MT. CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Georgia man has been charged after police say he scammed a Shelby Township woman out of more than $100,000.
Police say this all started in February, when the man called the victim claiming to be "Shawn Taylor" with the U.S. Treasury and Social Security Administration office.
Under that false pretense, the Georgia man told the victim that there was a warrant out for her arrest because someone had been using her social security number. The scammer told her she could be protected if she transferred him a large sum of money, with the victim sending him almost $110,000.
A detective looked into the wire transfers and identified the Georgia man as Kelly Umana. An arrest warrant was obtained, and police in Roswell, Georgia, arrested Umana.
Umana has since been transferred to the Macomb County jail, and last week, he was charged with Felony-False Pretenses. The judge gave him a $20,000 cash/surety bond.
“Stealing from others through lies and deception is just as serious as any other crime - and here in Shelby Township we will not tolerate it. A suspect who swindled over $100,000 from an innocent victim is now behind bars, thanks to the sharp, determined work of a great detective. Shelby Township will continue to be tough on fraud and stand up for those who have been taken advantage of.” Shelby Township Chief of Police Robert J. Shelide.
