SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – A Virginia man has been arrested after he allegedly scammed a Sullivan County resident out of more than $130,000 and convinced the victim to empty her bank account.

According to a news release from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the victim contacted investigators on April 8 to tell them of the scam. She said she had been online shopping on April 4 when she received a pop-up message on her screen telling her she should contact Microsoft due to illegal activity on her computer.

The release states the victim called the provided number and was told child pornography was on her computer and that she had to pay to have it removed. The victim bought and provided the information for $900 worth of Apple gift cards that night as the scammer requested.

She was reportedly told it would be $4,000 to completely fix the issue but that she could resolve it all the next morning.

On April 5, she was called by another person telling her she needed to provide information for another $3,000 in gift cards to settle the balance. The victim bought and shared the requested card information that day.

The SCSO reports that after the victim provided the information, she was told her bank account had been compromised and she would have to withdraw all of its contents in order for her account to be encrypted.

A scammer allegedly told her someone would pick up the withdrawn money from her and that a new account would be made and the funds deposited.

Watch for us in your inbox.

The victim reportedly went to multiple bank branches and withdrew $130,000 while the scammers stayed on the phone with her, telling her to say she was buying a vehicle if anyone asked.

On April 6, a man arrived at the victim’s home to get the withdrawn money, according to the SCSO. She gave it to him, and he left on foot. She noticed, however, that the man went a few streets over and got into a gray vehicle that left the area after.

After the SCSO was notified of the scam, patrol deputies told investigators they had answered a call in the area on April 6 about a suspicious gray BMW. The driver was then identified as Hang Zhan, 29, of Glen Allen, Virginia.

The victim identified Zhan as the man she’d given the $130,000 to.

The SCSO obtained an arrest warrant, charging Zhan with theft of property over $60,000, financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable person and fraud. Virginia State Police found Zhan during an April 16 traffic stop and arrested him.

A spokesperson for the SCSO told News Channel 11 that as of Thursday, none of the stolen money had been recovered. However, investigators are still actively working the case and are attempting to determine if others were involved in the scam.

As of Thursday, Zhan is being held in the Prince William – Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center while awaiting extradition to Sullivan County.

“We take the financial exploitation of senior citizens very seriously and will seek swift justice in these cases. Our older residents are the most vulnerable, and scammers do not hesitate to use fear tactics to get what they want. Most of those victimized have worked their entire lives for what they have and are left to struggle financially due to these criminals. I want to encourage residents to speak with their elderly relatives and neighbors regarding these types of scams and make sure they call law enforcement immediately if they feel they are being targeted.”

The investigation was still ongoing as of Thursday. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, United States Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations assisted the SCSO in the case.

READ MORE
RELATED ARTICLES