Jannise Johnson | DailyBulletin.com

ONTARIO - A quick-thinking bank teller stopped a 70-year-old woman from being scammed out of her money, police said.

The act resulted in the arrest of four Los Angeles residents on charges of conspiracy, elder abuse and fraud.

The woman targeted for the scam told police she was approached about 1:45 p.m. Thursday at Fourth Street and Vineyard Avenue by a female who claimed to have won money playing the lottery. The supposed lottery winner told the woman she could not cash the lottery ticket because she was in the country illegally.

She told the woman that she would give her the ticket and they could split the winnings, but this would take place only if the woman advanced her some money.

In order to further convince the woman of the legitimacy of the scam, she let the woman speak to someone on her cell phone who claimed to be a lawyer, according to an Ontario police statement.

She, along with a male, then drove the woman to the Wells Fargo bank at 240 N. Euclid Ave. so the withdrawal could be made.

During the transaction, a teller suspected the woman was being forced to withdraw the money and had the bank manager confront the male.

The male fled the bank. He and his accomplice were seen getting into a rented Jeep Cherokee. A witness followed the Jeep onto Euclid and called police from a cell phone.

Before their arrest, the suspects began to throw large stacks of paper out of the vehicle's window. Investigators said they believe the paper was grouped together with rubber bands to look like large amounts of cash.

The couple were arrested, along with two other people, on Euclid near the bank, Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee said. All four were arrested in the Jeep.

Those arrested were identified as Jose German Perez-Rodero, 56; Juan Carlos Moreno, 46; Steffany Sanchez Moreno, 24; and Diana Rojas, 40; all of Los Angeles, according to a police statement. They are being held at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Police could not confirm which two entered the bank with the woman.

Approaching these situations with caution can help people avoid being ripped off, Higbee said.

"Usually, if it sounds too good to be true, it is," he said. "It's unfortunate that crooks doing these scams are targeting elderly people. They are more vulnerable and more trusting."