A 21-year-old has been arrested by the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) in connection with a financial scam that cost the victim over $35,000.
Jama Pierre Louis was charged with felony theft by deception by CCPD's Criminal Investigations Division. He was arrested in Florida by the Broward County Sheriff's Office on July 31 and extradited to Chatham County on Aug. 16.
The investigation into Louis began in January when CCPD patrol officers responded to a report of a victim who had transferred $35,565 from their bank account after receiving a phone call from someone who claimed to be the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), law enforcement said in a press release.
CCPD said Louis allegedly told the victim there was an issue with their
account and convinced the victim to transfer large amounts of money to the scammer.
"This case is a reminder that we all need to be suspicious the moment anyone calls unsolicited to discuss money. We cannot be too careful," CCPD Chief Jeff Hadley said.
Here are three steps the CCPD reminds everyone to take to lessen the chances of being victimized:
STOP: Pause long enough to take a breath and calm down when you are approached. Many scammers rely on a sense of urgency or fear to lower the guard of their victims. Stopping the interaction for a few moments will help you calm down and think more clearly.
CHECK: Independently verify what you are being told or what you are reading. You should never have to make an immediate decision – no matter what financial “emergency” the scammer insists is happening.
PROTECT: Guard your personal and financial information, and never give any of it out to an unexpected caller or through an unsolicited text or email.
Ansley Franco is a reporter with the Savannah Morning News, covering public safety and general assignments. You can reach her at AFranco@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Man arrested in $35k FDIC scam targeting Chatham County victim
