A 78-year-old resident in central Georgia was defrauded of $45,100 in May 2026 by individuals who posed as representatives from a bank and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The scammers convinced the resident that their financial accounts were involved in a federal money-laundering inquiry and instructed them to convert bank funds into cash and hand them over.
The fraud unfolded over four days, between May 5 and May 8, when the victim cashed six checks totaling $45,100. These funds were then surrendered to individuals at various collection points across central Georgia, including locations in Monticello, Jackson, Locust Grove, and McDonough. Investigators with the Jasper County Sheriff's Office later determined that some of these cash handoffs were arranged using Uber for pickups. Uber's U.S. courier terms explicitly prohibit sending money through its delivery marketplace.
The Jasper County Sheriff's Office initiated an investigation, examining banking, Uber, and Cash App records to trace the operation. Their inquiry led to the identification of two suspects: Stephen Rupert Hunter and Naylen J'Shon Bates. Hunter was taken into custody on October 15, on reported charges including theft by deception and exploitation of an elder person. He was booked into the Jasper County Jail. Naylen J'Shon Bates remained wanted under active warrants when the sheriff's office made the investigation public on October 19.
Under Georgia law, theft by deception, outlined in Georgia Code 16-8-3, involves obtaining another person's property by intentionally creating a false impression of fact with the intent to deprive the owner of that property. The alleged impersonation of bank and federal agents by the scammers is relevant to this legal distinction. Furthermore, Georgia defines an elder person as someone aged at least 65. Section 16-5-102 of the Georgia Code addresses the improper use of an older person's resources through deception, stating that qualifying knowing and willful exploitation is a felony. This felony carries a statutory punishment of one to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $50,000, or both. Both Hunter and Bates are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
In response to such incidents, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office issued a warning on October 19, advising residents that legitimate banks and law enforcement agencies do not instruct individuals to withdraw cash and deliver it to a courier as part of an investigation. This caution aligns with a broader warning issued by the FBI in September 2026, which described a pattern where scammers impersonate government officials, claim victims are connected to a crime, and demand payment through cash couriers, wire transfers, or other methods.
The FBI reported that from January 2025 through July 2026, there were nearly 61,000 complaints related to government and law enforcement impersonation, resulting in more than $1.6 billion in losses. Officials emphasize that if someone claiming to represent a bank or a federal agency insists that funds must be withdrawn for an investigation, the transaction should be stopped immediately. Individuals should contact their bank using the number provided on their card or statement, rather than a number supplied by the caller. Any claimed federal contact should be verified using a publicly listed agency number. It is crucial never to hand money to a courier or arrange a package pickup based on such instructions.
For those who have already surrendered cash due to such a scam, authorities advise immediately notifying their bank and local police, and filing a complaint through IC3.gov. Preserving copies of cashed checks, withdrawal receipts, caller numbers, messages, pickup addresses, delivery confirmations, and relevant app activity is vital to help investigators reconstruct the sequence of events. The investigation into the incident in central Georgia continues as authorities seek to locate Naylen J'Shon Bates.