Indian River Shores detectives snag  scammer in NY

Indian River Shores detectives snag  scammer in NY

Indian River Shores, Fl (treasurecoast.com) – Indian River Shores Public Safety Director Richard Rosell said his detectives are investigating about dozen scam call reports from residents of the barrier island community in recent weeks. 

As scammers reuse the same methods in their phone calls the last several years, they’re also utilizing new schemes, some involving ride-sharing services. 

But one scammer, collared by Indian River Shores detectives who flew to New York to take him into custody, will face his day in court. Law enforcement agencies often struggle to find the culprits in these cases because the perpetrators are overseas. 

Detectives learned in January about one Indian River Shores resident who fell prey to a scamming suspect later identified as Welinton Cedano. The Public Safety Department said Cedano used a common phone scheme where he pretended to be a utility representative who claimed the resident was in danger of losing service unless an immediate payment was made through the Venmo payment service. 

Be it Florida Power & Light or the municipal water or electric companies, utility officials commonly advise residents that payments to avoid cutoffs will not be sought by phone. That’s one way a customer can identify for themselves when they have been contacted by a scammer. 

Rosell said the Venmo account allowed detectives to identify Cedano, 29, of Glendale, New York, as their suspect. The investigation also showed Cedano was responsible for similar cases in New Jersey and Rhode Island.

The U.S Marshal’s Office took Cedano into custody and booked him into Riker’s Island Correctional Facility on Nov. 2 on charges of third-degree grand theft and communications fraud. Two Indian River Shores detectives flew to New York to take Cedano for extradition. 

Cedano posted $30,000 bail at the Indian River County Jail on Nov. 21.