Four arrested for fraud scheme targeting elderly shoppers in Naples

NAPLES, Fla. — Four people have been arrested after police say a group worked together to steal credit cards from elderly customers and make thousands of dollars worth of purchases.

According to the Naples Police Department (NPD), Miguel Benito Plaza Farias, 47, Maria Lilian Riveros Lucero, 75, Jose Alberto Fernandez Correa, 42, and Rosa Patricia Vallejos Valdes, 66, were arrested on Monday, October 17, in connection with the scheme .

Police said the group distracted the elderly women while they were shopping and took their wallets out of their purses.

They then used the victims’ credit cards at stores across Collier to purchase gift cards and expensive items, according to the report. NPD and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) discovered that the four were connected to multiple theft and fraud cases throughout the city of Naples and Collier County.

Farias faces charges of scheme to defraud, credit card fraud and grand larceny. Lucero faces charges of scheme to defraud, credit card fraud and grand larceny. Correa faces a charge of scheme to defraud. Valdes faces a charge of retail theft.

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