Police say they caught a California man in the act of nearly stealing $25,000 in cash from a Huntley resident as part of an email scheme involving a fake PayPal charge.
A Huntley resident received a fraudulent email on Wednesday regarding an alleged transaction to his PayPal account, according to Huntley Deputy Police Chief Kevin Keane.
The email claimed a $499 subscription renewal had been charged to the account.
Keane said the resident called the number listed and the scammer convinced him to allow remote access to his computer.
The scammer then claimed to have “accidentally” refunded $25,000 to the resident.
The scammer pressured the resident to withdraw the money in cash or send it through cryptocurrency.
The resident began recognizing red flags and ended the call before coming directly to the Huntley Police Department, Keane said.
Police discovered the “refund” was simply a transfer between the resident’s own accounts.
Officers worked with the resident that evening to ensure his safety while continuing to engage the scammer.
Keane said detectives coached the resident to arrange a meeting for the cash handoff the next morning.
Xu Li, 31, of Alhambra, California, arrived at the home to collect the money and was taken into custody.
He is charged with two Class 3 felonies for attempted theft by deception over $10,000 and attempted theft by deception of more than $5,000 from a victim over 60 years old.
“We commend the resident for trusting his instincts and contacting the police,” Keane said.
Police say scammers rely on fear, urgency and embarrassment to trick victims. They often target the same person again once they succeed.
Residents who report suspicious activity early can protect themselves and help protect others.
“We urge everyone to share this information with family, friends, and neighbors – especially seniors, who are often targeted. Awareness is our strongest defense against scams,” Keane said.
Police say the scams typically work by an initial contact through an unsolicited email, text or call about a fake charge or account issue.
Scammers pressure the victim to act immediately and the victim is tricked into giving access to their computer or device.
The scammer manipulates online banking to make it look like they “accidentally” sent too much money and then they demand repayment, police said.
The victim is told to return the difference through cash, cryptocurrency, gift cards or wire transfers.
Police say scammers will do anything to keep their potential victims from talking to someone else and breaking the scam, often through threats and fear-mongering.
Red flags to watch for include pressure to act quickly or threats of liability, requests for access to a computer or smartphone, claims of overpayment, instructions on how to use cryptocurrency ATMs, gift cards or cash couriers.
Anyone suspicious of an email, text or phone call should consult a second person they trust and call law enforcement.