HOWELL – A motor vehicle stop in 2016 led Howell police on a cross country investigation that revealed a woman had been scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars.
In a press release issued on March 28, Howell police provided details of the case and reminded residents to be alert for individuals who will try to separate them from their money.
Police said that on May 18, 2016, Howell Patrolman David Levine stopped a vehicle in the area of Route 9 and Estelle Lane because the vehicle had tinted front windows.
Police did not name the man who was driving the vehicle, but said Levine found him to be deceptive with his answers. The man had improper credentials for the vehicle and appeared to be under the influence of drugs, according to police.
Levine requested the assistance of Officer Nicholas Bondarew and his partner, K-9 Jago. The canine officer gave a positive indication as to the presence of controlled dangerous substances in the vehicle, according to police.
Jago’s response led to a search of the vehicle and the discovery of $2,071 in cash and a handwritten MoneyGram order from Costa Rica in the amount of $1,000 made out to the driver.
Police said the man gave conflicting stories regarding the money order and cash, before eventually telling police both were “winnings” from an online gambling website.
The MoneyGram order and cash were seized pending an investigation and the driver was released at the scene. Police said he was not arrested or charged.
Levine and Detective Anthony Romano continued the investigation which led to the discovery that the MoneyGram, one of a batch of 10, originated in a Walmart store in Hayden, Idaho, for a total of $9,800.
Hayden is a suburb of Coeur D’Alene.
Police said Romano and Levine were able to retrieve surveillance footage from Walmart which showed an elderly woman purchasing the MoneyGram orders.
In reviewing the surveillance footage, Romano and Levine identified the make and model of the woman’s vehicle. Romano sought the assistance of FBI Special Agent Edward Jacobson from the FBI office in Coeur D’Alene, according to police.
Jacobson was subsequently able to identify the vehicle and its operator as a 71-year-old resident of Coeur D’Alene who was the victim of fraud.
Police said Jacobson interviewed the woman, who told him she had been called by a person identifying himself as “Special Agent Frank Anderson of the Department of Homeland Security.”
Police said the woman told Jacobson that the caller advised her she had won a drawing in England and had to pre-pay the taxes on her winnings before she could receive the prize.
The woman complied with the caller’s directions and purchased approximately $50,000 in MoneyGram orders over time and sent them where directed, including to Costa Rica, according to police.
It was learned the operators of a gambling website are using illegally obtained MoneyGram orders by defrauding unsuspecting victims in order to pay the winners on the website, according to the Howell police.
Howell police sought forfeiture of the cash and MoneyGram order Levine seized during the 2016 motor vehicle stop. That forfeiture totaled $3,071, which is being returned to the woman in Idaho. Police said until the investigation occurred, she was unaware she was being victimized.
