Gwinnett Police: Scammers Use Craigslist, Best Buy To Fool Victims

Gwinnett Police say scammers used Craigslist and Best Buy to steal thousands of dollars from their victims.

Police said the criminals posing as Best Buy employees posted fake ads on Craigslist for employee-discounted prices on products, then stole money from the prospected buyers then they arrived to close the deal. The scammers insisted the victims meet them in the parking lot at the same Best Buy store on Pleasant Hill Road near Duluth.

Police said in a press release, the first incident happened on Nov. 29, 2013, when a man had $8,500 stolen when he went to the store to pick up 30 iPhone 5 cell phones.

“Upon arrival in the parking lot, the victim met the suspect, who was wearing a Best Buy shirt, and identified himself as a co-worker of the seller from Craigslist,” police said in a news release. “The ‘co-worker’ suspect presented the victim with a computer generated invoice for the cell phones which displayed the Best Buy logo.”

The “co-worker” snatched the cash when the man pulled it out.

Police said eight more similar crimes have been reported at the same Best Buy since. The latest was Nov. 12, 2014. The method of operation was similar in each case, with small variations. A total of more than $25,000 was stolen in the incidents.

Detectives said similar Craigslist ads have been posted in Nashville and Greenville, S.C.

Police said three possible suspects have been identified: Cameron Thompson, 24; Princeton Clayton, 31; and Carey Carter, 21.

According to the police news release:

Detectives learned that other jurisdictions were receiving reports of similar activity, to include the Atlanta Police Department and the Dunwoody Police Department. As a result of the investigation, Carey Carter has been arrested and charged in two of the cases occurring in Gwinnett. Princeton Clayton was arrested in October 2014 for similar criminal activity in Atlanta, and Cameron Thompson was arrested in September 2014 for similar criminal activity in Dunwoody. Carter is currently charged with two counts of theft by deception and is in custody at the Gwinnett County Detention Center without bond. Clayton and Thompson have been released on bond.

The GCPD Robbery Unit is still actively investigating these crimes, including the possibility of involvement by these suspects in the remaining cases. Anyone with information on these suspects or cases is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-557-TIPS, or visit www.crimestoppersatlanta.org. Crime Stoppers tipsters remain anonymous and may receive up to $2000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment. To contact a GCPD Robbery Unit detective, tipsters should call 770-513-5300.