On Monday, October 13, 2025, Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) deputies received a report from a financial institution that one of their clients had fallen prey to a fraudulent phone scam.
The victim reported on October 9th of receiving a call from an individual claiming to represent their bank and falsely stating that the victim’s account had been compromised.
The scammer instructed the victim to transfer funds through Bitcoin and provide an additional cash payment to an unknown individual, resulting in a total estimated loss of $25,000.
On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the victim was contacted again by the same scammer requesting an additional $50,000 in cash. The victim promptly alerted the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies, working in coordination with a local bank, arranged a mock cash drop to intercept the suspect.
When the suspect arrived to collect the money, deputies apprehended him without incident.
The suspect, Edward Ho, 37, of Pomona, California, was booked into the Yuma County Detention Center for Criminal Impersonation, Attempted Theft, and Fraudulent Schemes.
The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office is reminding the community to “stay vigilant when receiving unsolicited calls or messages requesting money or gift cards. Financial institutions or government agencies will not contact you to have you move money from your account or deposit money into a bitcoin machine. Contact your financial institution directly or law enforcement before sending funds or sharing personal information.”
Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to contact the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office at 928-783-4427 or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous. You can also visit yumacountysheriff.org to submit an anonymous tip.
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