A Macomb County man has been charged in connection with scamming an elderly woman out of more than $42,000, officials said.
The Waterford Township woman allegedly became suspicious after being contacted by the scammer several times, which led to the arrest of Mohammad Gazi, 49, of Warren. He was arrested at about 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025, as part of a sting operation
Here’s everything we know about this case that led to his arrest and charges:
Scammer contacts woman
The victim allegedly contacted the Waterford Township Police Department 11 days after she had been scammed out of $38,000 in cash and $4,500 in gift cards, according to police.
The scammer, later identified as Gazi, allegedly called the woman and posed as a representative for McAfee Computer Security, a well-known anti-virus software company.
He told the woman that $20,000 had mistakenly been deposited into her bank account, according to police.
The scammer instructed her to withdraw $20,000 and told her someone would come to her house to get the money.
The woman complied and gave the money to a man who showed up at her house later that day.
Victim contacts police
Police say Gazi contacted the woman again the next day and requested $18,000 in cash. Similarly to the day before, someone came to her house to pick up the money.
After being contacted by the scammer multiple times, the woman became suspicious and called the police.
Man arrested in sting operation
On Thursday, May 8, the scammer called the woman again and asked for $43,000 in cash.
The scammer’s instructions were followed, but this time, detectives were involved. When Gazi arrived at a predetermined location to pick up the cash, he was arrested.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Gazi’s home in Warren and recovered cash, computers and cell phones.
Connection to other cases
Police believe that Gazi is connected to similar scams where elderly victims were targeted in other Michigan communities, Ohio and Indiana, totaling more than $200,000.
“Scammers attempt to exploit people’s trust and goodwill, especially seniors,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. “I encourage everyone to be cautious of unsolicited calls or texts that seem suspicious. Trust your gut and never give away personal information to unverified callers. If you’re unsure, call the police.”
Scammer charged
Gazi was arraigned on the following charges:
- False pretenses -$20,000 or more but less than $50,000 (If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison and/or three times the value of the money or property involved)
- Attempted false pretenses and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime (If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison)
- Two counts of using a computer to commit a crime (If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and/or $10,000 fine)
His bond was set at $500,000, and he is expected to appear in court again on May 19 for a probable cause conference, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Another man charged in separate scamming case
This comes after another man was charged in connection with a separate case where an elderly Shelby Township couple was scammed out of $50,000.
Read more -- Macomb County couple scammed out of $50,000
