Oxford scam sting leads to 5-year prison sentence for impostor
An 80-year-old Oxford-area man nearly handed cash to a fake federal agent, but deputies were waiting at the door. The sting ended with a 5-year prison sentence and $104,000 restitution.
Lafayette County deputies stopped an Oxford-area scam before an 80-year-old Mississippi man lost his money, arresting a suspect who showed up posing as a federal agent to collect cash from the victim’s home.
The case centered on Nasruddin Bhai Nooruddin, 52, who was arrested in Lafayette County in August 2024 after the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office set up a sting at the home of the older man, who had begun to suspect the call was fake. According to court records and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, a co-conspirator told the victim that his Social Security number and bank account had been compromised. The caller then instructed him to withdraw cash, hand it to a supposed federal agent for safekeeping, and send a photo of the cash back to the caller.
Nooruddin arrived to pick up the money while posing as that agent and was arrested by deputies. He later pleaded guilty in September 2024. On March 7, 2025, U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced him to 60 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered $104,000 in restitution to victims.
The scheme fits a pattern federal officials say remains dangerous in Mississippi and beyond. The Federal Trade Commission said impersonation scams involving businesses and government agencies caused $2.95 billion in consumer losses in 2024. Prosecutors said state and federal leaders praised the investigation and prosecution, underscoring how quickly a fraud call can turn into a doorstep robbery attempt if a victim is isolated and pressured to act fast.
For Lafayette County residents, the warning signs are clear: a caller claims to represent a government office, says an account or Social Security number has been compromised, demands secrecy, and pushes cash withdrawal or photo proof. If that happens, do not withdraw money, do not hand anything to a stranger at the door, and do not trust a caller who tells you to keep the matter private. Hang up, verify the claim using a number you already know, and call the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office or Oxford Police Department before taking any action. The sting in Oxford showed that one suspicious call can be the difference between a loss and an arrest.
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