According to an announcement from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the incident began on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, when the victim received a fraudulent email that appeared to be from PayPal. The email claimed that an account had been opened in the victim’s name with a $400 charge.
The victim called the number provided in the email and unknowingly engaged with a scammer posing as PayPal support. The scammer convinced the victim to grant remote access to their computer and personal information, which escalated the deception.
The situation worsened when the scammer manipulated the victim into withdrawing $40,000 from their bank, claiming it was necessary to fix the issue. The victim handed over the cash to an unknown individual who came to their home to collect it. The scammer then tried to extend the scheme, claiming additional errors required even more money, the Sheriff’s Office said…