Police in the town of Cumberland this week arrested a New York man in connection with an alleged fraud scheme that bilked a local resident out of more than $100,000.
Chief Charles Rumsey said the resident was tricked into withdrawing more than $100,000 to exchange for gold bars, then handing the money over to a courier for safe keeping.
Rumsey said the resident became concerned and alerted police after the courier left with the money. With the help of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, Rumsey said Cumberland police organized a sting operation and apprehended 44-year old Zhangqi Xie on Monday. Rumsey said he believes the man didn't act alone.
"These scammers are very convincing," he said. "They absolutely are capable of making people believe they are acting in their own best interest. And our resident is not the only person to fall victim to this scam."
Rumsey said the scam is increasingly prevalent along the east coast.
The suspect has been charged with felony theft by deception and is being held at Cumberland County Jail, and the investigation continues.
Read the FBI bulletin about courier scams here.
