Dartmouth Police, FBI, arrest New York man in connection with scheme that defrauded woman of $86,500

DARTMOUTH, MA — The Dartmouth Police Department, in collaboration with the FBI, has arrested a 21-year-old man from Queens, New York, in connection with a fraudulent scheme that defrauded a local woman of $86,500. The arrest followed a successful reverse-sting operation conducted 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 scammed out of $86,500 in cash through a sophisticated phone scam. Detective Kyle Berube learned that the victim received multiple calls from an unidentified male claiming to represent “Bank of America” and “Microsoft.” The caller falsely stated that her bank account and computer were compromised and instructed her to hand over cash to resolve the issue.

Over several weeks, the unidentified male contacted the victim repeatedly, sending different individuals to her Dartmouth residence on five occasions to collect substantial cash amounts. The victim was directed to photograph the cash and send the images to a provided email address before each pickup.

On June 4, 2025, the unidentified male requested an additional $30,000 from the victim. She promptly alerted the Dartmouth Police, who organized a reverse sting operation, leading to the suspect’s arrest. The individual, identified as Arman Verma, faces charges including:

• Attempt to commit a crime (larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses)
• Larceny under $1,200
• Conspiracy

Dartmouth Police Chief Brian P. Levesque commended the detectives’ efforts, stating, “This arrest reflects outstanding investigative work and our dedication to shielding our community from financial predators. Money scams and financial fraud threaten our residents’ safety and well-being and will not be tolerated. We are committed to investigating every report of financial deception, holding perpetrators accountable, and protecting our community from exploitation.”

The Dartmouth Police Department urges residents to exercise caution with unsolicited communications or money requests and to report suspicious activity immediately. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about fraudulent activity is encouraged to contact Detective Kyle Berube at 508-910-1760.