More than 70 victims nationwide of IRS phone scam that was based in N.J., police say
LEONIA -- Two Iselin residents used data gleaned from call centers in India to carry out a scam that snared more than 70 victims across the country, Chief of Police Thomas Rowe said in a statement Tuesday night.
The investigation began Sept. 2 with a call from a Lexington, Ky., resident to Det. Michael Jennings. The man told Jennings he received a call informing him that he owed the Internal Revenue Service $1,400 and that he would be jailed if he did not pay. The victim was told to send a MoneyGram to "Vincent Arora" at an address on Broad Avenue. The location is a CVS drug store, Rowe said.
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Jennings obtained surveillance video from CVS and created still images of a suspect picking up the money, images Jennings distributed to police statewide, Rowe said. Jennings also contacted MoneyGram and learned that someone using the name Vincent Arora had conducted 30 transactions in the previous week at MoneyGram locations throughout the state.
After starting a track on the name, the company's security informed Jennings of a transaction at a Walmart in Watchung. Jennings called Watchug police, but officers there missed the suspect by just minutes, Rowe said. But surveillance video from Walmart revealed the person receiving the cash there was the same man who received the money in the Sept. 2 incident, Rowe also said.
Police also obtained footage of the suspect using his personal debit card as well as of the suspect's vehicle. Using the information from the debit card transaction, Jennings identified a suspect, Rowe said.
Later, MoneyGram again called Jennings to alert him to another transaction, at a CVS in Elizabeth. A manager at the store told Jennings the transaction had already been completed, but this time, Jennings was able to get a license plate number and a description of the suspects. Jennings called Elizabeth police, who located the suspects' vehicle at a CVS in Union, where the two had just carried out yet another transaction, Rowe said.
Jennings, along with Capt. Scott Tamagny, went to the Union CVS, where Akash Patel and Nikita Patel were being held by police. The two, who are not related, were taken into custody and transported to Leonia.
After obtaining permission to search the vehicle, Leonia police found MoneyGram transaction receipts and more than $9,100 in cash. Nikita Patel , 25, told police there was additional cash and documentation at the apartment she shares with Akash Patel, 32, Rowe said, adding that more than $10,800 was found at the home.
The two allegedly told police they chose victims whose information they obtained from employees of call centers in India.
Both suspects were being held on $150,000 bail after each being charged with conspiracy to commit theft by deception. They were also ordered to surrender their passports.
"I would like to express my gratitude to the Watchung, Elizabeth and Union Police Departments and the Moneygram Global Security Department for their assistance with this investigation," Rowe said.
"Additionally, I would like to recognize Det. Michael Jennings for his outstanding work on this case. Because of Det. Jennings' hard work and perseverance, many victims will be able recover the money they lost in this case. In some cases, the victims lost their life savings."
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook
