Man posing as FBI agent arrested in $32K scam linked to Anoka Co. missing person
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (FOX 9) - Eau Claire, Wisconsin, police recovered $32,000 and arrested a man pretending to be an FBI agent after assisting in a missing persons case from Anoka County, Minnesota.
What we know
On Oct. 10, the Eau Claire Police Department (ECPD) officers were asked to help in a missing persons case from Anoka County, and eventually located the person at a hotel in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
The person informed police that they had traveled to Wisconsin to meet someone they believed was an FBI agent to pay $32,000 for an undetermined reason. However, the victim realized they had been scammed and reported it to the authorities.
After receiving a description of the suspect, police reportedly saw the man walk into the hotel lobby while they were talking with the hotel staff. The suspect, whom police identified as 40-year-old Chetankumar Patel, was taken into custody. He now faces a charge of theft by false representation, according to the press release.
Police said authorities were able to recover the $32,000 belonging to the victim.
What else?
Police explained that a similar fraud incident happened within the same week. In this case, the victim was told they needed to pay $29,500 because they were allegedly part of a scam. Police said the incident started with an email about renewing an antivirus program, after which the victim was contacted by someone claiming to be from the Better Business Bureau and then the FBI.
The victim withdrew the money from their bank account and gave it to a "courier" who came to their apartment to pick it up. However, the victim was told the transaction failed, prompting them to withdraw the money again to pay another $29,500 to a different person, according to the press release.
Police were tipped off by a local bank about the fraud complaint, but it’s unclear whether authorities have been able to recover the money.
What we don’t know
Police did not say whether Patel was a suspect in the second scam or how many people were involved.
The police did not share further details about why the person was reported missing or the details of the scam.
What they’re saying
"It’s important to know that the FBI will never contact you and ask you for money. The FBI and other agencies will also never ask you to keep these requests a secret," Shannon Hoyt, with the ECPD said in a statement. "If you ever have a question or hesitation about whether you are being scammed, take a moment, assess the situation and when in doubt, contact your local law enforcement."