The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 34-year-old woman from Los Angeles County on August 4, 2025, in connection with an attempted scam targeting an elderly resident in Goleta. Deputies recovered $30,000 that was intended for the scammers. The incident took place in the 500 block of Pine Avenue.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, a 77-year-old woman received a phone call from someone claiming to be from Amazon. The caller alleged there were unauthorized charges on her account and fraudulent bank accounts opened in her name. The call was then transferred to another person who said they were with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This individual instructed the victim to withdraw $30,000 from her bank accounts to resolve the supposed issues.
The scammers remained on the line while the victim withdrew cash at two Bank of America branches and told her how to explain the withdrawals if questioned by bank staff. They also requested photos of the cash, receipts, herself, and a sealed box containing the money.
The victim became suspicious after noticing misspellings in an email sent by one of the scammers. She contacted law enforcement while still speaking with them. Deputies and detectives worked with her to set up an operation that led to the arrest of Caihong Lei as she approached to collect the box near Pine Avenue. Lei was taken into custody as she walked toward a Mercedes SUV parked nearby. The Sheriff’s Office helped return all $30,000 to the victim’s bank account.
Lei was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on charges including grand theft by false pretense and conspiracy to commit fraud. Her bail was set at $500,000 due to what authorities described as “the severity of the crime.” Detectives are investigating whether this case is connected to broader organized scam networks.
On that same day, two other similar scams occurred: one in Goleta where $40,000 was lost and another in Montecito involving $45,000. Both cases involved victims being pressured into withdrawing large sums under false pretenses. Investigations into these incidents are ongoing.
Sheriff Bill Brown said, “These cases demonstrate the critical importance of community awareness and quick action in combating these heartless scams. Our deputies’ swift response in the Pine Avenue case protected this resident and prevented further victimization, but the additional scams underscore the urgent need for vigilance.”
The Sheriff’s Office advises residents not to act on unsolicited calls about account problems without independently verifying claims using official contact information from company websites. Officials remind people that legitimate organizations do not request cash withdrawals or personal photos and urge anyone who suspects a scam to report it immediately.
More information can be found at www.sbsheriff.org.
