Member-only story
Scammers Bring New Meaning To “Brand Safety”
A woman in Westchester, New York recently was convinced of two things: first, that her identity had been stolen. Second, that false bank accounts had been opened using her name and Social Security number. Dirty money, explained a man who identified himself as an FBI agent, was being laundered through accounts across Ohio, Florida, Kentucky and other states. As a result, the woman was being watched by local and federal authorities who were going to freeze her assets in the next 48 hours.
The dialogue expanded as Monica (not her real name) was bounced between fake bank officials who had employee numbers and faces and job experiences posted online. Supposed Federal officers, also with badge numbers, convinced Monica of her culpability in the alleged money laundering scheme. The kicker: she was advised not to tell anyone, because everyone around her was also suspect — including her husband, financial advisor, tax accountant, parents and friends.
Displaying empathy, the “federal agents” were sympathetic about Monica’s financial predicament. And they had a solution. There was a workaround, they explained: bury some cash in gift cards that you can use as spending money.
