Southern California(Thechieftainspear) – A man accused of impersonating an FBI agent to swindle thousands of dollars from an elderly victim has been arrested, authorities said.
El Monte resident Quan Lin, 53, was taken into custody following an investigation by the El Monte Police Department.
According to officials, a 73-year-old man from Redlands was targeted in the scam on March 17. Lin allegedly contacted the victim by phone, falsely claiming to be an FBI agent. He reportedly told the man that he was under investigation for possessing child pornography and that he needed to pay $25,000 to avoid arrest.
Following Lin’s instructions, the victim withdrew the cash, placed it in an envelope, and handed it over to a courier who arrived at his residence to collect the money.
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The next day, Lin allegedly called again, demanding an additional $35,000 while continuing the false narrative that the FBI had warrants for the victim’s arrest.
At this point, the man contacted law enforcement. When Lin showed up at the victim’s home to collect the second payment, authorities were waiting and arrested him.
Lin faces multiple charges, including grand theft, theft by false pretenses, and crimes against an elder or dependent adult. His bail has been set at $250,000.
Investigators believe Lin may be linked to other similar scams in the region.
Authorities warn residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls requesting money or personal information. The FBI emphasizes that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never demand payments or threaten arrest over the phone.
Anyone with information related to this case or similar crimes is urged to contact Detective Eric Strobaugh at 909-798-7659 or email [email protected]. Tips can also be submitted to Redlands Police at 909-798-7681.
