Shoebox filled with $30,000 leads to arrest of accused scammer, California cops say

A 22-year-old was arrested after posing as a government official before swindling $30,000 out of a woman, California officials said.

On Feb. 25, a woman got a call from an unknown suspect later identified as Haoyang Song of Alhambra, who claimed to work for the United States Treasury Department, according to a news release by the Chino Hills police department.

Song asked the woman to withdraw $30,000 out of her current bank account after convincing her it was “not safe,” officers said. She complied and gave him the cash when he showed up at her home, according to police.

When Song called the woman again and demanded more money, she realized it was a scam and filed a police report, officials said.

Detectives then arranged for another $30,000 exchange and told Song the money would be placed in a shoebox, officials said.

Once Song took the shoebox from the woman’s home, he was arrested, officials said.

Officers believe Song is associated with an organized crime group that focuses on targeting people through phone scams, officials said.

He was charged with grand theft, attempted grand larceny, conspiracy, elder abuse, and theft by false pretenses, officials said.

Anyone with information about Song or the scheme is asked to call 909-364-2000, the release said.

Chino Hill is about a 35-miles drive east of downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Shoebox filled with $30,000 leads to arrest of accused scammer, California cops say."