Woman suspected in Cellphone-Buying Scam; over $8,600 of merchandise in 2 days
Grand Junction, CO Aug 2 2017 A Denver woman is facing theft and forgery charges after allegedly trying to scam employees at two Grand Junction cellphone companies into giving her multiple iPhones without payment in a scheme she described as “a loophole,” according to arrest affidavits.
Maggie Ann Lyon, 22, was arrested Friday after an employee at the AT&T store, caught on and called the police.
The employee said Lyon told her she worked at a company called NIMBL.
Lyon was trying to buy six iPhone Pluses, for a total of $5,220. “Maggie admitted that she had heard that she could open these accounts with stores to receive iPhones,” the report said. “Maggie would set up an account and place the phones on a payment schedule for 24 months. When the phone company attempted to bill the false company for the phones they would not receive a payment and she would get the phones free. …
(She) stated she had discovered a loophole in the way these businesses do business.
” Police contacted Verizon Wireless, the day after Lyon’s arrest, and found that on Thursday, Lyon had purchased three iPhone 7 Pluses and other accessories for a total of $3,414.56.
It’s not clear whether more arrests will be made.
Lyon told a police officer that after she took the phones, she would give them to “other members of her organization” in exchange for cash.
