A California man is facing charges for allegedly attempting to scam a Huntley man out of $25,000 with a fraudulent email, authorities said.

Xu Li, 31, of Alhambra, California, was charged in Kane County with two felony counts of attempted theft by deception, one count for attempted theft between $10,000 to $100,000 and one count for attempted theft of over $5,000 and a victim over 60 years old, according to a Tuesday Huntley Police Department news release.

According to authorities, a Huntley resident received a fraudulent email claiming a $499 subscription renewal had been charged to his PayPal account last week. When he called the listed number, “the scammer convinced him to allow remote access to his computer and claimed to have ‘accidentally’ refunded $25,000,” according to the police release.

Li started to pressure the Huntley man to withdraw money in cash or send it through cryptocurrency, which prompted the Huntley resident to hang up and contact Huntley police, authorities said. It was discovered the “refund” was transferred between the resident’s own accounts, according to the release.

Police worked with the resident to arrange a meeting for a cash handoff with Li the next day; when Li arrived at the man’s home, he was taken into custody, according to the release.

“We commend the resident for trusting his instincts and contacting the police, Huntley police said in the release. ”Scammers rely on fear, urgency and embarrassment to trick victims, and they often target the same person again once they succeed. By reporting suspicious activity early, residents can protect themselves and help police protect others."

The case remains under investigation.

Huntley police warned that scammers typically contact through unsolicited emails, texts or calls about a fake charge or account issue.

Police offer tips on red flags to look out for with phone scams:

• Pressure to act quickly or threats of liability
• Refusing to end the call and not allowing the person to talk to anyone else until the money has been transferred
• Requests for remote access to your computer or smartphone
• Instructions to use cryptocurrency ATMs, gift cards, or cash couriers

What to do:

• Do not engage with unsolicited phone calls or messages
• Stop and think before taking action
• Verify independently by contacting the company using a verified phone number
• Check with someone you trust, as a second opinion often exposes the scam
• Call law enforcement immediately, as acting quickly can prevent loss and may help police catch the suspects