Ojai Woman Saved from $10,000 Wells Fargo Scam by Sheriff and Postal Service

An Ojai, California, woman was recently saved from losing approximately $10,000 in a fraud scheme. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Postal Service intervened, recovering the funds before they were sent to Florida. The incident occurred on February 20, 2025, when the 66-year-old woman received a call from an individual identifying himself as 'Christopher Anderson.' He claimed fraudulent charges had been made on her credit card in Florida and instructed her to close her current account and open a new one. The man convinced the woman to withdraw $10,000 and mail it to a Florida address. Ojai Sheriff's detectives collaborated with U.S. Postal Service investigators to intercept the package before it reached its destination, returning the money to the victim. Authorities suspect the name provided by the perpetrator was false. The Sheriff's Office reminds the public that financial institutions never request funds to be withdrawn or mailed in cases of suspected fraud. Individuals contacted in such a manner should directly contact their financial institution or law enforcement to verify the activity.