Miami Man Arrested on 26 Charges for Wallingford Phone Scam on Elderly Woman
Errol Patton of Miami allegedly used a spoofed bank caller ID to trick a Wallingford resident into providing account information, leading to unauthorized charges.
PublishedMarch 6, 2026
Wallingford Police
Florida Man Arrested in Wallingford Phone Fraud Case
A Miami man was arrested February 17, 2026, on 26 charges connected to a telephone impersonation scheme that targeted an elderly Wallingford woman, convincing her to hand over personal financial information by spoofing her bank's phone number.
Errol Patton, 31, of Miami, Florida, faces charges including telephone fraud, identity theft, larceny by ongoing scheme, payment card theft, illegal use of payment cards, criminal impersonation, and conspiracy. Multiple charges specifically relate to identity theft targeting a victim over 60 years of age -- a factor that can carry enhanced penalties under Connecticut law. Patton is also charged as a fugitive from justice, connected to a fully extraditable $1 million warrant out of Cherokee County, Georgia.
Patton was released on a $175,000 surety bond following his arrest. His case was scheduled for court on March 5, 2026.
How the Scam Worked
Patton contacted the Wallingford victim by phone on March 12, 2025, claiming to represent her local financial institution. The call appeared to come from the bank -- the caller ID displayed the institution's name -- lending the scam an air of legitimacy.
The caller told the victim there were fraudulent charges on her account and instructed her to provide personal information to obtain a replacement card. She complied. Within moments, unauthorized charges appeared on her account.
The technique is consistent with what federal law enforcement has called a "phantom hacker" scam, in which criminals pose as bank fraud departments -- or sometimes as government agencies, computer technicians, or other authority figures -- to extract financial information directly from the victim.
Investigation and Charges
Wallingford Police investigated the scam and identified Patton as the suspect. An arrest warrant was obtained, and Patton was taken into custody on February 17, 2026, roughly 11 months after the initial scam call.
The 26 charges reflect the multiple criminal acts involved in the scheme -- from the initial impersonation and identity theft to the subsequent unauthorized use of the victim's payment cards. The Wallingford Police Department announced the arrest on February 18, 2026.
Georgia Fugitive Warrant
In addition to the Wallingford charges, Patton faces a fugitive from justice charge in connection with a $1 million bond warrant out of Cherokee County, Georgia. The warrant is fully extraditable, meaning Connecticut authorities could transfer Patton to Georgia if that state requests it following the resolution of the Connecticut charges.
The existence of an open warrant from another state indicates Patton may have been involved in similar fraudulent activity elsewhere prior to the Wallingford case.
Phone Scam Trends in Connecticut
Phone-based fraud targeting elderly residents has been a persistent concern for Connecticut law enforcement in recent years. Scammers often use spoofed caller IDs to impersonate trusted institutions -- banks, the IRS, Social Security Administration, or law enforcement agencies -- to pressure victims into providing money or sensitive financial information.
In Connecticut, elder financial exploitation is treated as a serious criminal matter. Identity theft charges that specifically target victims over age 60 carry enhanced penalties, recognizing the particular vulnerability of older adults to these schemes.
Residents are advised by law enforcement that no legitimate bank, government agency, or technology company will contact you by phone and ask for your personal account information, PIN, or passwords. Anyone who receives such a call is urged to hang up and contact their financial institution directly using the number on the back of their card or their bank's official website.
Wallingford Police encourage residents who believe they may have been targeted in a phone scam to contact the Wallingford Police Department to file a report.
