Retired couple speaks out after being scammed out of $845,000, losing their life savings

COVINA, Calif. -- A retired California couple is speaking out after they were scammed out of $845,000, losing nearly all of their life savings.

It all started when Peter and Diane Hata received a call in February 2025 from someone impersonating an U.S. Postal Service worker. The scammer accused the Hatas of shipping illegal guns and claimed that the FBI was conducting an active investigation.

"Naturally, you want to find out what happened because you want to clear your name," said Peter Hata.

After being transferred to a video conference with a purported FBI agent, they were informed that they could expedite their case through sending money.

"We jumped at it because we were scared out of our minds," said Peter Hata.

Over the course of several months after, the couple sent the scammers tens of thousands of dollars through cryptocurrency. They even went as far as taking out an equity loan on their home of 37 years.

"All this time they kept reassuring us that you'd get your money back soon," said Peter Hata. "I know this is hard for people to believe, but these people were extremely convincing."

The scammers even used spoofed phone numbers and fake FBI documents to convince the couple to continue sending money.

After facing financial issues due to the excessive payments, the couple called the FBI and realized that they were being scammed. They were informed that there were no such agents with those names.

The Hatas reported the scammers to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"I feel like I am stuck," said Diane Hata. She now suffers from anxiety and depression because of the incident.

Their family and friends have set up a GoFundMe to support them during these difficult times.

Experts warn that law enforcement will never call and ask for personal information. It's important to verify a caller's authenticity by contacting your local police station before taking any action.