Thousand Oaks Senior Tricked Into Handing $14,000 After Government-Impersonation Scam

A Thousand Oaks woman in her later years was deceived into giving $14,000 in cash to a courier after callers impersonating government officials convinced her she was the target of a money‑laundering probe.

How the Scam Unfolded

According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, the victim clicked a link while deleting spam on April 2 and immediately saw a pop-up instructing her not to shut down her computer and to call a phone number shown on the screen. When she called, an unknown caller told her the computer was infected with malware and the call was transferred to someone claiming to be an officer with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The impostor told the woman she was a suspect in a money‑laundering investigation and needed to withdraw funds from her accounts to prove the money belonged to her. The caller instructed her to keep withdrawal receipts as proof and warned that the U.S. Treasury Department would freeze her accounts if she did not comply. While the victim drove between multiple bank branches, the scammer remained on the line and claimed two people were watching her home.

The victim withdrew $14,000 (the caller had asked for up to $15,000), returned home, placed the cash in a package, and was told to wait for a courier named "Lisa". The caller said the courier would provide a password and the victim should hand the package over only after hearing the correct phrase. At about 3 p.m., a woman arrived, supplied the agreed password, and accepted the package containing $14,000.

Investigation and Charges

The victim became suspicious the next day, told a family member and reported the incident to law enforcement. Ventura County sheriff’s detectives later allege that 44‑year‑old Yongan Ma drove the female courier to and from the victim’s home, dropped her off before she supplied the password and then collected the cash. Detectives say Ma knowingly provided transportation to facilitate the fraud and personally benefited from the scheme.

Ma was arrested in Pasadena on July 22 and is charged with three felonies: conspiracy to commit grand theft, conspiracy to commit theft from an elder or dependent adult, and theft from an elder or dependent adult. Prosecutors allege the victim was particularly vulnerable and that the scheme demonstrated planning, sophistication and professionalism. Ma pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance on July 24 and was released on his own recognizance over prosecutor objections. An early disposition conference is scheduled for Aug. 4 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 12 of Ventura County Superior Court. The charges and special allegations have not been proven in court.

Official Guidance: How To Protect Yourself

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC says it will never call to threaten someone, order a person to withdraw savings, or send an agent to collect cash or gold.

Other safety tips from officials:

• Do not call phone numbers displayed in pop-up browser warnings or click additional buttons in such pop-ups. Close the browser and run a scan with legitimate, updated security software.
• If a stranger gained remote access to your computer, disconnect the device from the internet immediately and remove the remote‑access software from a trusted device or with professional help.
• Change passwords for email, banking and other sensitive accounts from a separate, trusted device.
• If you’re already directed to withdraw cash, tell the bank employee the request came from a supposed government investigation and ask them to pause the transaction while the agency is contacted at a number independently obtained from its official website.

Ventura County residents who believe they or a relative may have been targeted by a similar scam can contact District Attorney Investigator Eric Jensen at 805‑662‑1750.