Police say a pop-up message came up on the iPad of a 69-year-old woman in Ocala, Florida.
The message claimed to be from her bank and asked her to call immediately, reports WCJB. When she did, she was told she was a suspect in a child porn case and needed to send $30,000 immediately.
She received instructions to go to a Bitcoin ATM to convert the cash into cryptocurrency. After she did, the next day the scammers told her they needed another $50,000. This time police said they came to her house to pick up the money. She gave it to them, but then called 911.
“She only gave the money because she was scared she would be killed if she didn’t,” police told Click Orlando.
Once again, the men called demanding another $50,000. When the suspects came to her house to again get the money, police were waiting to make an arrest.
Authorities say suspects Parth Patel and Jayarami Kuruguntla claimed they came to the house “to hang out and have dinner” before claiming “they were supposed to pick up a package at the victim’s address for a friend in India.”
Patel faces charges of organized fraud and Karungutla faces larceny and fraud charges.
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