A tech support scam that began with a pop-up on a woman’s computer ended with two men in handcuffs in an Auburn parking lot.
State Police say it all started back on March 11, when the victim saw what looked like a warning from Microsoft on her screen. She called the number listed, unknowingly connecting with scammers pretending to be Microsoft support, her bank, and even a federal agent. The group convinced her she was under investigation for identity theft and could face federal prison time.
Frightened and pressured, the victim was told to withdraw money and hand it over to a person in a public parking lot. But the scam didn’t end there — the suspects continued to call, demanding even more money.
That’s when the State Police Auburn Bureau of Criminal Investigation stepped in. Working with the victim, they set up a series of controlled phone calls that led to a second meeting — this time, with law enforcement ready.
On April 29, troopers arrested 58-year-old Shabeer Ahmad and 21-year-old Mohammad Zaid Zahi Modan, both from New Jersey, in the Wegmans parking lot in Auburn. Investigators say the men believed they were picking up a package containing $300,000 in gold from the same victim.
Both suspects were charged with Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony. They were processed without incident and taken to the Cayuga County Jail for arraignment.
The Auburn Police Department and Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation, which remains ongoing.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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