Undercover Sting Trips Up PayPal Scammers

India-West News Desk

GENTRY, AR – Two people accused of taking part in an elderly fraud scheme here have pleaded guilty to theft charges after an undercover operation led to their arrests.

Gajera Prashant had already pleaded guilty, while Dharaben Bavadiya entered her guilty plea on August 17. Both were sentenced to five years in prison.

According to the Gentry Police Department, the pair was arrested April 21 after participating in a fake PayPal refund scam. The scheme involved convincing a victim that money had been mistakenly sent to them and needed to be returned.

Gentry Police Detective Ryan Loftus said scammers often pressure victims by claiming they could lose their jobs if the money is not repaid.

“But in reality, the money was never there,” Loftus said.

The operation was carried out with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Trilogy Media and the Highfill Police Department’s Drone Team. Trilogy Media, which focuses on scam-baiting, posed as a potential victim and persuaded the suspects to travel from India to collect $29,500.

Gentry Police Officer David Williamson then went undercover as the elderly victim.

According to the arrest affidavit, multiple cameras recorded the exchange of the $29,500 in fake US currency.

Investigators believe Prashant and Bavadiya were channels in a larger fraud operation, responsible for collecting money from victims and passing it on to others involved in the scheme.