East Providence Police arrest city man for vacation fraud scheme

DeBarros is alleged to have falsely set up Aruba get-away

Posted 10/15/19

EAST PROVIDENCE — A city man has been detained for his role in a scheme to defraud vacationers.

The East Providence Police Department arrested Anthony DeBarros, 57 and of Seth Street in East …

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East Providence Police arrest city man for vacation fraud scheme

DeBarros is alleged to have falsely set up Aruba get-away

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — A city man has been detained for his role in a scheme to defraud vacationers.

The East Providence Police Department arrested Anthony DeBarros, 57 and of Seth Street in East Providence, on charges of Obtaining Money under False Pretenses and Unlawful Appropriation.

Mr. DeBarros is accused of falsely arranging a vacation to Aruba for 58 people, with each person paying him $1,000 for the trip. Upon investigation, as the date of the trip neared no one received an itinerary from Mr. DeBarros and when they tried to contact he either did not return calls or provided them with false information.

Several victims of the scheme reported to the East Providence Police that they may have been scammed and an investigation was opened by the Detective Division. As a result of the inquiry, it was determined that the vacation the victims paid for and expected to go on was, in fact, a scam. The vacation had never been booked and Mr. DeBarros never planned on actually booking any trip. Mr. DeBarros informed detectives that he used the money to pay bills and make purchases for his own good.

Pursuant to an arrest warrant, Mr. DeBarrros was arrested on Saturday, Oct. 12. The investigation is ongoing as there are many more victims still filing complaints. Additional charges may be pending.

If anyone believes they are a victim of a possible scam by Mr. DeBarros, they are urged to contact the East Providence Police Department’s Detective Division at 401-435-7600 or their local police department.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.