Suspects impersonating FBI agents in elder scam arrested
Suspect arrested by Marin County sheriff's deputies in elder scam
MARIN COUNTY, Calif. - Authorities in Marin County have arrested two people whom they said impersonated FBI agents to scam senior citizens out of thousands in cash.
The backstory:
The Marin County Sheriff's Office first learned about the scam on Feb. 18 when an elderly resident told deputies they were the victim of fraud by suspects alleging to be FBI agents.
The suspects called the victim and said there was an active fraud investigation into their bank account, and that the only way to protect their money was to withdraw it and deposit it into a "safe federal bank account" through a courier.
The victim only became suspicious when the fake FBI agents later tried to convince them to buy gold and give it to a courier. The victim complied.
The victim then contacted a real FBI agent, who told them he was being scammed and to call the Marin County Sheriff's Office, their local law enforcement.
Dig deeper:
The victim told deputies the courier who picked up $25,000 in cash was an Asian male, officials said.
On May 8, San Francisco man Zian Hu was arrested at a home in Daly City on grand theft, elder abuse, and conspiracy charges.
The 38-year-old suspect remains in the Marin County Jail on a $1 million bail, according to jail records.
Officials said the bail enhancement was requested and granted because Marin County sheriff detectives believe Hu has a "connection with a larger criminal enterprise," and "access to illegally obtained cash."
The second suspect, identified as 24-year-old Balraj Singh, was arrested Monday in San Rafael.
Officials alleged the Torrance resident was involved in a similar "cash courier pick-up scam" and went to a home to pick up $50,000 in cash but was stopped by law enforcement before doing so.
Singh is facing attempted grand theft charges, attempted elder abuse, and conspiracy.
A bail enhancement was requested and granted for similar reasons to Hu's, and Singh was denied bail. He remains in the Marin County Jail, according to jail records.
What we don't know:
Officials said it's unclear at this time if the pair were working together and said that at this time, there is no confirmed link between Hu and Singh.
What you can do:
Officials are reminding residents that there is no legitimate situation where a company or law enforcement would request cash through a courier.
"There is no reason to withdraw funds or purchase gift cards and provide them to unknown individuals," the Marin County Sheriff's Office said. "If you receive an email from a company that seems suspicious regarding a transaction, do not use the numbers provided on the email. Look up the company’s phone number on their website."
Fraud can occur from emails, texts, and phone calls, and if you are unsure if the messages from a business are real, ask a friend, family member, or call your local law enforcement agency, officials remind.