Arrest made after California man scams elderly Baxter County woman out of $71,000

An arrest has been made after a California man scammed a Baxter County woman out of $71,000. The man, 31-year-old Wenyan Song of West Covina, California, is also charged for scamming a victim in Carroll County out of $27,800. Both instances were computer scams, but they were different in nature.
According to the probable cause affidavit from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, the Baxter County victim is an 86-year-old woman who is a widow and lives alone. She reported she started having problems with her computer and a pop-up window appeared telling her to call Microsoft and provided a phone number. She called the number and spoke to a man named “Jack” in the “Identity Theft Department.”

The victim spoke to “Jack” several times over the next two weeks and he endeared himself to her and gained her trust. He convinced her the problem with her computer was hackers who were attempting to steal her money. He convinced the victim the hackers could be involved with her neighbors, her bank, her church, or anyone she knows, so she should isolate herself from everyone and trust only him.

“Jack” told the victim her money would only be safe in a Federal Reserve Bank and convinced her to close her savings account and withdraw all of the money which was $33,000. He then told her to give the money to a courier from the Federal Reserve he would send to her house. “Jack” gave the victim a codeword the courier would have. When the man arrived, he gave the woman the codeword and she handed him the money.

“Jack” stayed in touch with the victim and got her to disclose she also had an investment account worth $40,000. “Jack” convinced the victim to liquidate that account and put the money into the Federal Reserve Bank like she did her other funds because her investment account was also at risk.

The victim closed the account and received $38,000. Again a courier was sent, the codeword was given and the victim gave the courier her cash.

A few months later, it was learned a similar scam had happened in Carroll County. The courier picked up the cash the first day, but when he went to pick up cash the second day, law enforcement was waiting for him and arrested Song in the act.

Baxter County investigators and investigators with the United States Department of Homeland Security went to the Baxter County victim’s house with a lineup of pictures, including Song. The victim identified Song as the second courier who came to her house to pick up money.

Homeland Security investigators discovered Song rented a car in Texas and GPS data points indicated he was in the vicinity of the Baxter County woman’s home when the couriers were picking up the cash.

Song has been held in the custody of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Little Rock, but was transferred to the Baxter County Detention Center Monday. He is charged with one felony count of theft. His bond is set at $75,000. He also has holds placed on him by Carroll County and Homeland Security and ICE.

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