The Michigan Sheriff's Office has released video footage of the dramatic arrest of an Indian scammer, Yug B Chauhan, who was caught in a sting operation after attempting to defraud an elderly woman of $700,000 in gold coins. The case took an interesting turn when the scammer was himself scammed by the police and an alert store owner, foiling the attempt to cheat the senior citizen.
Undercover Operation Unfolds
In the video, a female undercover officer poses as an elderly woman and meets Chauhan to hand over a box of what he believed were gold coins. However, the box contained golden chocolate coins. The officer is seen speaking to someone on the phone, likely the mastermind behind the scam, to verify details. She then exits the vehicle, still pretending to be an old woman, and catches Chauhan off guard. The unsuspecting Chauhan, seen sipping soda, is visibly shocked when he realizes he is surrounded by police.
The courier had no idea he had been set up. As the officer placed the box and her phone inside the car, she grabbed Chauhan's hand from behind while another agent pushed him into the vehicle, completing the arrest.
Background of the Scam
The arrest took place in May after a 79-year-old Michigan widow was brainwashed for days. Scammers posing as government officials convinced her that her Social Security funds were being misused for terrorist purposes and that she needed to purchase $700,000 worth of gold coins and hand them over to them. The woman went to a store to buy the gold, but the alert store owner noticed she was in a rush and showed no interest in the gold she was purchasing. Suspicious, the store owner contacted the sheriff's office.
Police visited the woman and decided to play along with the scammers' plan, sending undercover agents instead of the elderly woman to meet the courier.
Chauhan's Statement
After his arrest, Yug B Chauhan claimed he had never met the man who gave him instructions over the phone and that he was merely a courier.
Red Flags to Watch For
The sheriff's office has issued a list of red flags that may indicate a scam:
- Demands for immediate payment
- Pressure to act immediately or keep a secret
- Requests for payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, prepaid debit cards, or apps like Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App
- Caller claiming to be law enforcement, your bank, Social Security, the IRS, Amazon, Microsoft, or Apple
- Threats of arrest, jail time, suspended accounts, or utility shutoffs
- Unexpected texts or emails with links
- Requests for remote access to your phone or computer
- “Too good to be true” prizes, jobs, or offers
- Requests for money from someone you met online
- Spoofed phone numbers, odd wording, or poor grammar
- Refusing to let you hang up or verify information
