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hans middendorp / Pexels Hundreds of hospices are allegedly operating from a single address in California amid regulators’ efforts to curb fraud in the state. Local providers laud the increased over...

Investigators say Amit Bhanwala-Singh is a member of a large fraud group that targets older and vulnerable citizens. A California man involved in a large fraud ring has been found guilty after scammi...

Recently, our office secured a major victory on behalf of Californians who were misled by Vivint Solar’s sales and contracting practices. As part of a multi-county enforcement action, the company agre...

The Los Angeles Times reports on active scam operations targeting elderly residents across Southern California. Authorities are seeking public help identifying suspects involved in coordinated schemes that use distraction tactics, impersonation, and social engineering to defraud older adults of their savings. The cases highlight the scale of organized elder fraud in the LA region.

Two men have been sentenced to nearly four years in prison in Marin County for posing as licensed roofing contractors and defrauding elderly homeowners out of over $340,000 in 2024. The scammers, who targeted seniors ages 78-85, used fake business cards, invoices, and websites to convince victims to sign contracts and pay large down payments for roof repairs that were never completed. To protect yourself, authorities recommend verifying any contractor's license through California's Department of Consumer Affairs website before agreeing to any work or making payments.

A California man named Manpreet Singh was arrested for allegedly stealing nearly $595,000 worth of Vizio televisions from a Portage warehouse in December 2024, but he jumped bail and is now a fugitive. Six employees of a transportation company were charged in the scheme, with the accused ringleader facing trial in April 2024, while two other suspects remain at large. To protect yourself, be cautious about unsolicited offers to buy electronics at steep discounts, verify that deliveries arrive at their intended destinations if you're a business, and report suspicious cargo activity to authorities.

Romance scams in the Bay Area have exploded in 2025, with AI making these schemes faster and harder to detect—Northern California saw losses more than double to $43.3 million, with San Francisco alone experiencing a nearly 900% increase to $6.34 million. Scammers, often operating overseas, use dating apps, social media, and text messages to build trust with lonely or vulnerable victims before draining their savings in schemes known as "pig butchering." The FBI advises people to be cautious about online relationships, verify identities, and check for inconsistencies before sharing personal or financial information, especially with someone you've only met online.

Seven individuals, including three doctors and hospice owners, were arrested in California for allegedly defrauding Medicare and Medi-Cal of $3.2 million by enrolling patients who weren't terminally ill into hospice care without their knowledge and shuffling them between three affiliated companies to avoid detection. The scheme harmed vulnerable patients who were unaware they had been placed in hospice and affected government healthcare programs intended for those with terminal illnesses. Patients and their families should verify any hospice enrollment with their doctors and insurance providers, and report suspicious activity to state authorities.

A California woman lost her home and $81,000 in a sophisticated AI deepfake romance scam where criminals impersonated actor Steve Burton through convincing fake videos and voice messages to build a fake romantic relationship. Romance scams have become increasingly difficult to detect as AI technology advances, with victims losing over $1.14 billion in 2023 alone, and similar high-profile cases involving celebrities like Brad Pitt emerging. To protect yourself, be cautious about unexpected romantic advances online, never send money to people you haven't met in person, and verify claims by contacting the real person or organization through official channels.

A 90-year-old Southern California man lost his entire $814,000 life savings when someone forged his signature on checks and drained his account over several months, but Wells Fargo denied his fraud claim because he didn't report it within the bank's 60-day window—a difficult deadline for someone dealing with dementia, hearing loss, and limited mobility. The bank's investigation offered little help, and despite clear evidence that the forged signatures bore no resemblance to his actual signature, the institution refused to reimburse him. Customers should regularly monitor their accounts and report any suspicious activity immediately, and those with cognitive or health challenges should consider having trusted family members help manage their finances and watch for unauthorized transactions.

A California resident lost over $1.2 million in a "pig butchering" scam where scammers posing as financial advisers named Andrey and Alisa contacted them on WhatsApp, promised crypto investment returns, and directed them to wire money to personal bank accounts through a fake trading platform. The fraudulent website (aplfinance.us) is no longer operational, and the victim was unable to recover any funds. To protect yourself, be extremely cautious of unsolicited investment offers on social media, never wire money to personal accounts for investments, and verify that financial platforms are legitimate through official regulatory channels before depositing any money.

# Hospice Fraud Summary Seven people in Monterey County, including hospice owners and medical professionals, were arrested in February 2025 for defrauding Medi-Cal and Medicare by enrolling patients who weren't terminally ill in hospice services without proper consent or knowledge. The defendants operated three hospice companies simultaneously and transferred patients between facilities every six months to avoid detection while continuing to bill the programs fraudulently. To protect yourself, verify that any hospice enrollment is appropriate for your condition, ask questions about your medical status and enrollment, and report suspected healthcare fraud to your state's attorney general or health department.

Since 2020, romance scammers have cost Californians over $2.7 billion by creating fake profiles on dating apps and social media to build trust with victims before requesting emergency wire transfers. These sophisticated criminals target lonely individuals through multiple channels including online dating services, email, messaging apps, and social media, often posing as romantic interests or family members and making excuses to avoid meeting in person. If you suspect you're being scammed, report it to California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) at (866) 275-2677 or online, and verify the identity of anyone requesting money before sending anything.

# Hospice Fraud Summary California authorities have charged seven people—including hospice owners, three doctors, and a nurse—with defrauding Medi-Cal and Medicare of over $3.2 million through false claims at two hospice facilities between 2016 and 2024. The alleged scheme involved submitting fraudulent billings to government healthcare programs, and the case was uncovered after the California Board of Registered Nursing discovered suspicious activity and referred it to investigators. Patients and families should be cautious when selecting hospice providers and verify that facilities are properly licensed and accredited, while also reporting any suspicious billing practices to state authorities.

# Hospice Fraud Summary Fraudulent hospice providers in Los Angeles County are allegedly stealing $3.5 billion from Medicare by billing for fake patients, unnecessary services, and poor care, with some operators even enrolling seniors without their knowledge. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz and California's Attorney General, the problem has grown into an "epidemic," enabled by lax oversight that allows individuals to own unlimited hospices and even apply from overseas. To protect yourself, verify any hospice enrollment directly with Medicare, ask your doctor about your care plan, and report suspicious billing or unsolicited hospice enrollment to your state's attorney general.

A 42-year-old Hawaii man was sentenced to four years in prison for defrauding a 79-year-old California man out of nearly $1.8 million between 2017 and 2024 through schemes involving a fraudulent yacht sale and unauthorized loans against the victim's home, ultimately leaving him homeless. The perpetrator used fabricated documents and false promises about tax benefits to gain control of the victim's assets and drain their value for personal spending. Anyone who suspects financial fraud targeting seniors should contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.

A Kailua man named John Tamahere McCabe was sentenced to four years in federal prison for defrauding a 79-year-old California man out of nearly $2 million over seven years through a yacht sale scam that left his victim homeless. McCabe befriended the elderly man and offered to sell his yacht, but instead forged documents to transfer ownership to himself and pocketed the sale proceeds. McCabe has been ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution and must be cautious of similar scams targeting seniors—verify all documents independently, never hand over assets to someone you've recently met, and consult with trusted family members or attorneys before major financial transactions.

A Hawaii man named John Tamahere McCabe was sentenced to four years in federal prison for defrauding a 79-year-old elderly California resident out of nearly $2 million through schemes involving a fake yacht sale and unauthorized loans against the victim's home, ultimately leaving the man homeless. McCabe used forged documents to steal the yacht sale proceeds and tricked the victim into transferring his condo into an LLC controlled by McCabe, which he then used to take out loans that he spent for personal use. To protect yourself from similar scams, be extremely cautious about transferring assets or giving financial control to anyone, verify all documents directly, and consult with independent financial or legal advisors before making major financial decisions—especially if you're elderly or vulnerable.

Scammers are using artificial intelligence to create fake student identities and submit fraudulent college financial aid applications, with nearly one-third of California community college applications in 2024 being fraudulent and costing $13 million in stolen funds. Victims of identity theft unknowingly accumulate student loan debt they never incurred, which can damage their credit and finances when collection efforts begin. To protect yourself, monitor your credit reports regularly, use strong passwords, and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with credit bureaus if you suspect identity theft.

Fraudsters on California's Central Coast are increasingly targeting everyone from elderly people to small business owners through sophisticated scams involving AI, fake real estate deals, and personalized attacks using information from social media. The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office is hosting free fraud prevention seminars to help residents recognize and avoid these schemes, emphasizing that scammers now use personal details gathered online to make their tactics appear legitimate. Attendees are advised to be skeptical of unsolicited communications that seem real, verify unexpected requests through official channels, and protect their personal information on social media.

California has revoked over 280 fraudulent hospice licenses in the past two years as part of a crackdown on schemes where operators enrolled Medicare patients in hospice care without their knowledge or proper services, potentially costing billions in taxpayer money. The fraud affected vulnerable elderly patients across multiple states including Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Georgia, and Ohio, with some operators using illegal tactics like "license flipping" to avoid regulatory oversight. Patients and their families should verify hospice provider legitimacy through state licensing boards and Medicare's official resources, and report suspicious enrollment or lack of services to federal authorities immediately.

California has been actively combating hospice fraud for years through a moratorium on new licenses, state investigations, and arrests, while the Trump administration has simultaneously defunded federal oversight of an industry that receives over $25 billion annually from Medicare. Patients and taxpayers have been vulnerable to fraud in hospice care, which is supposed to be rooted in compassion rather than profit-driven corruption. If you suspect hospice fraud, you can report it to the California Department of Justice, which has dedicated resources and educational initiatives to help affected individuals and families.

# AI Voice Scams Alert Criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to clone people's voices from social media posts and videos, then impersonating loved ones or government officials to trick victims into sending money—a trend already affecting families across San Diego County and California. These convincing scams typically involve urgent scenarios like a grandchild needing bail or a child in an accident, made more believable through spoofed phone numbers. To protect yourself, establish a family code word for emergencies, ask personal questions only the real person would know, call back using a known number to verify, resist pressure to act quickly, and never send money based on phone or text requests.

A 60-year-old Northern California woman lost her entire life savings of $176,000 after falling victim to a sophisticated job scam posing as a Facebook remote position. The scammers used AI-generated materials and realistic communication to convince her she was testing ad placement software, then instructed her to wire money through cryptocurrency platforms under the guise of conducting ads. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited remote job offers that seem too easy, avoid wiring money or using cryptocurrency for any legitimate employment, verify job opportunities directly through official company websites, and communicate only through official channels—not messaging apps like WhatsApp.

Two California residents, Auriona Lewis and Tatiyanna Foster, were arrested for using counterfeit $100 bills at approximately a dozen In-N-Out Burger locations across Los Angeles and Orange counties over several months. The scheme involved making small purchases with fake bills and pocketing the legitimate change—for example, buying a $5.92 burger to receive real currency in return. Customers and businesses should inspect cash carefully for signs of counterfeiting, report suspicious transactions to police immediately, and be aware that counterfeit money schemes can cause real financial harm to local restaurants and employees.

California cities and transit agencies are increasingly using camera-based enforcement to issue parking citations by mail rather than through traditional officer interactions, which has sparked alarm and made the situation ripe for scammers. Criminals are now creating fake parking citations with QR codes designed to steal money and personal information from residents. If you receive a citation, verify it directly with the issuing agency by phone or their official website rather than clicking any links or QR codes in the notice.

# Elder Fraud Prevention Initiative Expands Across Southern California Elder fraud is escalating nationwide with older adults losing billions of dollars annually to increasingly sophisticated scams involving impersonation, investment schemes, and AI-powered fraud. The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation, supported by a $200,000 Wells Fargo Foundation grant, is expanding free educational programs across Southern California to help seniors and their families recognize and prevent these crimes before they happen. To protect yourself, stay alert to urgent requests, verify caller identities through independent phone numbers, and never share personal or financial information with unsolicited contacts—education about these tactics is the most effective defense against becoming a victim.

Older adults nationwide lose billions of dollars annually to increasingly sophisticated scams involving investment fraud, impersonation schemes, and technology-driven attacks, prompting the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation to expand its fraud prevention education programs across Southern California with a $200,000+ grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. The foundation will reach more seniors, caregivers, and families through in-person and virtual education events, as scammers now use advanced tools like AI, voice cloning, and spoofed phone numbers to impersonate trusted contacts and institutions. Experts emphasize that the best defense is education and awareness before fraud occurs, rather than trying to recover losses after the fact.

Encinitas Senior Living, a California senior care facility, was caught up in a corporate restructuring after its parent company Pacifica Senior Living collapsed into bankruptcy in March 2025, but residents were told operations would continue unchanged under a newly created management company. Carl Knepler, a longtime Pacifica executive, reappeared in a leadership role at the new management entity, raising concerns about whether this represents genuine change or merely a "corporate shell game" designed to obscure continuity. Seniors and their families should scrutinize any facility changes closely, request detailed information about new ownership and management structures, and monitor billing and service quality carefully during transitions between operators.

Two Long Beach women, Auriona Lewis and Tatiyanna Foster, were arrested for allegedly using counterfeit $100 bills at about a dozen In-N-Out Burger locations across Southern California between September and October 2025, making small purchases to pocket large amounts of change. The scheme caused financial losses and operational disruptions to the restaurants, with police using security footage and receipts as evidence in their investigation. Businesses and employees should verify large bills carefully and report suspicious transactions to police, as authorities emphasize that financial crimes matter regardless of the amount involved.

A Taiwanese national named Chia Lai has been indicted on fraud charges for allegedly leading an international scam that stole millions of dollars from elderly Americans by draining their bank accounts through high-pressure financial schemes. His arrest involved coordination between federal and local authorities, though it was temporarily complicated when California officials initially refused to cooperate due to state sanctuary policies. Seniors should be cautious of unsolicited financial offers and pressure to move money quickly, and should verify any investment or financial advice directly with trusted banks or financial institutions before acting.

# Charity Scams Summary Scammers exploit people's generosity by impersonating legitimate charities through emails, texts, social media, phone calls, and fake websites, particularly during holidays and after disasters. To protect yourself while still giving, verify that charities are registered with the California Attorney General and have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with the IRS, avoid organizations that pressure you to donate immediately, and research unfamiliar charities through trusted resources like Charity Navigator before giving.

An elderly Los Angeles man with dementia was financially exploited by three defendants who stole his three properties and life savings, leaving him destitute and homeless while they spent his money on luxury vacations and shopping. A California court recently awarded the victim and his family over $47 million in combined verdicts against the three abusers, including punitive damages and compensation for pain and suffering. If you or a loved one suspect financial elder abuse, report it immediately to adult protective services or law enforcement, and consider consulting with an elder law attorney to protect assets and recover stolen property.

A 27-year-old California man has been sentenced to two years in prison after scamming an Illinois resident out of $40,000 through an impersonation scheme. The scammer contacted a rural Barry resident claiming his Social Security number was compromised and that he needed to pay a "federal officer" $40,000 in cash, then showed up at the victim's home to collect the money in person. To protect yourself from similar scams, be wary of unsolicited messages about account issues, remember that legitimate law enforcement will never demand cash payments at your door, and contact local authorities immediately if you're targeted.

Scammers in California are targeting residents with elaborate schemes involving fake romantic relationships, cryptocurrency investment platforms, and impersonations of Chinese police—costing victims their life savings by creating urgency and fear. The scams typically involve building trust through romance or investment education before stealing funds, or using intimidation tactics like threats of extradition to force victims to surrender their assets. To protect yourself, hang up on suspicious calls, never disclose personal information or send money to unsolicited requests, verify contact information through official channels, and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement.

# Fraud Summary A 73-year-old Michigan woman named Mary Carole McDonnell allegedly scammed California banks out of $30 million by falsely claiming to be an heir to McDonnell Aircraft Corporation with access to an $80 million trust fund. She used the stolen money to pay employees and cover business expenses for her struggling entertainment company, and the FBI believes she has since fled to Dubai. To protect yourself, be suspicious of anyone making unusual financial claims or asking for large sums based on inheritance stories, and verify any significant financial transactions through official channels before committing funds.

An 84-year-old senior citizen in Washington was nearly defrauded of $11,000 after scammers used a computer virus scare to convince them to mail cash to California, but quick action by a sheriff's deputy and employees at a local auto parts store successfully intercepted and recovered the full amount. Deputy Tim Neher tracked the UPS shipment to S and S Auto Value, where staff stayed late to help reverse the ground shipment before it reached its destination—a recovery that store employees noted is extremely rare in scam cases. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited warnings about computer viruses, never wire or mail cash to unknown recipients, and contact law enforcement immediately if you believe you've been scammed.

# Crypto Fraud Ring Summary A sophisticated criminal organization called the "Social Engineering Enterprise" has stolen approximately $263 million in Bitcoin from a single victim in Washington, D.C., with hundreds of millions more taken from other Americans, leading to nine guilty pleas so far including a 22-year-old California man. The organized crime ring, which operated since October 2023, used specialized roles such as hackers, fraudsters posing as exchange support staff, money launderers, and even burglars to steal cryptocurrency and hardware wallets from victims. To protect yourself, use strong unique passwords, enable multi-factor authentication on all crypto and financial accounts, be suspicious of unsolicited support requests from exchanges or email providers, and never grant remote access to your devices.

Federal prosecutors in Southern California charged 28 members of a Chinese organized crime ring with defrauding seniors out of $65 million since at least 2019, with the scheme involving overseas call centers in India and U.S.-based conspirators who posed as government officials and bank representatives to pressure victims into sending money via wire transfer, cash, or gift cards. The operation targeted thousands of Americans, including a 97-year-old San Diego widow who lost her entire life savings, and laundered proceeds through luxury vehicles and high-end rentals until federal agents seized $4.2 million and multiple vehicles including a Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. The breakthrough came partly from YouTube scam

April Guadalupe Hernandez was indicted by a Bernalillo County grand jury for assuming the identities of licensed nurses and illegally providing hospice care, including mis-transcribing a medication order that nearly resulted in a fatal morphine overdose. Hernandez, a certified nurse assistant, allegedly stole the identities of three nurses from Texas, California, and Kansas to gain employment at three healthcare facilities over 18 months, defrauding them of approximately $40,000. She faces 19 charges including identity theft, nursing without a license, elder abuse, and violations of the Nursing Practice Act, with a potential sentence of up to 27.5 years in prison

A 26-year-old certified nurse assistant in New Mexico, April Guadalupe Hernandez, was charged with 19 counts of misconduct including nursing without a license, identity theft, abuse of a resident, and fraud for falsifying nursing credentials and stealing identities of nurses from Texas, California, and Kansas. Over one year, Hernandez worked at three hospice centers using different name variations, claiming to hold higher nursing credentials than she possessed, and made a potentially fatal medication error (an overdose of morphine) that was caught before administration; she has an arraignment scheduled for September 8th.

A 66-year-old Southern California woman lost over $81,000 and nearly sold her home after being deceived by a romance scam using AI-generated deepfake videos and messages impersonating actor Steve Burton. The scammer manipulated her over more than a year before her daughter, acting as power of attorney, intervened to prevent the sale of the victim's $350,000 condo and subsequent $70,000 transfer. The family filed a lawsuit to reverse the home sale and is raising awareness about AI-enabled romance scams targeting elderly victims.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued an alert about ongoing text-based scam activity targeting state taxpayers, in which scammers impersonate the California Franchise Tax Board to trick victims into providing personal and financial information under the guise of tax refunds. These government imposter scams are part of a larger fraud problem, with scammers becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods. Consumers are advised to avoid clicking links in suspicious texts, verify messages directly with official agencies, and report suspected tax fraud to the IRS or California Franchise Tax Board.

Jonathan Tudor, a 64-year-old West Hollywood man, was arrested in July and is facing 78 criminal charges including elder theft, securities fraud, grand theft, money laundering, and forgery after defrauding 38 victims out of approximately $500,000. Tudor posed as a BMW luxury car executive and investment advisor, promising high-end vehicles and doubled investment returns that never materialized; detectives recovered over $250,000 in luxury goods from his home and found no evidence the vehicles existed. The scam victimized people across California, New York, and Washington dating back to 2023, with Tudor allegedly using funds from new victims to pay smaller returns to earlier victims in

A 66-year-old California woman lost her home and life savings after falling victim to an AI deepfake romance scam in October 2024. The scammer used artificial intelligence to create realistic video impersonations of soap opera actor Steve Burton and convinced Abigail Ruvalcaba they were in a romantic relationship, ultimately extracting over $81,000 in cash and checks, then pressuring her to sell her condo for $350,000 and surrender $70,000 of those proceeds. After the house-flipping company that purchased her home below market value refused to reverse the sale despite pleas from her family and attorneys, Abigail now faces eviction an

This article covers multiple bank fraud cases prosecuted in 2025. Former Cathay Bank manager Weixin "Tony" Chen was indicted on charges of siphoning funds from customers' home equity lines and deposit accounts across Southern California branches, facing up to 30 years per count. The article also highlights the case of Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for a sophisticated elder fraud scheme where he impersonated technical support and law enforcement to extract over $202,000 from elderly victims in Southern California and Arizona, including one victim who withdrew $28,000 after believing his computer was compromised.

Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for operating a tech support scam targeting seniors across Southern California and Arizona. Liu and his co-conspirators used pop-up windows to trick elderly victims into believing they had computer viruses, then impersonated bank representatives and government officials to convince victims to withdraw cash, stealing over $202,000 in just one week in June 2023 from victims in their 70s and 80s. One Poway, California victim lost $28,000 before becoming suspicious and alerting authorities, leading to Liu's arrest when he arrived at the victim's home to collect the money.

A Chase Bank and AARP awareness event in Sacramento educated approximately 50 seniors about fraud prevention after California consumers lost over $1.7 billion to fraud in 2024, with people aged 60+ suffering hundreds of millions in losses. Experts highlighted common scams targeting older adults through fear (utility shutoffs), excitement (lottery wins), and romance schemes, emphasizing that identity theft is the #1 form of fraud occurring every two seconds in the U.S. The presentation recommended securing personal documents in safes, updating passwords regularly, avoiding unsolicited calls and links, and reporting suspicious activity to prevent emotional and financial devastation.

Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a multinational fraud conspiracy targeting seniors in Southern California and Arizona. The scam involved posing as tech support specialists, bank representatives, and government officials to convince victims to withdraw cash under false pretenses; Liu personally collected over $202,000 from elderly victims in a single week in June 2023, with a 63-year-old Poway resident thwarting the scheme by reporting his suspicions to authorities before Liu could retrieve the victim's $28,000 withdrawal.

A 35-year-old Chinese national, Jiaci Liu, was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a tech support scam that defrauded six elderly victims in California and Arizona of over $200,000 in a single week. Liu collected cash from victims who were deceived by fake pop-up virus warnings and fraudulent bank representatives claiming unauthorized transfers were occurring; he was arrested at a Poway victim's home in June 2023 after the 63-year-old victim became suspicious when told a U.S. Marshals representative would pick up his $28,000 withdrawal. Liu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and at least one