An email purportedly from a security consultant for a 58-year-old Darien man caused the local man to wire $8,000 — to what turned out to be a fraudster who hasn’t been found, Darien police were told.
Police gave this account of the matter, which the victim reported to them on Friday, Aug. 19:
The Darien man had hired a Brooklyn, N.Y. security company when he received an email asking him to transfer the $8,000 to a bank. The victim did so, but when he later discussed the matter with the owner of the company, he was told no transfer had taken place.
In reviewing the emails later, it was discovered that they were sent from an email address that was close to that of a company official but not the same. The money was transferred to a “John R. Kuhns” at the address of a small mobile home in Wrightsville, Pa., but no further information could be found for a person with that name and address.