The Brief
- Paulding County senior lost more than $50,000 over three months in an alleged FDIC federal impersonation scheme.
- Authorities arrested Zishan Zeng during a law enforcement sting as she allegedly attempted to collect an additional $35,000 payout.
- Paulding County sheriff’s investigators are actively searching for a second suspect linked to the scam.
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. – A Paulding County senior lost tens of thousands of dollars in a months-long phone scam before deputies stepped in to set up a sting operation and catch a suspect.
Paulding County fraud arrest
What we know:
Joanne Tarczewski claims she lost more than $50,000 over three months after falling victim to an alleged FDIC phone scam. Investigators said a caller posing as an agent from the U.S. Treasury convinced Tarczewski her bank account was compromised and promised to protect her money if she handed over cash.
After wiring money and buying gift cards worth close to $10,000 at the request of scammers, the senior citizen made a withdrawal of $40,000, before the scammer requested an additional $35,000. Bank officials noticed the unusually large transactions and alerted Tarczewski’s daughter, who immediately contacted law enforcement.…