locations.
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One particularly tragic case involved an 82-year-old woman from St. Louis. She was convinced by the scammers that her financial accounts were in jeopardy. They instructed her to open new bank accounts, transfer her money, wire funds abroad, and purchase approximately $250,000 worth of gold bars. A courier was dispatched to pick up the gold, but law enforcement intervened just in time, preventing the theft. This marked a significant breakthrough in the investigation.
Arrests and Legal Actions in the Tech Support Scam
As law enforcement delved deeper into the investigation, they discovered that the tech support scam stretched across multiple states, affecting victims in Arizona, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and beyond. The scam involved an elaborate chain of couriers and handlers who ensured the smooth transfer of stolen goods.
The individuals arrested include 22-year-old Dariona Lambert, 23-year-old Zhamoniq Stevens, 51-year-old Chintankumar Parekh, 41-year-old Mehul Darji, and 42-year-old Sital Singh.
Each of these individuals was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lambert, Stevens, and Parekh were initially indicted in June, while Singh surrendered to authorities recently, and Darji was arrested the week prior. All five played various roles in the scam. The couriers, including Lambert and Stevens, were responsible for picking up the gold bars, while Parekh, Darji, and Singh acted as handlers, coordinating logistics and managing the pickups from victims.
The arrested individuals face serious charges, which could lead to 30 years in prison and hefty fines if convicted. Investigators also revealed that some of the suspects were in the United States unlawfully, complicating their legal troubles even further. One suspect even fled Missouri for Pittsburgh after learning about a colleague’s arrest but was quickly apprehended.
This case has highlighted the dangers of tech support scams, particularly those that target the elderly. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, have been working diligently to stop such scams and protect vulnerable individuals from losing their life savings.
The charges against these five suspects serve as a reminder of the seriousness of financial crimes, especially those targeting the elderly through deceptive tech support tactics.
