A 70-year-old Michigan senior has lost more than $270,000 from pension accounts after falling victim to a scam involving unsolicited emails and fraudulent claims of federal warrants.
According to reports from CBS News, the Hazel Park resident received an unsolicited email claiming to originate from the Federal Trade Commission. The message falsely connected her to a vehicle discovered with a dead body and drugs inside, alleging her name and information were linked to the car.
Hazel Park Police Department Detective Chad Jackson explained that the victim was contacted by a supposed agent who instructed her to pay money and purchase gold to clear the fabricated charges. The scammers warned her not to contact local law enforcement, claiming she would likely be arrested due to the purported warrant, and promised that her funds would be returned following a holding period.
Driven by the threats and demands, the victim liquidated both her own pension and her late husband's pension, totaling over $270,000. After weeks passed without the return of her funds, she contacted local authorities.
Investigators utilized community Flock camera recordings to track 30-year-old Ranjeet Singh of Sacramento. Authorities subsequently extradited the suspect to Michigan, where he was arraigned on two counts of false pretenses and held on a $300,000 bond.
