SRPD PCI Detectives Arrest Suspect in Courier Scam Targeting Senior Citizens

On July 1, 2025, a 74-year-old resident of Santa Rosa reported to SRPD that she had possibly been scammed out of $43,000. She reported receiving a pop-up notification on her iPad advising her to contact her service provider’s security center and was provided with a phone number. The victim called the number and a man posing as a security agent advised her that her bank accounts were compromised, then transferred her to another person, claiming that person was employed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).  

When speaking with the man impersonating an FTC officer, the victim was instructed to withdraw several thousands of dollars in cash from her bank account that would eventually be used to “recover her account.” She was told once the account was recovered, the money would be returned.  

The victim went to her bank and remained on the phone with the FTC imposter, who was likely advising her that the bank employees were taking part in the scam and would try to dissuade her from withdrawing the funds. The money was later picked up at the victim’s home by an “undercover agent” of the FTC.  

The following day, the FTC imposter called the victim and asked if she had checked her bank account. After confirming she had checked the account, the imposter told her that action triggered another compromise of her account, and she needed to withdraw additional funds to remedy the situation. The victim repeated the process of withdrawing cash and providing it to the person posing as an undercover agent. It was later learned the victim downloaded an app commonly used to control devices remotely at the instruction of the first security agent imposter she had spoken to, likely allowing the scammers to monitor her online activity and view her financial accounts. 

SRPD Property Crimes Investigations Team (PCI) detectives and an SRPD Crime Analyst began investigating this case, to include a review of home security camera footage, vehicle registration information, and information about similar cases in other jurisdictions shared with SRPD by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office and El Cerrito Police Department. Based on information learned in the preliminary investigation, PCI detectives believed Zhishen Zheng, a 30-year-old man from China, was likely a suspect in the Santa Rosa fraud investigation.  

On July 26, 2025, detectives with the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) Property Crimes Investigations Team (PCI) received notification from an NCSO detective that officers with the Vallejo Police Department had interrupted a courier scam involving Zheng. Zheng was subsequently arrested and turned over to NCSO detectives to be booked into Napa County Jail for his involvement in their similar fraud investigation.  SRPD PCI detectives went to Napa to continue their investigation and determined Zheng was the courier who had picked up cash from the Santa Rosa victim on both occasions and was a knowing participant of the fraud. 

Zheng had posted bail in Napa County, but was immediately taken into custody by SRPD PCI detectives, who had secured an arrest warrant with a bail amount of $1,000,000. Zheng was transported to the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility and booked for the following charges: 

368(d)(1) PC – Financial elder abuse 

532(a) PC – Obtain money by false pretenses 

487 PC – Grand theft  

The Santa Rosa Police Department urges seniors and their families to stay informed and vigilant against financial scams, including courier fraud, tech support scams, and impersonation schemes. Criminals often target older adults with tactics designed to create urgency and fear. We encourage everyone to take a few minutes to watch our “Financial Frauds & Scams” video on YouTube, which provides valuable tips on how to recognize and avoid these deceptive practices: https://youtu.be/2U2arkfZ50s. Knowledge is one of the best defenses—please share this resource with loved ones. 

Thank you to the Vallejo Police Department, El Cerrito Police Department, and Napa County Sheriff’s Office for the excellent police work and information sharing that led to this arrest.  

Santa Rosa Police Department case number 25-7439. 

Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Patricia Seffens, Public Information Officer, at 707-543-3634 or pseffens@srcity.org.