- May 4, 2024
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4:40 p.m. — 100 block of East Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach
Fraud. A 56-year-old North Carolina man fell victim to a scam when he tried to contribute $1,500 to a fraudulent business startup.
The man had responded to a Craigslist ad about opening a laundromat business, according to a police report.
He connected with a man who claimed to be a Californian businessman in the film industry.
The victim then agreed to travel to Ormond to meet with an 83-year-old Ormond Beach man at a local restaurant, where the victim signed contracts for the laundromat stating that he would be responsible for a lease for a few years. He also handed the 83-year-old two money orders totaling $1,500.
When the victim began asking questions about the legitimacy of the business, according to the report, the suspect told him "he should have thought about all of that before sending the money and committing to a contract."
The victim then realized he had been scammed. He wants to pursue charges.
8:33 a.m. — 100 block of Seton Trail, Ormond Beach
Non-reportable offense. Police responded to a local cemetery for a possible vandalism case after someone reported damage to a mausoleum.
When the reporting officer arrived, he saw no damages that appeared intentional — no graffiti or strikes from a tool, according to a police report.
Instead, the officer noted, it appeared the mausoleum had collapsed under its own weight.
3:48 p.m. — First block of Misty Falls Drive, Ormond Beach
Grand theft. A 79-year-old woman was contacted on social media and informed that she had won $350,000.
The woman told police that she had been told to contact a "rewards agent" on the platform by a friend, who also fell for the scam, according to a police report.
The "agent" told the woman that while she had won the $350,000, she was responsible for shipping and processing fees. The agent told her to send $500 in online retail gift cards to pay. The woman did so.
The next day, the agent told her she needed to send another $400, this time for a different online retailer, for a shipping certificate. The woman again complied.
She was then contacted a third time and told to send $1,500 in gift cards, but the woman called police instead.
Police believe the "agent" is from outside of the U.S. They warned the woman that the chances of identifying the suspect are slim. Officers advised her on ways to try to recover her money.
