Police: Roswell woman Samantha Fuchs involved in $14K eBay scam

Benicia police investigating a $14,000 Inteet swindle of a Benicia man are working with Roswell, Ga., police to track down the suspect, Lt. Mike Daley said Thursday afteoon.

The 46-year-old Benicia man told police Wednesday he’d lost the money after making an unsuccessful eBay bid on a 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle last month.

Though he was outbid, he received an e-mail from someone claiming to be the seller, advising him that the winning bidder failed to complete the transaction and the car was still for sale, Daley said.

The man agreed to buy the car for $14,000, Daley said, and received another e-mail from the suspect with a link purporting to be the auction site’s protection service that would handle the transfer to a bank in Georgia. Daley said the victim wired the money Jan. 19, but the car never arrived and the seller’s e-mail address was canceled.

When the victim contacted his bank and eBay, he leaed there was no such eBay protection service, and that his money was gone, Daley said.

Benicia police Officer Kevin Barreto began investigating the case, contacting the banks for both the victim and the suspect.

”Officer Barreto was able to follow the money trail and locate a bank branch, Daley said. That bank had surveillance pictures of someone picking up the victim’s $14,000.

He said the suspect is Samantha J. Fuchs, 32, of Roswell. Through the Solano County District Attoey’s office, Barreto obtained a $150,000 warrant charging Fuchs with grand theft.

Benicia police are continuing to work with Roswell Police Department in Georgia to find and arrest Fuchs in that jurisdiction, Daley said.

Benicia police Sgt. Kenny Hart cautioned those conducting Inteet business to be certain they are making legitimate financial transactions.