A 33-year-old resident of Albany named Ming Shan Zhu was taken into custody on Tuesday, May 14, for allegedly committing grand larceny. This arrest came after a thorough investigation conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies.
Bethlehem Police were alerted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida when a woman received a call from someone claiming to be a Microsoft employee.
The victim was informed by the scammer that her computer needed repair and she would have to purchase $8,500 worth of Lowe’s gift cards. Trusting the scammer, the woman went to the retailer and bought 17 gift cards, each valued at $500. She then provided the card information to the individual posing as an employee.
The authorities in Florida were able to track down the gift card transactions to a Lowe’s store located on Route 9W in Glenmont. Following this lead, the Bethlehem detectives successfully identified Zhu as the individual responsible for the fraudulent activities.
He faces a felony charge of third-degree grand larceny.
