Gloucester Township Police Media Release- Elderly Scam Investigation Leads to the Arrest of One
On April 17, 2023 at 10:47 am, the Gloucester Township Police responded to a residential address on Orchard Avenue, in the Somerdale section of Gloucester Township, for the investigation of an elderly victim, who was scammed out of approximately $37,000.00 of U.S. currency. The unknown suspect placed a virus and locked the victim’s personal computer. The suspect portrayed himself as an employee of Microsoft Security, Security Specialist from PNC Bank, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Treasury Department. The suspect provided the victim information that he could assist the victim with protecting the victim’s personal bank accounts, for a specified monetary amount in Bitcoin Crypto Currency and Walmart Gift Cards. The suspect also made arrangements to have the victim provide him with $30,000.00 in cash, over a one-week time frame.
When the victim realized he had been scammed he contacted the Gloucester Township Police Department to report the incident. The victim still had daily contact with the suspect. The suspect was contacted by police who were posing as the victim. Another cash delivery was coordinated for the suspect to pick up at the victim’s residence. When the suspect arrived, by vehicle and retrieved the package, officers detained the suspect for further investigation.
The suspect’s vehicle and further evidence was recovered for further investigation. The Camden County Prosecutors Office was notified and approved the below criminal charges. The defendant was processed and released, pending his first court appearance, as per New Jersey Bail Reform.
The Gloucester Township Police Department want to help you keep you safe from “Elder Fraud” and “Tech Support Scams” that target the elderly, grandparents, or other older loved ones, from becoming a victim of a scam. The elderly lose billions a year to scammers, and you may be at a loss on how to protect them.
In many scams, your parents or older loved ones may be targeted more often than other age groups and fall victim more often, too. And once burned, they may be hit up again as easy marks.
All this is made easier for the scammers if you live elsewhere, unable to run interference on incoming phone calls, emails and mailed letters from con artists. Giving your parents stern warnings or demanding power of attorney to control their finances may seem like the way to go, but often those tactics come with nasty emotional fallout.
For more information about “Elder Fraud” or other scams, please contact the Gloucester Township Police Community Relations Bureau at 856-228-4011, or email at: [email protected]
For more information about common elder fraud scams go to the US Department of Justice: https://www.ic3.gov/Home/EF
Arrest: Akul Tewary, age 31, 3503 Aston Manor Court, Silver Spring, MD 20904
Charged with (1) one count of Impersonation; Theft of Identity (3rd Degree), and (1) one count of Theft (3rd Degree).
Date and Time of Media Release: Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Media Release By: Lt. Daniel Long #171 Approved By: Capt. John Stollsteimer #150
