HAZEL PARK, Mich. – A 70-year-old Hazel Park woman lost more than $270,000 in an alleged scam after receiving an email claiming she had a federal arrest warrant.
The woman was contacted by someone claiming to be an agent with the Federal Trade Commission and was told she had warrants related to drug trafficking and money laundering, police said.
The victim was instructed to pay money to clear the alleged warrants and was warned not to contact local police because she would be arrested, according to investigators.
Police said the woman was then directed to purchase gold and give it to a suspect.
Several days later, they told her she needed to make additional payments.
The woman ultimately cashed out her pension accounts and those of her deceased husband and paid more than $270,000, police said.
Several days later, she contacted police and learned she had been scammed.
Officials gathered video, obtained search warrants, and used license plate reader resources to identify a suspect as Ranjeet Singh, a 30-year-old man from Sacramento, California, police said.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office authorized a two-count felony warrant charging Singh with false pretenses, police said.
Singh was located in California and extradited to Michigan.
He was arraigned Sept. 2 in Hazel Park District Court.
Police set a $300,000 bond and a GPS tether if he is released.
The case remains pending.
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