Man in Charlotte County accused of acting as courier in $30,000 scam targeting Deep Creek victim

A man in Charlotte County is accused of acting as a courier in a scam involving claims of a victim's computer being hacked and having to send money via courier to avoid funds being removed from a bank account.

According to an arrest report from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a home in Deep Creek, where a victim claimed that he was the victim of a fraud. The victim said that he got a pop-up on his computer stating that he had been hacked and to call a listed number.

When that listed number had been called, suspects remotely controlled the victim's computer and told him that they found 23 instances of child porn on his computer. The suspects also told the victim that there was an attempt to remove $22,000 from his bank account, and that a security person with the bank would be calling him, CCSO says.

Another suspect claiming to be with the victim's bank told him that he needed to withdraw funds to avoid losing his money. The victim told deputies that he ended up removing a total of $30,000 in cash from several of his accounts.

The victim was instructed to photograph the cash, place it inside a shoebox and tape it shut. He was then told to put the money at the end of his driveway, but he told deputies he felt uncomfortable doing so and ended up keeping it in his home.

Deputies were informed of the incident when the victim's children noticed the transactions on the account and noticed that the victim was being defrauded.

While deputies and the victim were at the home, they noticed a car slowly passing by the home. The driver of the car, Wang Xiaofeng, was detained for questioning. The report says Wang initially told deputies he was driving around to look at homes for sale.

During the course of his interview with deputies, Wang reportedly admitted that he was acting as a courier for the people who scammed the victim. CCSO says Wang would receive information that included a victim's address, age and the amount of money being collected.

Wang would travel to a victim's home, deputies say, and open the package that the money would be in. Wang reportedly told deputies that he did not know that what he was doing was illegal.

Wang was eventually arrested. He faces charges of money laundering and scheme to defraud.