2 arrested, $900K in electronics and gift cards seized in 'well-organized' nationwide phone scam
FONTANA, Calif. - Two women were arrested and nearly $1 million in electronics, gift cards and other items were seized in a "well-organized" nationwide scam in which the suspects allegedly impersonated IRS workers, authorities said.
Ailing Lu, 25, of Los Angeles, and Ji Hyun Lee, 25, of Gardena, were arrested in connection to the scam — believed to have impacted people across the country, police said.
CONTINUE READING BELOW An investigation began on Sept. 4 after a victim reported a phone call from a scammer pretending to be the IRS and threatened to arrest the victim if he didn't pay the caller $2,200 in Target gift cards, according to the Fontana Police Department in California. The unsuspecting victim complied and bought the gift cards, gave them to the caller and later reported the incident to police.
Police arrested Ji Hyun Lee, 25, of Gardena, (left) and Ailing Lu, 25, of Los Angeles, (right) in a nationwide scam call investigation. (Photo credit: Fontana Police Department)
Detectives with the Fontana Police Department located where the gift cards were redeemed, a Target store in the Los Angeles area, and worked with the company's loss prevention team to locate surveillance video of the transactions.
Target's Loss Prevention Unit recalled another case in which Indiana University police were investigating a similar incident. It was later determined that the same female suspect allegedly conducted both transactions in California and Indiana, police said.
Detectives conducted surveillance on suspected locations and vehicles in the Los Angeles area and located several items purchased with the gift cards.
Search warrants were served on two locations, and authorities found approximately $900,000 in electronics, including iPads, digital cameras and smart watches, as well as gift cards and other items purchased with Target gift cards from unsuspecting victims, police said.
"It's apparent these suspects were well organized and preyed on the victims' fear of arrest across our nation," the Fontana Police Department wrote in a post on Facebook.
The public was encouraged to call local law enforcement agencies if they received a similar call and followed through with the scammer's request to purchase a gift card.
"As a reminder, no law enforcement or public agency will ever ask you to pay in gift cards," the Fontana Police Department added. "We encourage the public to be wary of any ‘cold call.' They should scrutinize the information given to them. Conduct their own research to find a legitimate contact for the organization the person is claiming to work for and verify it's not a scam."
More suspects were believed to be involved in the scam, and the investigation was ongoing.
2 arrested, $900K in electronics and gift cards seized in 'well-organized'
nationwide phone scam
FONTANA, Calif. - Two women were arrested and nearly $1 million in
electronics, gift cards and other items were seized in a "well-organized"
nationwide scam in which the suspects allegedly impersonated IRS workers,
authorities said.
Ailing Lu, 25, of Los Angeles, and Ji Hyun Lee, 25, of Gardena, were
arrested in connection to the scam — believed to have impacted people
across the country, police said.
CONTINUE READING BELOW
An investigation began on Sept. 4 after a victim reported a phone call from a scammer pretending to be the IRS and threatened to arrest the victim if he didn't pay the caller $2,200 in Target gift cards, according to the Fontana Police Department in California. The unsuspecting victim complied and
bought the gift cards, gave them to the caller and later reported the
incident to police.
Police arrested Ji Hyun Lee, 25, of Gardena, (left) and Ailing Lu, 25, of
Los Angeles, (right) in a nationwide scam call investigation. (Photo credit: Fontana Police Department)
Detectives with the Fontana Police Department located where the gift cards
were redeemed, a Target store in the Los Angeles area, and worked with the
company's loss prevention team to locate surveillance video of the
transactions.
Target's Loss Prevention Unit recalled another case in which Indiana
University police were investigating a similar incident. It was later
determined that the same female suspect allegedly conducted both
transactions in California and Indiana, police said.
Detectives conducted surveillance on suspected locations and vehicles in the Los Angeles area and located several items purchased with the gift cards.
Search warrants were served on two locations, and authorities found
approximately $900,000 in electronics, including iPads, digital cameras and smart watches, as well as gift cards and other items purchased with Target
gift cards from unsuspecting victims, police said.
"It's apparent these suspects were well organized and preyed on the victims' fear of arrest across our nation," the Fontana Police Department wrote in a post on Facebook.
The public was encouraged to call local law enforcement agencies if they
received a similar call and followed through with the scammer's request to
purchase a gift card.
"As a reminder, no law enforcement or public agency will ever ask you to pay in gift cards," the Fontana Police Department added. "We encourage the
public to be wary of any ‘cold call.' They should scrutinize the
information given to them. Conduct their own research to find a legitimate
contact for the organization the person is claiming to work for and verify
it's not a scam."
More suspects were believed to be involved in the scam, and the
investigation was ongoing.
This story was reported from Cincinnati.
电信诈骗犯同伙居然是两个女的？
电信诈骗犯同伙居然是两个女的？
我说最近电信诈骗电话怎么明显少了呢
满版都是你的心理变态贴，你去看看医生好不好？什么天大的事情值得你记仇几年？有仇不敢跟人当面杠，而是躲在一旁发传单，干什么呢？
川舔果然都不正常。
俺也是你的零售粉丝，对你发的言敬佩得很，有空的时候也帮你宣传宣传。
【 在 anda2015 (笑看众生) 的大作中提到: 】
: 满版都是你的心理变态贴，你去看看医生好不好？什么天大的事情值得你记仇几年？有
: 仇不敢跟人当面杠，而是躲在一旁发传单，干什么呢？
: 川舔果然都不正常。
老王有没有点开主楼里的链接看看刚抓的这俩电信诈骗犯长啥样？有惊喜哦
【 在 fishingarden (Edward Blum门下老王) 的大作中提到: 】
: 俺也是你的零售粉丝，对你发的言敬佩得很，有空的时候也帮你宣传宣传。
你也是记仇几年放不下，心理有问题那种。不过你至少敢跟仇家当面讲话，楼主是只敢躲一边发传单，这心理问题就更大了。所以我一直觉得他会贴前女友私密照、邻居草地偷撒尿、同事背后说坏话、食堂汤锅下泻药。
还是那个结论：川舔都有心理问题。
【 在 fishingarden(Edward Blum门下老王) 的大作中提到: 】
: 俺也是你的零售粉丝，对你发的言敬佩得很，有空的时候也帮你宣传宣传。
长得不错。
何必呢，拿着九十万嫁给番薯，俩姑娘学习一下老到的电诈技术，也解决了番薯的独身问题还能进口镰刀升级为国产镰刀。真是可惜了。
【 在 jerrycasper (Cat) 的大作中提到: 】
: 老王有没有点开主楼里的链接看看刚抓的这俩电信诈骗犯长啥样？有惊喜哦
来，试试看，有话对我当面说，不用怕，不会咬你滴。。。。乖，试试看，你好棒，一定行的。。。。
【 在 jerrycasper(Cat) 的大作中提到: 】
: 老王有没有点开主楼里的链接看看刚抓的这俩电信诈骗犯长啥样？有惊喜哦
你觉得番薯够级别见到她们吗？呵呵呵，要不然也不用挥舞着镰刀割草狂叫莎士比亚了嘛！
【 在 fishingarden (Edward Blum门下老王) 的大作中提到: 】
: 长得不错。
: 何必呢，拿着九十万嫁给番薯，俩姑娘学习一下老到的电诈技术，也解决了番薯的独身
: 问题还能进口镰刀升级为国产镰刀。真是可惜了。
谢谢。老王剽窃的笑话转贴如下。
###
突然想起了另外一个笑话。一堆农夫们正在用镰刀割草，突然一个叫老番的农夫站起来仰天长啸，莎士比亚，莎士比亚，莎士比亚呀呀呀呀。
旁观者惊叹，想不到山野之间，还有如此雅士！
知悉内情者说，非也，他是没结过婚正在悲愤。
【 在 jerrycasper (Cat) 的大作中提到: 】
: 你觉得番薯够级别见到她们吗？呵呵呵，要不然也不用挥舞着镰刀割草狂叫莎士比亚了
: 嘛！
有意思。。。
【 在 fishingarden (Edward Blum门下老王) 的大作中提到: 】
: 谢谢。老王剽窃的笑话转贴如下。
: ###
: 突然想起了另外一个笑话。一堆农夫们正在用镰刀割草，突然一个叫老番的农夫站起来
: 仰天长啸，莎士比亚，莎士比亚，莎士比亚呀呀呀呀。
: 旁观者惊叹，想不到山野之间，还有如此雅士！
: 知悉内情者说，非也，他是没结过婚正在悲愤。