A Harford County resident has been swindled out of over $1 million by a sophisticated identity theft ring. The elderly victim was 73 years old when she was first contacted on June 13 via an unsolicited email alleging that she was targeted for identity theft. The correspondence, sent from [email protected], claimed to be from Eric Kressman of the Office of the Inspector General. Soon after, a phone call from a man claiming to work for the Social Security Administration further convinced the victim that her financial assets were in jeopardy and required immediate transfer for protection, as detailed by the Harford County Sheriff's Office.
Acting upon instructions from the caller, "Willy Le," who provided detailed bank account information, the victim engaged to separately transfer funds, which included inserting money into a Bitcoin machine and buying gold over five weeks. The cumulative transactions, combined with handing over gold and cash during meetings with the suspects on five separate occasions, led to substantial financial loss.
After the Sheriff's Office was notified, financial crimes detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division took over. An in-depth investigation linked a silver Chevrolet Equinox, used for meetings with the victim, to Devalkumar Harshadkumar Vyas. Vyas, along with his wife Mamata D. Vyas, were implicated in similar cases in New York. Both were subsequently arrested by the New York State Police on July 10. Upon interrogation by Harford County detectives on July 31, Devalkumar Vyas confessed to being involved in the fraudulent scheme.
Tips or information related to the crime can be directed to Detective Sergent at the Harford County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division.
