Fraud Suspect Arrested After Allegedly Posing as Customs Officer to Scam Elderly Couple
SONOMA COUNTY, CA — “On May 29, 2026, a Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of fraud involving an elderly couple who had been manipulated into handing over approximately $28,000.
The victims reported receiving repeated phone calls from unknown suspects claiming to be a U.S. Customs Officer. The caller falsely told the victims a family member had been detained and demanded money for legal expenses to secure their release. The caller instructed the victims to do a series of wire transfers and then to withdraw cash and provide it to couriers in various locations throughout Sonoma County.
Investigators determined the scheme matched a growing fraud trend commonly referred to as a ‘courier scam’ in which suspects impersonate government officials, attorneys, or law enforcement personnel to pressure victims into making immediate cash payments.
Deputies coordinated a plan to monitor the victim’s residence after the suspects advised a courier would arrive at the victim’s home. On May 30, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the victim called the deputy and let him know there was an unknown man knocking on their front door. The deputy arrived shortly after and contacted the suspect. The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Marco Antonio Garcia-Hernandez of Los Banos.
Garcia-Hernandez told deputies he had been instructed through text messages and WhatsApp communications to travel to Sonoma County and collect a package from the victim’s residence. Investigators believe Garcia-Hernandez was acting as a courier within a larger organized fraud operation targeting elderly victims.
Garcia-Hernandez was arrested on charges of:
Penal Code 368(D)(1)- Theft Of An Elder Adult ($950+)
Penal Code 532(A)- Obtain Money By False Pretenses
Penal Code 664/487(A)- Attempted Grand Theft (Money)
Out of County Warrant
He is currently being held without bail.
This case highlights the growing threat of scams targeting elderly and vulnerable community members. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office urges the public to remain cautious of unsolicited phone calls demanding money.”
