Tech support scam in Centereach leads to arrest of Orange County man

Suffolk authorities arrested an Orange County man Tuesday after he was extradited from Connecticut to face charges he swindled a Centereach resident out of nearly $20,000 in a tech support scam dating back to 2024.

Ande Jiang, 27, of Highland Mills was charged with third-degree grand larceny and petit larceny. He will be held overnight at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Yaphank, then arraigned at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead on Wednesday.

The scheme began when the Centereach victim, experiencing computer trouble, searched online for tech support and reached who he believed was a legitimate service representative. The caller gained remote access to the victim’s computer, then told the Centereach resident he was owed a $50 refund.

Cops said the alleged scammer then claimed he had accidentally deposited $20,000 into the victim’s account instead of $20, and told the victim he needed to return the overage. The victim met a man in a Centereach parking lot and handed over $19,950 in cash, police said.

The victim photographed the man and his vehicle during the exchange. The images later helped detectives identify Jiang as the suspect, police said.

Authorities found Jiang in Connecticut, where he was already in custody on a separate case. He was extradited Tuesday to Suffolk County.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim of Jiang is asked by police to contact Suffolk Po;lice’s Financial Crimes Unit at 631.852.6821.