25-03-2025
Boston man charged with defrauding Guilford woman out of $36,000
GUILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A Boston man charged with larceny and telephone fraud after allegedly scamming a Guilford resident out of $36,000 last year.
Darshan C. Shaha, 25, was arrested by the Boston Police Fugitive Task Force Boston on March 21. He waived extradition and was transported to the Guilford Police Department on March 24 to face charges of first degree larceny in the first degree and first degree telephone fraud.
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Shaha remained in custody and was transported to the New Haven Court on a $500,000 court set bond on March 25.
On Nov. 7, 2024, the victim reported receiving a text message claiming to be from 'LifeLock by Norton,' warning of a new alert regarding her property and included a link.
The victim contacted a fraudulent representative of 'LifeLock by Norton,' who reported an alleged $36,000 overseas wire transfer. The rep claimed the victim's phone was compromised, and instructed the victim to reconnect over an encrypted phone line.
The alleged scammer gained the victim's trust by accurately confirming the victim's recent payment details. The victim was told to withdraw $36,000 from her account and was assured that would prevent the theft of the fraudulent wire transfer from being completed.
The rep then instructed the victim to remain on the phone during the transaction and not to discuss the incident, and falsely inform bank tellers that the withdrawal was for a vehicle purchase, suggesting the bank might be complicit in the fraud.
The victim was told an FBI agent would arrive at the Guilford residence to collect the money in order to shield the victim from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) consequences due to the large withdrawal. A passcode was established to confirm the agent's identity.
Later on that evening, Sasha allegedly arrived at the victim's Guilford residence to collect the money, using the passcode provided.
The victim photographed Sasha's vehicle and license plate, proving instrumental in identifying him later on. Believing the incident to be a scam, the victim notified police.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, fraud losses in 2024 exceeded $12.5 billion, a 25% increase from 2023.
The Guilford PD recommended the following ways to protect against fraud:
Do not respond directly to suspicious texts or emails. Verify contact information through a trusted source before reaching out.
Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers. If you do answer and the caller demands urgency, instructs the victim to be deceitful with loved ones or businesses, or requests payment via gift cards, it is unequivocally a scam—hang up and contact police immediately.
Depending on the theft's nature and timing, reporting immediately may enable partial or full recovery of lost funds.
Victims of any scams, regardless of monetary loss, should report incidents to their local police, and where a recovery guide is available to assist in safeguarding personal information.
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