Man Arrested for Elder Abuse
November 27, 2024 – Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on November 12, 2024, an elderly 
female received a scam email of someone posing as McAfee Customer Service telling her that her antivirus program had expired. The victim responded to the email and contacted a scammer who took control of her computer. The scammer then transferred $60,000 dollars from her money market account into her checking account. He then convinced the victim she owed him $60,000 dollars. The victim gave him an initial payment of $30,000 dollars.
On November 13, 2024, the scammer called the victim and demanded $30,000 dollars. He told her he would arrange to pick up the money the following day. The victim told her son about the pickup, and her son contacted law enforcement. Stanislaus Sheriff's Office General Crimes Unit immediately began investigating the case.
On November 14, 2024, an undercover operation was conducted. Undercover detectives waited for the scammer to pick up the money at the victim's residence. At about 12:30 p.m., Zhongqiang Chen, a 35-year-old male from Oakland, was arrested when he arrived at the victim's home as arranged.
Chen was booked for violation of false or fraudulent representation, using a forged access card to obtain more than $400 dollars, grand theft of more than $400 dollars, and elder abuse. He is being held on $110,000 bail.
The case is still under investigation, and it is unknown if there are any additional victims or suspects.
The Sheriff's Office is devoted to the safety of our community and its elderly. We want to remind the public that scammers are good at pretending to be from an organization. They will often tell you there is a problem, for example, that you owe money to the government, that someone in your family had an emergency, a problem with your bank account, or a virus on your computer. Others will say you won a lottery or sweepstakes, but you must first pay a fee.
Scammers will pressure you to act immediately. If not, there will be consequences, like arrest or suspension of privileges. They will ask you to pay using a specific method, such as an app or money order.
To avoid scams, do not provide personal or financial information in response to a request you did not make. Honest organizations will not call, email, or text to ask for personal information. Please resist the pressure to act immediately. An honest business will give you time to make a decision. Please stop and talk to someone you trust before you do anything else.
Source: Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office
