Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
WREG
Suspect accused of catfishing man, forcing him to send $500 per day
By Megan Fayard,
2024-07-16
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Covington man was arrested after police say he conducted a catfishing scheme where he threatened a man into giving him daily payments of $500.
On July 4, around 11 p.m., officers with the Covington Police Department were flagged down by a man who told them he was involved in a relationship with a woman he met on Facebook.
He said he was in Covington for a date with the woman, who according to her Facebook profile, goes by the name “Ariel.”
The man advised police that he went to the Sunrise Apartments at 1150 Simonton Street to pick her up to celebrate the 4th of July together. But, when he got to the apartment complex, a man wearing all black jumped into his car and pulled out a gun.
Police say the suspect told the victim to send $500 to his Apple Pay, and the victim complied with the request. The suspect then got out of the car and ran off.
After the initial incident, the victim told police the suspect continued to stay in contact with him, demanding that he send $500 to his Apple Pay each day. He also allegedly sent pictures of the victim’s home and told him that if he did not comply, he would seriously hurt him.
Detectives with the CPD identified the suspect as Demarieo Howard, 27, and pinpointed his location.
On July 12, the CPD made contact with Howard. While talking with him, reports say they called the phone number connected to the catfishing incident and his phone began to ring.
Howard was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery, theft under $1,000, and aggravated assault with no injury. He is being held on a $150,000 bond.
Demarieo Howard (Photo courtesy of the Covington Police Department)
“This scam did not work out for the suspects involved in this violent incident. The victim did the right thing and immediately notified the authorities. This quick notification provided a chance for detectives to identify this coward hiding behind a false identity and robbing our victim. We are thankful our victim was not injured in the incident,” said Chief Donna Turner. “We continue to caution people who agree to meet someone in unfamiliar areas under nontraditional conditions. Meet new friends and people in public places or safe spaces where the chances of becoming a victim are reduced to help ensure everyone’s safety.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Comments / 0