A suburban Chicago man was jailed Wednesday for allegedly trying to scam an elderly Kewanee woman out of “a large sum of money.”
Kewanee police reported Thursday that Shrey Patel, 23, of Carol Stream, Ill., was charged with theft by deception and taken to the Henry County Jail. He was to appear in Henry County Circuit Court on Monday.
According to a news release from the police department, an “elderly Kewanee resident” was recently contacted by people claiming to be agents with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. They “falsely informed the victim that her financial accounts were in danger and that she could face criminal charges if she did not immediately withdraw her funds,” the release said.
“Following their instructions, the victim withdrew a large sum of money and provided it to the scammers prior to law enforcement’s involvement,” the news release said.
The news release did not report how much money was involved, or whether the victim got the money back after Patel was arrested. Police officials were not available for comment Thursday afternoon.
According to the release, officials at Peoples National Bank in Kewanee told police Tuesday that they had recognized “suspicious activity” involving the same person. “Although PNB was not the institution where the original withdrawal occurred, bank personnel quickly identified the situation as a potential scam and took immediate steps to protect the customer,” according to the release.
Police met with PNB staff and the elderly victim to get details of the incident, then “coordinated a controlled delivery of alleged funds the next day…in an effort to identify and apprehend those involved with the scam,” the release said. This led to the arrest of Patel.
Patel was charged Thursday with theft by deception, a Class 2 felony.
Also involved in the investigation and arrest were the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Kewanee Fire Department, Illinois State Police and the Henry County Special Weapons and Tactics Team.
“The Kewanee Police Department wishes to thank Peoples National Bank for their alertness and cooperation in this case,” the news release said. “Bank staff promptly recognized the signs of potential fraud and took immediate action by contacting law enforcement and helping convince the victim that she was being targeted by a scam. Their quick response played a crucial role in preventing further financial loss and assisting with the ongoing operation.
Police warned the public “to be vigilant against scams of this nature,” and said the Treasury Department or IRS will never contact people by phone or email to demand money, threaten arrest or request that funds be withdrawn or transferred.
“If you receive a suspicious call or message, do not provide personal information or make any financial transactions,” the news release said. “Instead, contact your local law enforcement agency or a trusted financial institution for verification.”
The release said Kewanee police feel other people may have been involved with the scam and continue to work with partner agencies to locate those people.
