Enyi Chen was charged with attempted grand larceny and resisting arrest in connection with an alleged elder scam in Plainview, Nassau County police said.
Photo provided by Nassau County Police Department
A Queens man was arrested for allegedly defrauding an elderly man out of more than $121,000 in a scam that occurred earlier this month, Nassau County police said.
Enyi Chen, 44, of Flushing was arrested after a 64-year-old man received a message on his iPad claiming the device had been compromised. The victim called the number displayed on the screen and was told he needed to withdraw funds from his bank to protect his money. Between Oct. 9 and Oct. 16, the victim withdrew over $121,000 and handed it to several unknown men, police said.
The victim realized he had been scammed on Monday, Oct. 20, and contacted police. Following an investigation, Chen was located and placed into custody after a brief struggle, police said.
Chen is charged with attempted grand larceny and resisting arrest. He was released on an appearance ticket but was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after authorities determined he is in the country illegally and subject to removal proceedings.
Police urged the public to remain alert to scams targeting vulnerable individuals and to contact the Nassau County Fraud and Forgery Section at (516) 573-2815 or call 911. All callers will remain anonymous.