An elderly New Yorker was scammed out of roughly $29,000 after receiving a fake "Apple Payment Warning" and granting remote access to their computer, which showed a fabricated $50,000 deposit. Benny Cai, 43, of Flushing, was arrested Sept. 24 during a second cash pickup and charged with fraud, grand larceny and drug possession; police recovered cocaine. Authorities warn users not to call numbers in pop-ups and urge verification through official Apple and bank channels.
Senior Loses $29,000 After Fake “Apple Payment” Alert; Suspect Arrested During Second Cash Pickup
Image Credit: Tarrytown Police.
An elderly New York resident handed over approximately $29,000 after scammers sent a fake "Apple Payment Warning," gained remote access to the victim's computer and manipulated on-screen information to show an apparent deposit of about $50,000.
Arrest and Charges. Police arrested Benny Cai, 43, of Flushing, on Sept. 24 in Tarrytown during a second arranged cash pickup at the Walgreens parking lot at 162 Wildey Street. Cai was charged with first-degree scheme to defraud, fourth-degree grand larceny and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; investigators say cocaine was recovered during the probe. He was arraigned in Tarrytown Village Court on Sept. 25, released on his own recognizance and scheduled to appear again on Sept. 30. Cai is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
How the Scam Worked. According to investigators, the victim first received a text labeled "Apple Payment Warning" claiming an unauthorized Apple transaction. The message included a phone number purportedly for Apple's finance department. After calling that number, the victim was convinced to grant remote access to their computer. Scammers then altered what appeared on the screen to show an accidental deposit of roughly $50,000 and instructed the victim to return the overpayment in two cash deliveries.
On Sept. 23 the victim handed over about $29,000 in cash to a person on Main Street in Tarrytown. Detectives later learned a second pickup had been arranged; when Cai arrived for that second handoff on Sept. 24, officers moved in and arrested him.
Investigative Notes. Tarrytown police say Cai may be tied to an organized group targeting older adults with similar financial frauds and are continuing efforts to identify others involved. The Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force assisted Tarrytown detectives with surveillance for the planned exchange.
Safety Advice From Apple and the FTC. Apple warns that pop-ups claiming a device has a security problem can be fraudulent and advises users not to call phone numbers shown in those alerts. Apple says it will not ask customers for their Apple ID password, verification codes, or to disable security protections. The Federal Trade Commission documents a similar scam pattern in which fraudsters gain remote access, fabricate an oversized refund, then demand the victim return the supposed excess. The FTC recommends calling the company directly using a trusted phone number and checking bank or credit-card accounts yourself when a disputed charge is alleged.
What To Do If You Are Targeted: Do not call numbers in pop-ups; refuse to give remote access to unknown callers; contact your bank and the company involved through official channels; and report suspected scams to local police and the FTC.
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