Georgia man stole $22K in phone scam, Monroe Sheriff’s Office says

A man was arrested on Friday for stealing more than $22,000 from a Marathon man in a common phone scam where people pretend to be law enforcement officers, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

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Thomas Kelly Pullen, 20, of Savannah, Georgia, was charged with grand theft, organized scheme to defraud and impersonation of a law enforcement officer, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a Sunday statement.

The victim, who was not identified, reported in May that he received phone calls from people claiming to be with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The callers allegedly falsely told him he missed jury duty and needed to pay money to avoid arrest.

“This is a common scam used by criminals,” the statement said.

He agreed to pay $22,450 to a man posing as an undercover officer at a Marathon grocery store parking lot, the statement said. That same day, he received another phone call requesting another $31,500, “at which point the victim suspected he was being scammed and notified the real Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.”

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Detectives began investigating, and the victim identified Pullen as the caller, the statement said.

The investigation is ongoing. Pullen may face additional charges, and additional arrests may also be pending, the statement said.

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