LYNDEN, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A Lynnwood man was arrested in connection to a scheme that police say defrauded a Lynden resident out of $60,000.

Lynden Police Chief Jeremy Bos says the arrest stemmed from an ongoing investigation into an online scam.

A Lynden resident had been told to withdraw two large amounts of cash and give them to a courier posing as a federal agent. Bos says the resident also bought a large number of gift cards and shared the card numbers.

Lynden Police estimate the resident lost $60,000 between the cash withdrawals and gift cards.

The department set up a sting operation to catch the 30-year-old suspect around 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, when he thought he was arriving to collect more cash from the victim.

The man is facing first-degree theft and felony criminal conspiracy charges. He remains at the Whatcom County Jail without bail.

My Bellingham Now refrains from publishing suspects’ names until they have made their first court appearance or there is a public need to identify.