A suspect was arrested for allegedly scamming an elderly man out of thousands of dollars by pretending to be an FBI agent.
The suspect was identified as Quan Lin, 53, of El Monte, according to the El Monte Police Department.
On March 17, the victim, a 73-year-old man from Redlands, received a phone call from Lin who reportedly claimed he was an FBI agent.
Lin allegedly told the victim he would be arrested for having child pornography on his computer unless he handed over $25,000.
The victim was told to withdraw the cash from an ATM, place the money in an envelope and wait for a courier to pick up the cash from his home. The courier arrived and the money was collected.
The next day, the victim received another phone call from the suspect who told him the FBI had warrants for his arrest and he would need to provide another $35,000.
The victim decided to contact the police. Lin was taken into custody as he arrived at the victim’s home.
He was arrested for crimes against an elder or dependent adult, grand theft, and theft by false pretenses. He is being held on $250,000 bail.
Lin has been linked to similar scams in other communities, authorities said. The case remains under investigation.
According to the FBI, millions of elderly Americans fall victim to financial scams or fraud every year.
“Residents are encouraged to be alert,” Redlands police said. “Be cautious of unsolicited communications or anyone demanding money, gift cards or other valuables. Law enforcement officers will never demand payment to avoid arrest.”
Anyone with information on the suspect or similar crimes is asked to contact Detective Eric Strobaugh at 909-798-7659 or email [email protected].
The public can also call Redlands Police at 909-798-7681.
