MONROE, CT — An 85-year-old Monroe man was defrauded out of $15,000 and tried to send another $40,000 cashier’s check to a scammer overseas when his bank put a hold on it due to suspicion of fraud, according to police.
The victim met a woman on an online dating site, who told him she was a high ranking military official in Syria. She told him she found a large amount of money and spent $35,000 to send it to him, but that it could not get through U.S. Customs.
She asked him to send her a $15,000 cashier’s check so she could pay a third party to get the fortune to him. He did, according to the complaint filed Thursday. Then she asked the victim for another $40,000.
Police said was is unclear at the time of the report whether People’s United Bank was able to stop transfer of the $40,000 check, but added the victim is definitely out $15,000.
The investigation is ongoing.
