The Dartmouth Police Department, in collaboration with the FBI, has detained a 21-year-old man from Queens, New York, in connection with a fraudulent scheme that scammed a local woman of $86,500. The arrest followed a successful reverse-sting operation carried out by detectives from the Dartmouth Police Department’s Special Operations Division and an FBI special agent.
The investigation began in May 2025, when the victim reported being duped out of $86,500 in cash using a sophisticated phone hoax. Detective Kyle Berube discovered that the victim had received several calls from an anonymous male claiming to represent “Bank of America” and “Microsoft.” The caller falsely claimed that her bank account and computer had been compromised and urged her to pay over cash to address the situation.
Over several weeks, the unnamed male continuously contacted the woman, sending different people to her Dartmouth home five times to collect large sums of money. The unnamed male instructed the victim to photograph the cash before each pickup and send the photographs to a specified email address.
On June 4, 2025, the unnamed male asked for an additional $30,000 from the victim. She instantly notified the Dartmouth Police, who prepared a reverse sting operation, resulting in the suspect’s arrest. The person, identified as Arman Verma, faces allegations including:
- Attempt to commit a crime (larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses)
- Larceny under $1,200
- Conspiracy
Dartmouth Police Chief Brian P. Levesque praised the officers’ efforts, saying, “This arrest demonstrates outstanding investigative work and our commitment to protecting our community from financial predators.” Money scams and financial fraud pose a threat to our people’s safety and well-being and will not be permitted. We are committed to looking into every accusation of financial dishonesty, bringing abusers to account, and protecting our community from exploitation.”
The Dartmouth Police Department advises residents to be cautious when receiving unsolicited communications or money solicitations and to report any suspicious behavior immediately. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about fraudulent behavior may call Detective Kyle Berube at 508-910-1760.
