WESTPORT, Mass. — A man who was previously apprehended this year by Customs and Border Patrol in Texas is under arrest for trying to scam a Westport couple out of thousands of dollars, authorities say.
Hector Arias-Guzman, 29, of Boston, is charged with conspiracy and attempted larceny.
Westport Police say a couple came into the station reporting they got a phone call from a man they believed was trying to defraud them. The suspected scammer identified himself as the couple’s son and said he needed cash because he had been arrested in Boston for getting into a car crash with a pregnant woman. He allegedly told the couple he was in the hospital with injuries but needed $25,000 for bail money or else he would be sent to jail.
The alleged scammer then put another man on the phone who identified himself as the assigned public defender, who corroborated what the first scammer had said, adding that he needed the money within the hour.
Authorities say the couple told the “public defender” they couldn’t get that amount of money in an hour, so the caller stated their “son” could be released for $10,000. After again informing the caller they couldn’t cobble together that amount of cash in one hour, the caller negotiated their “son’s” release for $6,000, according to officials.
Suspecting the scam, the couple spoke with Detective Sergeant Bryan McCarthy at Westport Police Headquarters.
Det. Sgt. McCarthy recognized the name the alleged “public defender” gave, Mark Cohen, as well as the suspected scammer’s cell phone number, which he said was consistent with a fraud that happened a week prior.
Police told the couple to return home and call back the scammer with instructions for the money delivery. The alleged scammer called back with instructions on how to package the cash and told them a Lyft driver would be collecting the money for delivery to Boston.
Officers assembled a surveillance team and followed the Lyft driver to an address in Taunton, where Arias-Guzman allegedly approached the ride-share car and took possession of the package. After a brief foot pursuit, officers apprehended him.
Arias-Guzman will appear in court at a later date.
Law enforcement officials are reminding the public to remain vigilant of phone scams.
“No legitimate business, hospital, police station, or judicial/court department accepts prepaid gift cards, phone cards or cash in an envelope delivered by any ride share company for services rendered,” Westport Police wrote in a social media post.
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