MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Under the glittering allure of Miami Beach’s shores, an unsuspecting tourist found herself ensnared in a web of deceit spun by a fraudster earlier this year, according to police.
While sitting near the 700 block of Miami Beach around 5 p.m. Jan 15, police said the victim was reading her book, at which time James Jayson Plitsas, 25, of Miami, and an unidentified male approached her, claiming to be club promoters who could grant her entry into any nightclub in the area.
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Following a brief conversation, Plitsas asked the victim for her cellphone under the guise of adding his Instagram page to her account to send nightclub flyers, according to an arrest report.
The victim willingly handed over her unlocked cellphone for this sole purpose. However, during this exchange, Plitsas and his accomplice continued to engage with her while his accomplice took possession of the victim’s phone to add his Instagram page as well, the report stated.
After a short period, police said the victim became suspicious that both individuals were attempting to distract her while Plitsas’ accomplice still had possession of her phone.
After being asked about the phone, the accomplice claimed he was simply following people and returned the phone to her after a minute before promptly leaving the area, the report stated.
Police said the victim checked her email and discovered a notification from her bank indicating that a new payee had been added to her Zelle via her Chase account a minute earlier. Suspecting unauthorized access, she contacted her bank, which later confirmed someone had gained access to her Chase Bank application and changed the password, subsequently conducting a $1,500 Zelle transfer.
Miami Beach detectives later identified Plitsas as the suspect, according to the report.
Police said a photographic lineup was also presented to the victim by detectives on March 28, and she identified Plitsas as one of the subjects involved.
Further investigations revealed that Plitsas had been previously arrested for two similar crimes in Miami Beach, where police say he targeted unsuspecting victims on the beach, posing as a club promoter and conducting unauthorized financial transactions through victim’s cellphones, resulting in financial losses of $1,500 and $3,500.
Investigators confirmed all victims in these cases were tourists visiting Miami Beach.
Jail records show Plitsas is facing one count each of organized scheme to defraud and third-degree grand theft.
As of Friday, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond has not been determined due to a Nebbia hold for a previous charge.
Anyone who feels they may have been a victim of Plitsas is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.