BUNNELL, Fla. – A “fugitive scammer” was arrested last week after he conned an elderly Palm Coast woman out of $120,000, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
In a release, deputies said that the victim first received a pop-up on her computer back in December that told her to contact a fake support number.
“She called the number, which connected her to a scammer who claimed that her computer and her bank account had been hacked,” the release reads. “The scammers instructed her to withdraw approximately $60,000 in cash from her Chase account and deliver it to a courier in the parking lot of a Publix.”
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The courier — later identified as Steven Mercado, 20, of Orlando — walked across the parking lot, called the victim by name, and provided a safe word, causing the victim to hand over $60,000, deputies added.
The next day, the victim was called yet again by the scammer, who claimed there was another breach of her bank account, investigators explained. This time, she met Mercado at a Palm Coast Walmart and gave him another $60,000.
But when the suspects tried to solicit even more money from the victim just one day later, she became suspicious and contacted the sheriff’s office, deputies said.
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This kicked off a major investigation in which surveillance footage showed Mercado at the two locations, as well as revealed myriad “suspicious transactions” in his bank records, the release says.
As a result, Mercado was arrested during a traffic stop on March 6 in Orange County.
He now faces charges of organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, possession of a firearm during a felony, and possession of marijuana. Mercado was later released on $23,500 bond.
“This scammer has no shame swindling over $100,000 from a senior, but his luck ran out when he did it in Flagler County. In Flagler County, we have the best-of-the-best detectives to hunt down scammers who prey on our seniors.
I’m disappointed that he was given such a low bond on our charges and that he wasn’t held in jail by Orange County, especially after being found with a gun.
Unfortunately, because he is out of jail, he is likely scamming more seniors. Dirtbags like this never learn until they are locked up for a long time.”
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly
Deputies said they also identified more suspicious transactions, including wire transfers linked to other potential victims, including one in Durham, North Carolina, who was scammed out of over $37,000 by Mercado.