Scammers in San Diego County are increasingly sending couriers to victims’ homes to collect cash in person, a shift authorities say is making fraud schemes more dangerous — especially for seniors.

San Diego DA concerned over rise of scams using couriers

District Attorney Summer Stephan said these so-called courier scams are now the most common type of fraud seen locally, as criminals move away from tactics involving wire transfers, cryptocurrency and gift cards.

“The courier scam is the No. 1 scam,” Stephan said.

Stephan explained that improved safeguards by banks and retailers have made it harder for scammers to use their go-to payment methods, forcing them to adapt.

“They now come to your home and actually pick up the money!” Stephan said.

San Diego DA Summer Stephan shares her concern about the rise of couriers showing up at victims’ homes as part of a scam operation.

In one recent case, Carlsbad Police arrested a suspected scam courier during a sting operation. Investigators said the man was attempting to collect $20,000 from an elderly victim before realizing he was being followed and trying to run away. Officers quickly surrounded and arrested him.

According to the district attorney, these couriers often travel from outside the area, mostly Los Angeles, and show up directly at victims’ homes — a tactic that can be especially alarming.

The shift comes as losses continue to mount. In 2025 alone, seniors in the region reported losing $140 million to scams.

Many cases begin with a pop-up message on a computer or a call claiming there is a problem with a bank account. Victims are then persuaded to withdraw large sums of money to “protect” their funds.

Scam victims tend to be senior citizens

In November, an Oceanside veteran, Tom Eberhardt, handed $24,000 in cash to a man he believed was helping with a compromised bank account.

In another case in March, 78-year-old Stephen, who’s from San Diego, handed $35,000 to someone he believed was a federal agent. Police are now investigating whether that suspect is connected to the courier arrested in Carlsbad.

Tom Eberhardt of Oceanside and Stephen of San Diego gave thousands to couriers who were part of two different elaborate scams.

“The guy was smart,” Stephen said. “He could see I had a rRng camera on my front door, so he never came in view of the camera.”

The DA’s office said these fraud operations are often tied to organized crime networks.

“There are multiple cells, but they are definitely part of organized crime,” Stephan said. “So every time we catch a courier, we do our investigation through the Elder Justice Task Force. We go through their phone, their connections.”

Authorities say many scams originate overseas, with local couriers playing a key role in collecting money. In some cases, victims are instructed to convert cash into gold bars or even hand over ATM cards to avoid detection.

“Because money can be potentially traceable, they now ask seniors to convert the money to gold bars sometimes,” Stephan said. “The latest scam, they actually pick up the actual ATM card of the victim.”

Severe consequences

The financial and emotional toll can be severe. Stephan said some victims have expressed despair after losing their life savings.

“We’ve had seniors tell us they’ve considered ending their life because they don’t want to be a burden on someone else and their family,” Stephan said.

Officials say undercover sting operations like the one in Carlsbad are critical to slowing the rise of these crimes and holding those involved accountable.

Stephan urges the public to remain cautious, avoid handing money to strangers and report suspicious activity.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.