[00:00:18] Will: Welcome back to AARP - The Perfect Scam.
Uh, they do programs with me in many of the states around.
We get thousands of people come out.
We do the podcasts here to help educate people.
Anybody can learn from this and it’s open to anyone.
[00:03:03] Will: You mentioned the attorney generals in each state.
The attorney general of Kentucky is actually doing quite a bit to protect victims.
In the last four years they’ve returned 2.1 million dollars to victims.
They work alone, in groups, around the world, and right here at home.
They go after seniors, Millennials, women, men.
They’ll uncover our weaknesses, they’ll hone in on victims who are alone and vulnerable.
They meet people who have given their last dollars to scammers.
Others who’ve fallen in love only to realize they’re caught up in a scam.
Those stories are often difficult to hear.
One of those people is Mike Smithers.
He’s well-versed in the world of scams.
[00:04:29] Mike Smithers: Yeah, I mean they’re all personal.
He cares so much about the people that he helps.
Uh, and he is a self-starter.
Kentucky’s efforts are paying off.
Over 2 million dollars has been returned to victims in the last four years alone.
[00:05:59] Andy Bashir: I, I was raised in Kentucky.
I’m, I’m Kentucky born and bred.
And cracking down on scams and protecting seniors has been one of our core missions in the office.
After a long career in law enforcement, Mike now works fulltime investigating consumer fraud for the state.
He knows who scam artists are looking for because he meets victims all the time and hears their stories.
In 2015, Pat started getting phone calls telling her she’d won cash and prizes.
On the money side they’ll say, oh you won $100,000, and that’s incredible.
We can’t just send that through the mail.
We need you to bond and insure it, and that’ll cost you about $1500.
[00:08:23] Will: And the calls come in daily, not just once or twice.
She just got continuous calls.
She’s Pat’s only living relative.
[00:09:36] Will: Mike goes to work.
He meets with Pat in person and starts getting to know her.
[00:09:40] Mike Smithers: Her demeanor was fine.
[00:10:01] Mike Smithers: She’s just one of the callers that would call her.
I mean if she, it was an ongoing process.
She felt very close to this individual, ‘cause she made her feel very important.
It’s insidious, and one of the reasons why Kentucky Attorney General Andy Bashir takes this fight personally.
And we, we’ve got to see to it that we protect those dollars at all costs.
And, and I jumped out of the car and I gave her a big hug.
I’d never met her, but she hugged me back ‘cause I was still holding that check.
She, she was going to be made whole.
[00:12:10] Mike Smithers: It was all taxes.
I mean she was very efficient.
They were very convincing.
[00:12:58] Will: Mike starts to discover how much money Pat has wired to scammers.
[00:13:08] Will: So where, again, where is the money going?
Mike starts with the money trail.
[00:13:12] Mike Smithers: Well the, I mean the simplest thing is just follow the money.
[00:13:25] Will: As you might probably tell, Mike Smithers is understated.
This, nothing happens quick.
[00:13:42] Will: So tracking where the money’s going is just the first step.
The checks are getting picked up in Miami, and later sent on to Costa Rica.
[00:14:19] Mike Smithers: They’re all working as a group.
Um, I think they all knew each other from childhood in Costa Rica.
That means more paperwork and a grand jury.
[00:15:35] Will: The men are picked up and extradited back to Kentucky.
With the scammers behind bars in Kentucky now, they finally have to answer to the chargers against them.
They got to pay restitution of $104,000 back to her of the 350 that’s lost.
[00:16:19] Will: Their sentences, no time behind bars is not uncommon.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing according to Mike Smithers.
So you have to weigh what’s more important at that point.
[00:17:07] Mike Smithers: And they’re held accountable.
So it’s generally what happens in these cases, I found.
You know, people call some of these calls robo calls, they’re not.
The three men are now paying back at least some of that money they stole.
But Mike Smithers knows many of the scammers are still on the loose and probably still scamming victims.
This isn’t complicated, It’s being our brothers and sisters keeper.
Uh, I’d like to see more do it.
I’d like to see more of these state attorney generals join forces with AARP.
You don’t have to do this; this matters a lot to you.
[00:22:21] Frank Abagnale: Yes.
[00:22:22] Will: Protecting people and talking about scams.
I would never do that.
[00:22:42] Will: We’ll let you know.
[00:23:09] Frank Abagnale: Glad to be on here.
You’ve got a long day to think about all these things.
[00:23:14] Frank Abagnale: That’s right, I’ve got plenty of time.
[00:23:18] Frank Abagnale: Thank you, Will, thanks.
Be sure to find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
For AARP - The Perfect Scam, I’m Will Johnson.
Pat cant believe her luck.
Unaware that the call is a scam, she begins speaking with the scammers multiple times a day.
Slowly they gain Pats trust, and she starts sending money to the scammers.
Eventually the scammers take over $100,000 from Pat.
Unfortunately, Pats story is common among lottery-scam victims.
In the last four years the Kentucky Attorney Generals office has returned $2.1 million to victims of fraud.
For instance, if you are looking for a job you are more vulnerable to a work-at-home scam.
