Cell phone scam leads to robbery charge | #phishing | #scams | #hacking | #aihp

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Two individuals are in jail after allegedly starting a cell phone scam, according to Panama City Police.

On July 31st, officers were called to a business on West 15th Street where they say they found the victim with minor injuries.

Through investigation, police say the victim found an iPhone 13 for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $500. He planned to meet the seller, Avonlea Ledutuwa Ansel, 19, in the parking lot of the business to get the phone.

The victim said he went to the location and gave the money to Avonlea, who gave the phone to her sister, Autumn Ansel, 20, to unlock it, and passed the phone to the victim to look at.

When the victim was sure the phone worked, he said he handed it back to Avonlea to place in the box, but the sisters started to leave the parking lot with the phone and the money.

The victim states he tried to reach into the sisters’ moving car to take his money back, but the car began moving at a fast speed, and the sisters pepper sprayed him.

Avonlea and Autumn Ansel were charged with principal to robbery and booked into Bay County Jail.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Panama City Police Department at 850-872-3100, or report tips anonymously via smartphone by downloading Tip 411 app.

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