‘COVID conmen’ caught

…after trying to fleece Victoria family of $350,000 with bogus coronavirus diagnosis of US relative

TWO men, who are allegedly involved in a COVID-19 medical scam, were arrested by ranks of the Cove and John Police Station on Thursday, even as they were attempting to solicit money from an East Coast Demerara (ECD) woman to save her “ailing” relative in the U.S.

It is alleged that the men, who have been using different models of vehicles, have been soliciting monies from people on the East Coast of Demerara and other parts of the country for COVID-19 treatment. To date, more than four persons have reportedly stepped forward, indicating to the police that they have either given or were in the process of giving the alleged scammers monies for ‘COVID-19’ treatment to be given to their relatives.

One of the targeted families was the DeSouza’s in Victoria, ECD. Tishana DeSouza, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said it was at approximately 14:15hrs, on Thursday, when the home phone rang. Her grandmother answered, and in less than a minute, began to cry. “She was just there on the phone crying; saying yes doctor, no doctor,” DeSouza recalled.

Too heartbroken to respond to her granddaughter, who was enquiring what had happened, the elderly woman just sat in disbelief. “I collected the phone,” DeSouza further detailed.
On the other side of the phone was a man with a deep American accent, who introduced himself to DeSouza as a Dr. Raj – a medical doctor in the United States of America.
“He asked, ‘who am I speaking with?’ I said, ‘I am Tishana’. He then asked, ‘who are you to Kwesi? I said I am his niece. He said, ‘okay your uncle is very sick with the coronavirus and presently the virus is at his throat, and he has 36 hours to live before it can get to his lungs. He said but, however, there is a treatment available to stop it from going to the lungs,” DeSouza chronicled.

According to her, ‘Dr. Raj’ then told her that the treatment costs GUY$360,000, and it was important for her to send the money to him through his brother, who lives in Industry, ECD.

“He said, he will pay for the treatment over there, and his brother will collect the money,” the young woman further detailed. Upon indicating that the family did not have all the money, ‘Dr. Raj’ agreed to accept the money in parts.
“My mother said, ask him if GUY$150,000 would work, and he said no problem, we can give his brother the $150,000, and he will go ahead and pay for the treatment at his end,” DeSouza further recalled.

When asked if she could speak to her uncle, who indeed lives in the U.S, the ‘doctor’ alleged that her uncle was in theatre and was unable to speak. Arrangements were put in place for the money to be handed over to the brother of the “doctor” at a gas station in the village but DeSouza became suspicious after ‘Dr. Raj’ started to call her repeatedly for an update on the money.

DeSouza decided to call her uncle on Whatsapp, and when he did not respond to her calls, she opted to message him. Within seconds, her Uncle Kwesi DeSouza, responded. He was shocked to have learnt that someone had alleged that he was dying from the virus.
“He was like what treatment? GYD350,000 for what?” DeSouza said. Her uncle was alive and well, in fact, he was at work at the time.

Upon confirming that it was a scam, DeSouza opted to play along, but before proceeding to the gas station, she contacted her brother, and asked that he reach her at the fuel station.
The alleged scammers were seated in a Toyota Fielder PWW 1446 parked a short distance away from the gas station. As she approached the vehicle, DeSouza recognised that a man – the alleged brother of the fake doctor – was sitting in the driver seat of the vehicle while another man sat at the back with the windows wind-up.

“I told him I just want to see some form of identification, and then I will hand the money over. He said ‘no, I left my ID at home.’ So I said no problem, just show me your driver’s licence. He said ‘no, I ran out and leave everything at home’,” DeSouza recalled.
She insisted that the man produce his ID, and when he couldn’t, she indicated that she was willing to follow him in a taxi to his home, so that he can produce his ID. He objected, but by this time, DeSouza had signalled to her brother to contact the police at the Cove and John Police Station.
“He called ‘Dr. Raj’, and ‘Dr. Raj’ was like, are you giving the guy the money because time is going,” she said. DeSouza assured the fake doctor that the money would be handed over but insisted that his brother must produce an ID and receipt.

Upset that the young lady was not handing over the money, the man decided to drive away but before he could go, DeSouza showed him the money, and assured him that she wants to pay for the treatment but needed proof of identification.
It was not long after, that DeSouza’s brother turned up with police. The men in the Toyota Fielder attempted to escape upon seeing the police patrol vehicle but were blocked by another vehicle.

They were immediately taken into custody. It is unclear, whether the fake doctor resides in Guyana or overseas, and how they identify their targets. According to DeSouza, the men appeared to be well researched. At the Cove and John Police Station, other victims of the scam came forward. The investigation is ongoing.