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MARION COUNTY, Fla. - Jiaan Cao, 33, has been arrested following his attempt to scam an 82-year-old woman out of more than $50,000, the Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) says.
An official report from the MCSO states the scheme began when the 82-year-old man's computer started to emit a loud and persistent alarm with multiple pop-up windows. Police say one of the windows showed a phone number for a "windows technician" who could assist with the problem.
Jiaan Cao was arrested Dec. 12 by the Marion County Sheriffs Office. (Credit: Marion County Sheriffs Office)
The victim called, and they "fixed" the issue. Shortly after, a scammer posing as a Truist Bank manager convinced her that someone had hacked her accounts and was using her name to open other accounts for illegal activities, such as purchasing child pornography, detectives said. They said the person instructed her to send $7,300 via a cryptocurrency ATM, which she did.
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Authorities said the person called again, telling her to buy $160,000 in gold to safeguard it with a "Federal Agent" — later revealed to be Cao himself. The victim was sent to a gold dealer in Jacksonville, who grew suspicious and contacted law enforcement.
When Cao arrived to pick up the "gold," he found deputies waiting for him. Detectives discovered that Cao had traveled from California to play the role of a "Federal Agent." He was arrested on Thursday, Dec. 12.
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Arrest documents show that Cao is in the Marion County Jail with no bond set.
The MCSO says the incident is a reminder for people to stay alert and not make hasty decisions when it comes to money.
The Source: The information in this article comes from the Marion County Sheriff's Office and was shared with FOX 35 News.