A California con artist is now in cuffs after trying to pull off a scam involving precious metals and gullible homeowners. Shalin Amin was netted by cops in Caldwell County last week when his scheme took a sour turn.
It all started when an unsuspecting elderly resident received a surprise package on the old San Marcos Highway, jam-packed with around $100,000 in precious metals, as FOX San Antonio reported. The homeowner, duped into thinking they were dealing with customer support, soon got a bogus call. The scammer behind the line was Amin, who instructed that his 'associate' would swing by to collect the stash – but, officers had already sniffed out the grift and were waiting to slap the cuffs on him.
Amin is staring down charges of Money Laundering, with the cash count alleged to be between $30,000 and less than $150,000. Scams like Amin's are no novelty, typically featuring tricksters pretending to be from tech support or the government, pushing their targets into a corner where they end up giving up personal info or assets.
The crackdown isn't stopping at Amin's arrest. The public's been warned to stand guard against similar scams, especially those that push you to buy precious metals or wire funds on the fly. According to authorities, common-sense defenses include guarding your personal details like a hawk, giving scammy-looking links the cold shoulder, and never letting some random take control of your computer.
If you've been had by internet bandits, don't sit on your hands. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center is the place to sing, and you can find them at www.ic3.gov.
