Press Release from Baxter County Sheriff:
A joint follow-up operation between several law enforcement agencies and Trilogy Media, Inc. has resulted in the arrest of three additional “money mules” assigned by scammers to pick up cash from Baxter County residents. The original operation earlier this year in August netted five arrests, including arrests for foreign aliens in this country unlawfully. Those arrests were featured on Fox Nation’s TV Series, “Scammed: Getting Even”. This follow-up operation had been planned and in the works since then. Trilogy Media is an organization dedicated to alerting the public about scams and shedding light on scammers through video observation and recording, as well as assisting law enforcement with investigations and apprehensions.
On December 1, 2025, law enforcement was notified that a money mule had been identified and had been sent to pick up $250,000 in cash from an 86 year old man in Mountain Home by a scammer operating out of Jamaica. This elderly man was actually a decoy used to attract the scammer. The scammer told the intended victim (the decoy) by phone that his money mule, who he claimed to be an FBI Agent, was driving from Seattle, Washington to Mountain Home to pick up the cash. The decoy challenged the scammer and wanted to speak directly to the purported FBI Agent. Officers were able to get the money mule on the phone and briefly on camera. The money mule identified himself as an FBI Agent and said he was coming to pick up the $250,000 cash and other items, which he believed to be three gold bars. The decoy asked additional questions, including where the money mule was staying and type of vehicle he would be driving. Officers began looking for this vehicle in Mountain Home and located it. The vehicle was bearing Washington state license plates. This allowed for the actual identification of this money mule to be made by way of matching the registered owner of the vehicle with the photo of the purported FBI Agent that had been seen. The money mule suspect was identified as MELVIN K. COLVIN. Officers were able to track the vehicle from when it left in Washington, driving through Nebraska and then into Missouri and on into Arkansas on November 30th.
Arrangements were finalized between the money mule suspect and the decoy to pick up the cash. On Wednesday morning, December 3rd at approximately 9:00 AM, the money mule, MELVIN COLVIN, arrived at the agreed upon location for the transaction. He identified himself as an FBI Agent, at which time officers on scene placed him under arrest. During interview, COLVIN claimed to have been working for the FBI and CIA to recover money that he himself had been scammed out of.
Melvin Colvin
MELVIN COLVIN, 62 years old of Everett, Washington, was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center and booked on charges of:
Criminal Attempt to Commit Theft of Property – Felony
Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Property – Felony
Misleading Caller Identification – Intent to Defraud – Felony
MELVIN COLVIN is being held in custody in lieu of $50,000 cash bond. He made a first appearance before the Baxter County District Court on December 4th and was returned to the Detention Center. COLVIN is scheduled to appear before the Baxter County Circuit Court for arraignment on January 5, 2026.
The second arrest involved a type of refund scam whereby a scammer impersonating a major retailer or even a government agent tries to convince primarily elderly victims that a fraudulent charge has occurred on their account. After gaining remote access to the victim’s computer, the scammers alter the appearance of the victim’s online banking to make it appear that the victim has accidentally received a large “overpayment”. The scammers pressure the victim through fear, urgency, and social-engineering tactics to “return” the money. Repayment methods vary. They can include cash withdrawals, wire transfers, Bitcoin deposits, or gift cards for example.
In November, 2025, law enforcement began investigating multiple fraud schemes involving suspects defrauding elderly victims into surrendering large amounts of US Currency. As part of an ongoing operation, officers established a controlled delivery scenario involving $60,000 in bait money intended to draw out individuals participating in the fraudulent scheme.
On December 4, 2025 officers were notified that an India-based scammer was sending a money mule to pick up $60,000 from a law enforcement decoy who represented himself to be a 95 year old resident of Mountain Home. In the scheme, the money was to be placed in a box, and a verbal passcode was to be given by the mule to the victim to turn over the money box. It is also common that a person known as the “handler”, or the person communicating between the victim and the money mule or scammer, to be out of the United States for the communications between the money mule and victim. A bait house location was set up in Mountain Home. There, law enforcement officers and members of Trilogy Media, Inc. were present to communicate and portray themselves as the 95 year old victim. A drone from the Mountain Home Police Department was used for aerial surveillance and to document activities during the operation.
The decoy victim was in communication with the handler, who was in turn communicating with the money mule, who was identifying himself as a Federal Agent with the Federal Trade Commission. Officers were able to identify the mule vehicle around 10:03 AM when the mule drove through the neighborhood past the bait house. The vehicle was determined to be a rental vehicle from the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area, rented to SAMAR NAWAZ from New Jersey. Homeland Security Investigations was able to determine that NAWAZ had an outstanding felony warrant from North Carolina.
Extensive communications and arrangements were made via phone between the decoy victim, the money mule, and/or the handler. The arrangements were never finalized and seemed in doubt. The suspect then began to drive away and leave the area. Officers then made a traffic stop on the vehicle to arrest NAWAZ on the outstanding warrant. The warrant was from Wilson County, North Carolina for Obtaining Property by False Pretense. This involved defrauding an elderly victim of $50,000 in a PayPal scam. That warrant was issued in March, 2025. NAWAZ was also determined to be in the United States illegally after his temporary visa had expired in 2023.
SAMAR NAWAZ
SAMAR NAWAZ, 30 years of age showing an address in New Jersey, but a citizen of West Bengal State, India, was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center and booked on charges of:
Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Property- Felony
Computer Fraud – Felony
Misleading Caller Identification – Intent to Defraud – Felony
Criminal Impersonation – Felony
Unauthorized Use of Another Person’s Property to Facilitate a Crime – Felony
Outstanding Arrest Warrant – Wilson County, North Carolina
SAMAR NAWAZ is being held in custody in lieu of $25,000 cash bond and made a first appearance before the Baxter County District Court on December 5th. He is scheduled to appear before the Baxter County Circuit Court for arraignment on January 5, 2026. He also has an immigration hold with ICE.
The third arrest also involved a refund-type scam as outlined above. On December 4th, officers were also notified that an India-based scammer was sending another money mule to pick up $60,000 cash from the 95 year old decoy victim at the bait house in Mountain Home. This scheme also involved a money box and a passcode. In this instance, the money mule did arrive at the residence to pick up the cash. He backed his vehicle into the driveway of the bait house and came to the door. After a brief discussion, the exchange was made between the mule and the decoy of a box containing $60,000 in movie prop money as well as $500 in real cash. The suspect had identified himself as an FTC Agent and gave the passcode. As the suspect was walking away, officers then arrested him without incident. He was identified as FARDIN HOSSAIN TALAH.
FARDIN TALAH
FARDIN TALAH, 23 years old of Brooklyn, New York, was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center and incarcerated on charges of:
Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Property – Felony
Computer Fraud – Felony
Misleading Caller Identification – Intent to Defraud – Felony
Criminal Impersonation – Felony
Unauthorized Use of Another Person’s Property to Facilitate a Crime – Felony
FARDIN TALAH is being held in lieu of $50,000 cash bond. After making a first appearance before the Baxter County District Court, he was returned to the Detention Center. TALAH is scheduled to appear before the Baxter County Circuit Court to answer on January 5, 2026.
During this operation, it was known that there were four other money mules in this area. Late in the day on Friday, December 5th, several other scammers hung up once they heard the address was in Mountain Home.
This joint operation was coordinated by Lieutenant Michael Day, head of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Mountain Home Police Department. A briefing was held on Wednesday morning, December 3rd, at the Mountain Home Police Department with approximately 25 officers attending along with Trilogy Media members. Other law enforcement agencies involved in the operation were the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
Trilogy Media was represented by Ashton Bingham and Art Kulik. They were assisted by team members Chappy Grey and BullRacksin.
Local law enforcement agencies will continue to work together jointly and with Trilogy Media in the future to detect and apprehend scammers and other preying on victims in this area.
/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff
/s/ Eddie Griffin,
Mountain Home Police Chief
