Detectives have arrested two out-of-state suspects accused of stealing $17,000 from an elderly woman at a senior living facility in Lake County as part of an email scam.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said an 80-year-old Green Oaks woman received a fraudulent email earlier this month.
The email was purported to be from PayPal and claimed she had made a purchase of more than $760.
The email directed her to call a phone number if she did not authorize the purchase.
The victim called the number and the scammers on the other end eventually gained access to her bank accounts, Covelli said.
The suspects transferred money between the victim’s accounts and then convinced her that PayPal had “refunded” her too much money.
They instructed her to withdraw $17,000 in cash and turn it over to them.
Covelli said the victim met with a man, later identified as Danny Paio, 29, of New York, New York, at Green Oaks Senior Living, 14595 West Rockland Road in Green Oaks, on September 8.
Paio took the cash from the victim while accompanied by Chul Paik, 44, of Englewood, New Jersey, who drove a rental vehicle used in the scheme, Covelli said.
Sheriff’s detectives were able to use the FLOCK license plate reader camera system to identify the vehicle used by Paik and Paio.
Covelli said detectives determined Paik and Paio were the offenders involved in the scam and notified regional law enforcement of the incident.
Elmhurst police officers spotted the vehicle driven by Paik and conducted a traffic stop on Monday.
Lake County sheriff’s detectives responded to interview Paik and Paio. The two were subsequently arrested.
Detectives located more than $16,000 in their vehicle, which is believed to be proceeds from another fraudulent pickup they had conducted earlier on Monday, Covelli said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved two counts of theft, a Class 2 felony, against Paio and Paik.
Both remain held in the Lake County Jail pending a First Appearance Court hearing on Tuesday morning.
“This case is another reminder of how far criminals will go to target and exploit vulnerable victims. I am proud of the work of our detectives, who quickly identified and apprehended these suspects, and I am grateful for the ongoing collaboration we have with our partners across the region,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said they remind the community that legitimate businesses and government agencies will never ask them to withdraw cash or transfer money to resolve a billing issue.
“If you receive a suspicious email, phone call, or message, hang up and contact the company directly using a verified phone number or website,” Covelli said.
Sheriff’s detectives continue the investigation to try and recover the victim’s money in the case while also searching for additional victims.