Scamming elderly persons: Third Indian student arrested in US
Kishan Kumar Singh, 21, was held on charges of attempting to obtain property by false pretences and exploitation of a disabled or elderly adult
A third Indian student has been arrested in the US after trying to scam a 78-year-old woman in North Carolina by posing as a law enforcement officer, authorities said.
Kishan Kumar Singh, 21, who has been living in the Cincinnati area in Ohio on a student visa since 2024, was arrested on Thursday (May 1) on charges of attempting to obtain property by false pretences and exploitation of a disabled or elderly adult, Guilford County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) said on Saturday (May 3).
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Phone calls from 'federal agents'
GCSO said that its deputies were contacted by the victim, who reported that she was getting phone calls from people claiming to be deputies with the GCSO as well as federal agents.
The victim from Stokesdale in North Carolina was told by callers that her bank accounts were compromised and was pressured into withdrawing a large amount of money for “safekeeping.” Deputies arrested Singh when he showed up to collect the package as a "federal agent", the statement said.
The callers told the woman that her name had been linked to criminal activity in another part of the country.
Singh is now in the Guilford County Detention Centre under a USD 1 million bond.
Two arrested on April 28
Earlier, on April 28, two Indian citizens on student visas in the US were held for scamming an elderly individual and charged with theft. Mahammadilham Vahora and Hajiali Vahora, both 24 years old, were booked into the El Paso County Jail this month, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The victim said the scammer claimed to be a “government agent” and made multiple threats to the victim. Consequently, the victim sent money via a cryptocurrency ATM and purchased gold, which was given to the suspects in person, the statement added.
“Shame on anyone who defrauds our elderly citizens,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “I am incredibly proud of my Financial Crimes Unit, as they continuously educate this vulnerable population regarding the risks of scammers and then hold accountable the low-life criminals who prey on their limited resources.
“Scammers are around every corner, and it is crucial for families and friends to be talking to their elderly loved ones about the signs of a scam phone call or email. I encourage the citizens of the Pikes Peak region to connect with those who are vulnerable and remind them to NEVER give currency to anyone claiming to be a government agency while posing threats!”
A recent increase in phone scamming is evident in the Pikes Peak region and surrounding jurisdictions. Scammers often pose as government agents, bank fraud investigators, or IT specialists, claiming the victim must cooperate with an investigation or their assets must be protected, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said.
Victims have been instructed to deposit money at crypto ATMs, withdraw large amounts of cash from their accounts, and often are instructed to convert their money to gold at local gold distributors. The victim is then tricked into giving their cash or gold to government agents who meet with them in person, it added.