VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A growing number of victims are coming forward about a scam that starts with handing over their phones to strangers, leading to thousands of dollars in losses.
According to one Virginia Beach man, who did not want to be identified, he was approached by three people outside a gym in October 2024. He said they were friendly and asked to use his phone.
The suspects then took out a personal loan in his name and transferred the money out of his account.
He said he contacted them and they said it was a mistake, so he agreed to meet up with them again a few days later.
"At first, I thought I was going to get my money back, try to minimize the situation,” said the man. "But then, things escalated way too quickly."
Previous coverage: 3 arrested, accused of stealing thousands from victim in Virginia Beach parking lot
A search warrant outlines how the suspects, identified as Kymon Tyson, Mercedes Walker, and Darren Roberts, allegedly drove the victim around and forced him to buy gift cards, money orders, withdraw cash from ATMs, and take out another loan.
They have a court hearing scheduled for July 18.
The victim said one of the men was yelling at him, gripping his phone and demanding that he told the representative what he wanted him to say. He said he didn’t know if the man was going to slap him.
The suspects have been charged with identity theft, forgery, abduction, and grand larceny.
While in their car, the victim says he was afraid to fight back.
“I was too scared. I was too fearful for my safety and other people's safety around me,” he said.
He said a representative from Navy Federal told him there is a chance he could get some money back if they are convicted, but he says he was told he had to pay back the personal loans.
He said they denied it because initially he allowed them to use his phone.
Previous coverage: Another Navy Federal customer forced to pay back loan she didn't take out after scam
Matt Tignor and Preston Smith have said they have also been victimized by this kind of scam. They have come forward with similar stories of being approached by strangers and being asked to borrow their phones.
Tignor, a nursing student, says scammers approached him at Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach back in January 2024, asking to use his phone to make a money transfer. He said he initially said no, but then felt bad when they accused him of being racist for not wanting to help them.
He said the scammer said he lost his debit card, showed him he had money in his account and asked Tignor to make a transfer to him, promising $200 for the help.
But a few days later, Tignor said he realized they took out a $7,000 personal loan in his name that he was required to pay back.
He filed a fraud report, but he says it was denied. He then filed an appeal, and he's currently waiting for the credit union to make a decision. In the meantime, he says he's paying $178 a month for five years at 18% interest. He said the credit union told him if they approve his appeal, they will return the payments he has already made.
Smith says he was targeted at a gas station on Newtown Road in Virginia Beach back in April of 2023. He says he is now being told he owes the credit union $12,500.
All the victims agree they should not have let a stranger touch their phone, but now they want to warn others.
They also believe more protections are needed to prevent these types of scams from happening so quickly.
Navy Federal Credit Union issued the following statement:
"Navy Federal recommends that all members and non-members with financial apps on their phone – such as CashApp and Venmo – should treat their device as if it were cash. Do not let people you don't know or trust borrow the phone for any reason. People should utilize password protections for any of their financial apps, to serve as an extra layer of protection.
We encourage any member who requires immediate assistance to please contact us directly at 1-888-842-6328 or send us a message online at navyfederal.org via our Online Banking services. Our team is dedicated to providing the best service possible and is ready to assist with any inquires or concerns."
In a previous statement issued to WTKR News 3 in November regarding similar scams they said:
"We can only disclose account specific questions and procedures to the member on the impacted account.
Navy Federal does work closely with local law enforcement when our members report fraudulent or criminal activity on their account.
Navy Federal continues to provide ongoing education around fraud prevention and tips to avoid scams. All of us must remain vigilant in the fight against fraud and scams.
We are aware of these kinds of events and are committed to continuously enhancing our technology to protect our members."
