New York City Scammers Busted in the Hudson Valley

A duo from Queens, NY, has been arrested after they allegedly scammed a Hudson Valley resident out of a "substantial" amount of money.

Most of us are well aware that scammers are out there looking to scam us out of our hard-earned money. Almost every week, we learn about a new way or method a scammer has used to dupe a victim out of cash. One of the most popular scams happens when a scammer will attempt to get money by playing on a victim's emotions, by either saying a relative is in trouble and the only way to help them is to send them money, or by saying that if you don't pay now, you could be in serious trouble.

Whatever the case may be, we have to stay vigilant to make sure that what recently happened in Poughkeepsie doesn't happen to you.

Scammers are Active in Poughkeepsie, NY

According to the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, it all started on Monday, July 14th, when a person was contacted by someone claiming to represent the United States Marshall Service. Police said that the caller used deception and manipulation in getting the victim to agree to meet in person at a predetermined location in Poughkeepsie to hand over a substantial amount of money.

SEE ALSO: New York Looking to Ban ICE Agents From Wearing Masks

Shortly after the exchange, the victim realized that she was the target of a scam and reported the incident to the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department.

Police Set Up Sting to Bust Scammers

Soon after being notified, PPD Detectives began to work with the victim to arrange another meeting with the scammers in an attempt to identify and arrest them. The suspects and the victim agreed to a second meeting, where the victim agreed to hand over more money.

On July 18th, two suspects arrived at the predetermined location to collect the money and were met by police, apprehended, and arrested. The suspects were identified as Yi Liu and Guo Chen, both from Queens, NY. Each was charged with three felonies, including grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, and conspiracy.

Both suspects were arraigned in the Town of Poughkeepsie Court and sent to the Dutchess County Jail. Police didn't release the victim's name or say if they got their money back, but did want to remind residents to remain vigilant against phone scams and to report any suspicious activity immediately.