After the woman handed over $24K in real cash, deputies said they worked with her to package up $25,000 in simulated money to catch the scammer in the act.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County deputies say they caught a man in the act of trying to scam an 81-year-old woman out of $50,000 in cash.

Detectives were first alerted on Feb. 23 that a woman was being actively scammed at her home on Loneoak View Drive in Lithia.

They believe the scammers gained remote access to the woman’s computer after she clicked on a malicious email and convinced her they accidentally deposited $50,000 into her bank account. 

Detectives said they learned the woman had withdrawn $24,000 from her bank account and handed the money to an unidentified courier. That courier then sent the woman a fraudulent receipt and arranged for additional payment the next day, according to the sheriff’s office.

On Feb. 24, the woman was reportedly instructed to hand off another $25,000 in cash. Detectives coordinated with her to prepare simulated currency for the pickup.

The sheriff’s office was conducting surveillance via helicopter when deputies said they saw 40-year-old Min Chen arriving at the woman’s home and walking away with the simulated currency.

They watched him drive into a nearby plaza, where deputies on the ground moved in and arrested him.

Deputies said they found the simulated currency removed from its packaging and placed on the center console of Chen’s car. 


Chen reportedly told the sheriff’s office he is not a U.S. citizen but holds Canadian citizenship.

He was arrested and charged with:

organized fraud of a person 65 or older ($20,000-$50,000),theft from a person 65 of older ($10,000-$50,000) andunlawful use of a two-way communication device.

“This arrest demonstrates our commitment to protecting our senior citizens from those who seek to exploit them,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “We encourage families to speak with elderly loved ones about common scam tactics and to report suspicious activity immediately.”

The investigation is ongoing.