A 91-year-old Madera County resident was scammed out of $25,000 by callers posing as Apple Support and Federal Trade Commission representatives.
Claiming the victim’s bank account was compromised, they instructed the victim to withdraw cash and give it to two men for transfer to a “secure account” on November 3.
When the scammers tried again the next day, an alert bank branch manager recognized the warning signs and encouraged the victim to contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, helping prevent another loss.
MCSO detectives identified the suspects as Inderjeet Singh, 23, and Anuroop Singh, 26, both of Fresno.
On Friday, detectives served a search warrant at their Fresno home, recovering $5,000 and clothing believed to have been worn while collecting the money.
Both were booked into the Madera County Jail on felony charges of: Theft by false pretenses; financial abuse of an elder or dependent adult; grand theft; and conspiracy.
Help protect loved ones:
• Apple, the FTC, and legitimate government agencies will never ask you to hand over cash for “safekeeping.”
• Never give cash, gift cards, or banking information to an unexpected caller.
• If pressured to act immediately, stop, hang up, and contact your bank or the agency using a verified number.
Please talk with older family members, friends, and neighbors about these scams. One conversation could help protect their life savings.