Investigation Underway After Local Man Loses $420K to Scam
A local man was deceived out of $420,000 by an individual posing as a U.S. Treasury agent online. The scammer, who identified himself as Sam Wilson, remains at large, while one of his alleged accomplices was arrested by the FBI on October 7.
Arrest of Alleged Accomplice
Urvishkumar Patel, 21, of South Boston, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Springfield. Patel is accused of acting as a courier, picking up cash packages from the victim as part of the scam.
Details of the Scam
The 75-year-old victim, whose name has not been disclosed, was informed by the scammer that his name had surfaced in an investigation. He was manipulated into sending funds to “safeguard his money” from being implicated in a fictitious money laundering scheme.
According to court documents, the victim received a popup message in June, claiming his computer had frozen, along with a phone number that he thought was for Microsoft support. After calling the number, he was told his computer could not be repaired and was transferred to Wilson, who claimed to be a Treasury agent.
Elaborate Deception
Wilson allegedly ran through a list of addresses until the victim confirmed his own, leading to the scammer’s claim that the victim was involved in house purchases linked to money laundering in the U.S. and Russia. Wilson advised the victim to send money from his account to the Treasury for safekeeping in a “lockbox” until he could clear his name in court.
Wilson instructed the victim on how to bypass his bank’s safeguards, advising him to withdraw smaller amounts of cash over time. He directed the victim to place the cash in a box, tape it shut, and write his name and address on it. A courier would then arrive at his home to collect the package, providing a PIN or passcode as confirmation.
Ongoing Investigation
From June 2024 to September 2024, the victim reportedly provided money to several individuals he believed were connected to Wilson on approximately five occasions. The victim’s sister alerted the FBI on October 1, leading to an arrangement for the victim to contact Wilson to deliver $33,000 on October 7.
An undercover agent posed as the victim during the delivery, and Patel was arrested shortly thereafter during a traffic stop.
Patel’s Admission and Next Steps
Authorities report that Patel admitted to picking up the packages, initially claiming he had been blackmailed but later stating he had been paid to collect packages for weeks. According to court documents, “PATEL told agents that he opened the first package he received and saw that it contained cash. He stated that he believed his activity was not lawful but continued to collect packages.”
Patel was released with conditions and is scheduled to return to court on October 29.
