Newport Beach Police have arrested Haisong Shi, 52, of San Gabriel, and Wei Xiog Chen, 25, of Costa Mesa, for defrauding an elderly woman out of $35,000. The incident occurred after the victim received a fraudulent email from scammers pretending to be from her credit card company.
The email falsely claimed that the victim had made a large purchase on her credit card and instructed her to contact a phone number for corrections. When the victim called the number, the suspects assured her that they would refund the incorrect charge. However, the suspects “accidentally” deposited a large sum of money into her bank account.
Following their instructions, the victim went to the bank, withdrew the excessive amount of money, and arranged to meet the suspects to hand over the funds.
The scammers called the next day, attempting to convince the victim to withdraw more money. This time, however, Newport Beach detectives had already taken on the role of the victim and set up a meeting with the suspects. Both men were arrested for grand theft, attempted grand theft, and conspiracy to commit grand theft.
Given the serious nature of the crime, the suspects face significant legal consequences. The fraudulent email scam targeted an elderly individual, which qualifies as elder financial abuse, a crime with penalties under California law, including up to four years in prison. Additionally, the large sum of $35,000 makes this a felony offense, with severe legal penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
Investigators continue to look into the case, and Newport Beach Police encourage anyone who believes they might have been a victim of similar scams to come forward.
