Zhiyang Yan, 37, and Wenjun Liu, 39, both from the Los Angeles area, were arrested by Ventura police on February 13th for allegedly defrauding an elderly victim in a well-known scam.
The victim had contacted the authorities after discovering that their computer had been hacked by unknown suspects, with the scammers claiming to be from a reputable antivirus service, such as Norton. The victim was convinced to withdraw a large sum of money to pay for the supposed fix. The scammers instructed the victim that a courier would collect the money the following day.
Detectives were alerted to the scam, and when the suspects arrived to collect the funds, officers were waiting. Zhiyang Yan and Wenjun Liu were immediately arrested, and the stolen money was recovered from one of them.
Both men were charged with Grand Theft, Theft from an Elder, Conspiracy, and Possession of Stolen Property, and each had bail set at $200,000. They appeared in court on Wednesday, pleading not guilty to the charges and denying several special allegations. Their next court appearance is scheduled for next week for a bail review hearing.
Authorities have reported a rise in scams involving fraudulent computer service claims, where victims are tricked into paying for unnecessary services or software. This particular scam often involves false messages that claim an urgent issue with the victim’s computer, promising protection or repairs for a fee.
