Warren man posed as McAfee worker to scam $40K from senior citizen, prosecutor says

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Mohammad Gazi, 49, is charged with scamming a woman out of $40,000 while posing as a McAfee worker.

PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Oakland County Prosecutor announced a 49-year-old Warren man has been arrested for scamming a Waterford senior citizen out of over $40,000.

Mohammad Gazi, 49, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

According to the Oakland County Prosecutor, Gazi called the victim and posed as an employee of McAfee Computer Security. During the call, Prosecutor Karen McDonald said he claimed funds had been mistakenly deposited into her account.

Three different times, the woman was told to withdraw the money and turn it over to him. In total, $40,000 was sent to Gazi, McDonald said. 

On the fourth contact, the victim was suspicious and called the police. Gazi was ultimately arrested during a sting operation, McDonald said.

"Scammers attempt to exploit people’s trust and goodwill, especially seniors," McDonald said. "I encourage everyone to be cautious of unsolicited calls or texts that seem suspicious. Trust your gut and never give away personal information to unverified callers. If you’re unsure, call the police."

Gazi is charged with one count of false pretenses, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, and one count of attempted false pretense. He faces up to 15 years in prison, plus fines, if convicted.