Two Suspects Arrested in Scam Targeting Elderly Santa Barbara Resident

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two suspects Tuesday after intervening in an attempted scam that targeted an elderly Santa Barbara resident and sought tens of thousands of dollars under false pretenses.

On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at approximately 11:30 a.m., deputies responded to a call for assistance regarding a suspected scam.

The elderly victim reported that on the evening of Monday, February 23, she withdrew $25,000 in cash and handed it to a courier she believed to be a Deputy U.S. Marshal. The suspect contacted her again the following day demanding an additional $25,000.

The victim reported the suspects claimed her Social Security number and other personal identifying information had been compromised. The suspects told the victim they were attempting to prevent further exposure of her information and instructed her to provide a financial payment and implied adverse consequences if payment was not provided.

Deputies contacted two suspects when they arrived to collect the additional money. The suspects were identified as 21-year-old Khushal Singh of Tracy, and 21-year-old Guprakash Singh of Sacramento. Both were arrested and booked for felony violations including false personation, attempted grand theft, attempted financial elder abuse, and conspiracy to commit a crime. Bail was set at $50,000 for each suspect.

The Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that government agencies will never request payment in cash, cryptocurrency, or gift cards, nor will they send couriers to collect money. Residents are urged to be cautious of unsolicited calls requesting personal information or urgent financial transactions.

Anyone who receives similar calls is encouraged to hang up immediately and report the incident to local law enforcement.