LUDLOW, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - A Ludlow woman didn’t just report a scammer — she helped police catch on, here’s how she turned the tables on a man who stole thousands from her. Police said these types of arrests are incredibly rare.

Police call it a “rare win.” Usually, once the money is gone, it’s gone forever — if you have an elderly parent, grandparent, or neighbor, this is the scam police say is hitting communities like ours right now. But in this case, the victim realized something was wrong just in time.

She worked hand-in-hand with detectives to lure the scammer back to town for a second “payment” but instead of more cash, he found police waiting for him. Ludlow Police arrested 43-year-old Suqi Chen of Flushing, N.Y. after he allegedly posed as a federal agent.

Police said the scam started with a text message and an email claiming the victim had fraudulent charges on her account. The scammers, pretending to be from the Federal Trade Commission, convinced her to withdraw a large sum of cash and hand it over to a “courier” to “protect” her finances. They even sent her photos of fake government checks to make it look legitimate. When they asked for even more money, the victim called police.

Detective Lieutenant Sean Knox said the biggest weapon these criminals use is fear, “the biggest warning sign is urgency, they sort of scare their victims. Whether they’re actually at the house or just saying they’re at the house... it’s common for them to say, I’m here, or I’m outside, or I’m in the neighborhood, or I’m watching your family, just to scare and give that sense of urgency that they need to get the money right away.”

Chen is now facing 11 charges, including larceny from a person over 65 and impersonating a police officer. He is being held on $50,000 bail.

Police said if you ever get a call or text asking for cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, it is a scam. They urge anyone who thinks they’ve been targeted to call them immediately, even if you’re embarrassed — because your information could help them catch the next courier. This woman’s courage led to an arrest, yours could too.

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