KETTERING — A California man is facing charges after allegedly taking part in an internet scam that took over $20,000 from a local woman.
Karan Karan, 19, of Fresno, California, was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury last week on theft and telecommunications fraud, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
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Karan has been accused of being part of an internet scam to coerce money from a 74-year-old Kettering woman.
“The scam initiated when the victim clicked on a phishing email and called the phone number listed on the email,” according to an affidavit and statement of facts filed last month in Kettering Municipal Court.
Through multiple phone calls with Karan and possibly other males, the victim mailed $5,000 to one person and took $18,000 in cash to another one.
The victim was then asked to bring $12,500 to Karan to fix a computer issue. She contacted the police and when Karan walked up to the vehicle to collect the money, he was taken into custody.
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Karan also allegedly removed $1,000 from the woman’s bank account after she gave her personal information away over the phone.
In total, the woman lost $23,000.
Karan remains booked in the Montgomery County Jail. He’s scheduled to appear in court tomorrow.
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