Elderly Chatham County Resident Defrauded of Over $500K in Sophisticated Scam
The Chatham County Police Department has arrested a man in connection with a complex fraud scheme that cost an elderly victim more than half a million dollars. Detectives believe there may be additional victims and are urging the public to come forward.
On Friday, August 14, 2025, detectives arrested 20-year-old Pranavkumar Baria, charging him with theft by deception (criminal attempt), elder abuse (criminal attempt), and trafficking an elder person (criminal attempt). He was denied bond and remains in custody at the Chatham County Detention Center.
Police say Baria’s arrest followed an intensive investigation by the department’s Criminal Investigations Division. Detectives report that the victim was first contacted by phone by an individual claiming to represent their financial institution. The caller convinced the victim their bank account had been hacked and arranged for both money transfers and the transfer of precious metals.
The victim eventually contacted police, prompting an investigation. On August 14, detectives and officers intercepted Baria at the victim’s home, where he allegedly attempted to retrieve additional precious metals as part of the ongoing scam.
Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said investigators suspect there may be more victims of the same scheme.
“Many times, victims of scams will feel embarrassed and ashamed when they realize that they’ve been conned out of substantial amounts of money,” Hadley said. “They also may be fearful. In this case, at least one of the suspects – a complete stranger – knew the victim’s address and was bold enough to show up to their house. The sophistication of this scam is one reason that we believe there may be other victims. Please, do not hesitate to come forward.”
The Chatham County Police Department is urging residents to stay alert to financial fraud and scams. Officials advise never providing sensitive information over the phone and to contact local bank branches directly if suspicious calls are received.
Anyone with information related to this scam or who may be a victim is asked to contact police. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the Chatham County Police Department app, the department’s online tip form at https://police.chathamcountyga.gov/Tips, or by calling Crime Stoppers at 912-234-2020, where callers may qualify for a cash reward.
