Suspect in Online Loan Scam Taunts West Des Moines Police

A man affiliated with an online loan company that allegedly scammed at West Des Moines woman reportedly told police they “could not do anything to him” and police officers were “helpless” in trying to pursue charges against him.

were following up on a complaint filed by a 25-year-old woman who said she had received harassing phone calls from several men claiming to represent a collection agency. Two different men had called her cell phone and stated that she had taken out a loan, but had made no payments, and they needed for her to transfer money from her bank account to cover the alleged debt.

When she said she hadn’t taken out any loans, the man allegedly became upset and told her West Des Moines authorities would be coming to arrest her, then hung up. He gave her a phone number, which she turned over to police.

In her report to police, she said that two attempts had been made earlier in the day to withdraw funds from her Wells Fargo account, one for $90 and the other for $30. Both were denied by the bank, but Wells Fargo charges a $70 withdrawal denial fee that was charged to her account, she said.

She told police that she had applied three different times to an online loan center, but was denied each time.

When Officer Nathan Ladwig called the man at the number provided by police, he allegedly said to Ladwig, to never call him again, made vulgar comments and then hung up.

So Ladwig called again and advised that a West Des Moines police detective would be in contact. The man then reportedly made vulgar remarks about what the detective could do.