DENE COUNTY (WKOW) — As charges continue against a Chicago man who authorities say stole $50,000 from a 71-year-old woman, Verona police officials obtained phone data in a search for more evidence.
This week, police received permission to use a search warrant to search 23-year-old Yang Jialei's cell phone.
Mr. Yang has been charged with a felony count of elder fraud and is on trial. He was released after posting $30,000 bail, records show.
Authorities say $30,000 was recovered from Yang on a tip when he was arrested in Verona in March.
According to court records, the woman saw a virus pop-up on her computer and called the number for help. Authorities say the phone call led them to be contacted by someone claiming to be a bank investigator. The search warrant affidavit states that the woman was told her bank account had been compromised and used to facilitate the purchase of child pornography from China and illegal weapons in Russia.
According to records, she was told that an IRS agent came to her home to retrieve the funds from her account and that the money would be returned to her at some point during the investigation. Authorities said Yang was arrested after arriving at her home for one of two pick-ups.
According to records, Yang told officers that she had simply received a package addressed to an unknown person in Chicago.
Jessica Johnston of the National Council on Aging said older adults should know that the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration or other agencies will not contact you and request personal information. . She said personally identifying information is only exchanged if the person initiates the contact, Johnston said.
Johnston said scammers are trying to create a sense of crisis in order to force seniors to act without remorse. She said older people who live alone and are socially isolated are often targeted by scams.
Johnston recommends that seniors seek advice from someone they trust if the contact seems strange or they have any concerns.