Scammers use fake PayPal email to get $250,000 worth of gold coins from Massapequa woman, police say

A Staten Island man faces grand larceny charges after Nassau police said he scammed a Massapequa woman out of $250,000 worth of gold coins by impersonating a PayPal customer service representative.

On May 1, a 79-year-old woman received an email from what she believed was PayPal indicating that she had been charged $364, according to a news release from Nassau County police.

When the woman called the customer service phone number listed in the email for an explanation, a man informed her that to receive the refund she would need to download an app called RNVC Connect, a remote access software that allows users to connect to and control computers and devices from any location.

While on the app, the woman was told that they had accidentally sent her $50,000 and that she would need to return those funds to them in the form of gold coins, police said.

The woman went to the bank, wired $50,000 to a coin store, picked up the gold coins and returned to her residence, according to police.

On May 9, an unknown man responded to her residence and picked up the coins, police said. On May 14, the woman was again contacted and informed that she needed to send $171,600 worth of additional coins, which she later withdrew and purchased.

The gold coins were then picked up at her residence on May 19 by a different unknown man, according to police.

On May 30, the woman was again contacted and instructed to purchase an additional $41,000 in gold coins, which she did, police said. These were picked up from her home by a third unknown man.

The woman said she then realized she was being scammed and contacted police.

After an extensive investigation, police arrested Siarhei Radyna, 49, without incident.

He is charged with second-degree grand larceny. He was released with nonmonetary conditions at his arraignment in First District Court in Hempstead Friday and an order of protection was issued for the woman.

The Nassau County Police Department urges the community to be on alert and to remind vulnerable family members, friends and neighbors about potential scams or fraud.

If you believe you may have been a victim of this scam, you can contact the Nassau County Fraud and Forgery Squad at 516-573-2815.