Suspect arrested after Apple Valley senior turns tables on would-be scammer
A 75-year-old Apple Valley man scammed a would-be scammer when he arranged to have the alleged con man greeted by deputies this week, authorities said.
The series of events started with a "pop-up" advertisement that appeared on the victim's computer on Thursday, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
"The pop-up ad told him he had been scammed and directed him to call a phone number for help," sheriff's officials said in a written statement. "The victim dialed the number and was informed his information was compromised. The victim was instructed to withdraw $35,000 and meet an agent who would collect the funds to fix the problem."
The intended victim recognized the scam and reported it to the sheriff's department about 2:40 p.m.
Officials said the victim arranged to have the suspect pick up the money at his home in the Jess Ranch neighborhood of Apple Valley.
"Deputies with Apple Valley Police Department arrived to assist at the victim's residence," the statement said. "Shortly after, the suspect arrived at the residence to collect the $35,000 cash."
Alex Yu, 29, of San Francisco was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of attempted fraud, jail records show.
He was released on bond Friday morning pending legal proceedings.
Sheriff's officials reminded residents to be wary of online scams.
"Thousands of Americans are scammed everyday by criminals playing on the emotions of people," the statement said. "Banks and government agencies will not ask you to withdraw large amounts of money and meet with agents."
More: Man accused of operating illegal dental practice out of Hesperia home
Anyone who has experienced a similar fraud attempted was encouraged to contact Deputy R. Grissom of the Apple Valley Sheriff's Station at (760) 240-7400, or Sheriff's Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Information may also be provided anonymously to the We-Tip hotline at (800) 782-7463.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Apple Valley senior turns tables on would-be scammer, suspect arrested
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USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
LA riots proved Trump right – but he learned a hard lesson about immigration
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The most interesting aspect of the 2025 Los Angeles immigration raids and riots is how quickly they vanished from the news. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, had just punched his 15 minutes of fame on June 12 when the Israeli air force took off for Tehran and whispers of World War III wiped LA from the national consciousness. Padilla was back on the U.S. Senate floor five days later trying to reprise the impromptu speech he gave after the Trump FBI ran him out of a Homeland Security news conference and handcuffed him on the floor. But his words were lost in the torrent of news flashes from the Middle East. Americans were talking about bunker busters and missile defense, the Mullahs and Bibi. Burning Waymos had become an afterthought. Trump can't deport all immigrants, try as he might In those few smoke-filled days, however, Los Angeles had reaffirmed a long established truth in this country: It's a lot easier to bring migrants into America than to push them out. If the Trump administration had ambitions of deporting every last one of the 11 million-plus undocumented immigrants now in the United States – and don't put it past White House aide Stephen Miller to believe he can do that – today the president is the wiser. He has to be. Right? For a moment, it looked like President Donald Trump would backtrack from deporting undocumented farm and hospitality workers, but already facing a MAGA insurrection on Iran, he quickly reversed, yet again. But Trump has to know. There isn't enough time, money, federal officers or political capital to repeat for much longer what happened in Los Angeles. History is clear: Americans won't stand for it You can deport violent offenders by the millions, as the Obama administration proved over and over, but you'll never deport the millions of migrants whose only crime was to cross the U.S.-Mexico border to partake in American prosperity. History keeps teaching that lesson: 'Operation Wetback,' 1954. The program to deport Mexican workers is short-lived and highly controversial, even in the Eisenhower era. The program to deport Mexican workers is short-lived and highly controversial, even in the Eisenhower era. California Proposition 187, 1994. The successful ballot measure to cut off migrants from social services ends in its obliteration by the courts. The California Republican Party slinks into irrelevancy. The successful ballot measure to cut off migrants from social services ends in its obliteration by the courts. The California Republican Party slinks into irrelevancy. 'Chandler Roundup,' 1997. The papers-please arrests of those who look undocumented leads to recriminations and recall efforts against the mayor and two council members. The papers-please arrests of those who look undocumented leads to recriminations and recall efforts against the mayor and two council members. Arizona Senate Bill 1070, 2010. 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'Even after taking into account today's larger U.S. population, the recent surge is the most rapid since at least 1850,' The Times reported. By 2023, the share of the U.S. population born in another country had soared to a new high ‒ 15.2%, The Times reported. In California that number is much larger – 27%, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. As for Los Angeles County, a third of its residents are now foreign born. It is not a political statement to say that mass migration is disruptive. Virtually everywhere you see it today, in the United States, Western Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, it roils the masses. There is a reaction, and one that is often consequential. Trump is the least of California's problems The Los Angeles ICE raids were the reaction to the Biden immigration surge. Trump swooped in with federal agents, National Guard and the U.S. military with little or no consultation with his California counterparts. That triggered a counterreaction. 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Boston Globe
6 hours ago
- Boston Globe
The guy helping to ‘bring hell' to Boston? He's from Boston.
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Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Cyberattack on grocery supplier reveals fragility of US food supply
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