A 23-year-old man from India is charged in Michigan with larceny by false pretenses over $20,000 and using a computer to commit a crime, in what Portage Public Safety calls an "elaborate fraud scheme," WKZO reported.

An 84-year-old Portage resident became the victim after receiving an unsolicited pop-up message on their computer falsely saying the computer had a virus or malware and instructing them to call a phone number for help, according to WKZO's report of the police account. The victim was allegedly led to believe their computer contained inappropriate material, including pornography, and that they could face legal consequences.

The victim stayed in touch with the fraudster over several weeks and was allegedly convinced to send $28,000 in cash to an unknown courier to resolve the fake legal issues, WKZO reported. Police said the suspect allegedly kept contacting the victim demanding more money, and the victim became suspicious and called Portage Public Safety in mid-October.

Police then worked undercover to schedule another transaction of $28,000 and arrested Jay Chavda of India, WKZO reported. Chavda was arraigned on Tuesday, October 20, and given a $50,000 bond, according to the report.

The charges are allegations only: Chavda has not been convicted, and Awaaz Punjab is naming him as an arrested adult named in police-facing reporting, with the case still before the courts. For diaspora families, police say the warning is the pop-up itself — a real virus warning never asks you to call a number and send cash to a courier.