SAN DIEGO, CA — A Chinese national has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in a tech support scam that defrauded elderly victims out of more than $200,000 in just one week.
Jiaci Liu, 35, was sentenced in San Diego federal court on Friday after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The scheme targeted six senior citizens in California and Arizona, including a 63-year-old man from Poway, San Diego County.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the scam began with a fake pop-up alert on victims’ computers, warning them of a supposed virus. When the victims called the number provided, they were connected to individuals posing as tech support agents, who then transferred them to scammers impersonating bank representatives. These fake representatives told victims that unauthorized transfers were occurring and advised them to withdraw large sums of cash to protect their funds.
The scheme unraveled in June 2023, when the Poway victim, after withdrawing $28,000, grew suspicious after being told that a “U.S. Marshal” would come to collect the money. Instead of handing over the funds, he contacted the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, leading to Liu’s arrest outside his home.
A search of Liu’s phone revealed that he had collected cash from five other victims in the week prior, with total losses amounting to at least $202,500. The victims ranged in age from their mid-70s to early 80s, and at least one suffered significant financial hardship as a result.
Liu faced a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, but ultimately received 24 months. The case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force, which includes the FBI, local police departments, and multiple prosecutorial agencies.
