Fraud Investigation & Arrest—Classic HIts 100.7 KLOG News

An arrest has been made following a scam investigation involving a local victim.

Sergeant Riley McNeal with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said he was contacted by an elderly man on October 3rd who reported receiving pop-up ads on his computer that appeared to be from Norton AntiVirus. Believing them to be legitimate, he called what he thought was a company representative.

After allowing the suspect remote access to his computer, the victim was told he would receive a $350 refund. However, the suspect manipulated banking information to make it appear that $35,000 had accidentally been deposited into his account.

The scammer then instructed the man to withdraw $34,000 in cash and meet an alleged “Norton employee” to return the funds. The victim met an Asian male at the Sparks Chevron in Lexington and handed over the money. The suspect then drove away at a high rate of speed. Realizing he had been scammed, the victim managed to record the California license plate of the vehicle.

Sergeant McNeal later discovered the same vehicle was linked to similar cases under investigation in Nevada and Everett. The investigation ultimately led deputies to a hotel in Kent, Washington.

On Monday, Cowlitz County deputies served a search warrant on the suspect’s vehicle and hotel room, where they found 35-year-old Wushai Weng of Monterey Park, California, along with others and tools used to alter credit cards. Deputies also recovered about 200 gift cards, numerous cell phones, and other electronic devices.

Investigators say Weng has been traveling across the country for the past ten months carrying out similar scams. He has been booked into the Cowlitz County Jail on multiple charges, including first-degree theft, money laundering, and financial fraud.