We never imagined this could happen to us.
We are an 84-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman, and we were systematically targeted, manipulated, and robbed of more than $100,000 through a calculated fraud scheme involving gift cards, cryptocurrency, and cash demands. The scammers didn’t just call or message us — they escalated, pushing the scheme further and further until they were ready to show up at our own home.
That’s when law enforcement stepped in.
Michigan State Police intercepted the person sent to collect our money — the suspected courier, _Yahui Zhu_, a 44-year-old woman from West Covina, California. She was arrested on January 16 before the final cash exchange could take place, stopping us from losing even more.
Yahui Zhu is now being held in the Midland County Jail on a $500,000 bond, charged with false pretenses involving $20,000 or more. She was arraigned by Magistrate Gerald Ladwig and is scheduled for a probable cause hearing on February 3 before Judge Michael Carpenter.
Investigators made it clear this was not a small mistake or misunderstanding. This was organized fraud. The scammers used fear, pressure, and deception — the same tactics being used across the state and across the country, especially against older victims like us.
Lieutenant Ashley Miller of the Michigan State Police confirmed that these scams are becoming more aggressive, with criminals now sending people in person to force victims into handing over cash. That’s exactly what they tried to do to us.
Thankfully, the troopers acted fast. Their intervention stopped the scam in progress and prevented us from losing everything.
And let this be said loudly and clearly — because this is how they trapped us:
The Federal Trade Commission will NEVER:
- Threaten you
- Tell you to move or “protect” your money
- Ask for gift cards, cryptocurrency, cash, or gold
- Send anyone to your home to collect money
Anyone who does any of that is not helping you.
They are stealing from you.
This wasn’t confusion.
This wasn’t an accident.
This was a deliberate scam, and we were the targets.