The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office (SBSO) successfully thwarted a complex scam operation in Goleta leading to the arrest of a 34-year-old Los Angeles woman and the full recovery of $30,000 that was intended for fraudsters.
Deputies also uncovered two additional scams on the same day in Goleta and Montecito, with combined losses totaling $85,000.
Officials say the victim, a 77-year-old woman from the 500 block of Pine Avenue, received a fraudulent call claiming to be from Amazon, followed by a supposed FTC agent.
Authorities say she was instructed to withdraw $30,000 to resolve fabricated issues, and the scammer even coached her on avoiding bank suspicion.
After noticing red flags, the victim contacted SBSO while still on the line with the scammer, leading to a coordinated effort to catch the suspect in the act.
The woman, identified as Caihong Lei, was arrested on August 4 after attempting to pick up the money.
She was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of grand theft and conspiracy. SBSO is investigating potential connections to larger organized scam networks.
Sheriff Bill Brown emphasized the importance of community awareness, urging residents to remain vigilant against similar scams. "These cases demonstrate the critical importance of community awareness and quick action in combating these heartless scams," he said.
