On May 6th, 2020 at 1:00 p.m., a resident called the Lower Allen Township Police Department to report a scam.
The victim advised that on April 26th, she posted a coffee table for sale on Craigslist for $300.00. She was contacted by a male, who asked her to text him about the table. She messaged the male, who identified himself as "Larry Smith," and they agreed to a purchase on May 2nd. Smith stated he would send her a check in the mail and arrange for movers to pick the table up on that date, as he lived out of state.
The victim received a cashier's check in the mail on April 30th, in the amount of $1,550.00, and deposited it into her bank account. Smith then asked that she retain her $300.00 and provide the excess to the delivery drivers upon their arrival. On May 1st, Smith contacted her and now requested that she send $1,200.00 to him instead. The victim utilized a cash sending program called Zelle to forward the $1,200.00 to Smith.
On May 2nd, the day of the transaction, Smith messaged her and stated the movers were not able to make it and he was no longer interested in the table. Smith asked her to again utilize Zelle to send him an additional $250.00 and he would allow her to keep the remaining $100.00 as payment for her troubles. She did so.
Also on May 2nd, the check returned as counterfeit, causing the victim a total loss of $1,450.00. Multiple search warrants were conducted, which ultimately led to the identification of the suspect in this case as Oreoluwa Dada of Chicago, Illinois.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Dada.
