iPad scam targeting Target store in Yakima

YAKIMA – On September 19, 2024, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Washington indicted Jumbo Liang, 24, and Linda Yu, 20, on charges of fraud and trafficking and transportation of stolen and counterfeit goods. An indictment charging 10 criminal charges was returned. . Ms. Liang made her first appearance in federal court in the Western District of Washington on September 30, 2024. You made your first appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Washington on October 24, 2024.

According to the indictment, by no later than January 2024, Mr. Liang and Mr. Yu purchased genuine iPads from Target stores in Eastern Washington and elsewhere, removed them from the boxes, placed counterfeit iPads inside the boxes, and Then reseal the box. Liang and You will then return the counterfeit iPad and receive a refund in the form of a Target gift card. Liang and Yu allegedly used the gift cards to purchase additional items from Target and then purchased more iPads that they exchanged for counterfeit items for subsequent returns.

According to the indictment, between January 2024 and June 2024, Liang and You returned at least 140 iPads to Target stores and fraudulently obtained a net refund of at least $163,000. It is said that

“Fraud schemes involving stolen or counterfeit goods harm businesses and lead to higher prices for everyone. Our fraud prosecutors work closely with our law enforcement partners to exploit businesses and businesses to line their own pockets. We will continue to aggressively target scammers who seek to defraud individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref.

This case was referred for federal investigation by the Washington Attorney General’s Office Organized Retail Crime Task Force and the Skagit County Prosecutor’s Office, highlighting the important and successful partnership between federal and state law enforcement to combat organized retail crime. It became.