Will County, IL – A California man is in custody after allegedly scamming a senior resident out of nearly $40,000 in cash during a high-level deception scheme that unfolded Friday in Will County.
According to the Will County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched around 5:30 p.m. to a residence on the 15600 block of Spencer Road after a local woman reported a suspicious exchange involving a large sum of money. En route, deputies were alerted to a white SUV suspected in the fraud, which was located at Lincoln-Way West High School.
Authorities say the vehicle was occupied by 29-year-old Liwei Deng, a Chinese national living in California. Simultaneously, investigators interviewed the victim, who explained she had been contacted via email around 11 a.m. by someone posing as an identity protection service.
The victim was allegedly persuaded to allow remote access to her computer and later instructed to withdraw $39,000 in cash, place it into a tan envelope, and hand it off to a courier using a prearranged passcode.
Shortly after, a man reportedly arrived at her residence, provided the passcode, and departed with the envelope. Growing suspicious, the victim and a family member contacted law enforcement.
Deputies later identified Deng as the suspect who retrieved the money, using witness descriptions and surveillance images. A search of the SUV reportedly uncovered the tan envelope with $37,000 still inside, along with more cash found on Deng’s person.
Deng was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility and initially charged with theft by deception involving a victim over 60 and theft by deception between $10,000 and $100,000. Authorities say Deng is known to law enforcement, and similar incidents are under active investigation throughout Illinois.
The sheriff’s office urges residents, especially seniors, to remain cautious of unsolicited messages requesting money or computer access.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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