[00:00:14] Will: For AARP - The Perfect Scam, I’m Will Johnson.
Welcome back to a new round of stories.
And we couldn’t do all this without our AARP Fraud Watch internet Ambassador, Frank Abagnale.
Frank, welcome back.
It’s good to see you once again.
[00:00:34] Frank Abagnale: Great to be here.
Thanks for having me.
What have you been up to?
Well, for one, I know you’ve written a book.
I didn’t pick the title, the publisher did.
The book is published by Random House.
Is it just reading, researching, talking to people?
Their businesses they represent have scams perpetrated against them, and I read a lot.
“Uh, no, I’ve heard about it, but I haven’t received it.”
“Well, have you paid the fee?”
“Oh, I didn’t know there was a fee.”
“Yeah, there’s a $35 fee.”
“Oh, well how do I pay that?”
So some scam artist said, well, let’s create a scam based around that.
[00:03:38] Frank Abagnale: Yes.
[00:03:38] Will: And of course, Frank has had a long career with the FBI.
[00:03:48] Frank Abagnale: Yes.
And have you been to Jamaica?
[00:03:57] Frank Abagnale: Been to Jamaica a few times, yes.
[00:04:07] Frank Abagnale: No.
And postal inspectors are especially dedicated to the cause, devoting manpower and resources and securing several convictions.
What’s made it a hot bed for lottery scammers to thrive?
[00:06:02] Will: And they’ll come right out and say that to you?
[00:06:03] Dominic Reilly: Yes.
It’s glorified in, in some of the new songs.
[00:06:57] Will: Dominic knows of six cases of suicide tied to lottery scams.
Brian Witt has worked for the United States Postal Inspection Service for almost 24 years.
He’s investigated crimes of all shapes and sizes.
[00:08:19] Will: What are the conditions that make that something that happens with, in Jamaica?
I mean the economic reality for a lot of people.
[00:08:26] Brian Witt: Certainly.
It’s a number of things that actually did enabled them to do that.
[00:09:15] Brian Witt: Certainly.
Everyone in that chain is a victim.
That’s a common statement that they’re advised of.
It’s almost frightening the extent that they’re able to control people’s action.
[00:13:06] Will: This story begins in September 2017.
Brian Witt is called to a retirement community in Georgetown, Texas, a suburb of Austin.
[00:13:28] Will: Brian learns that the couple might have lost almost $40,000.
As time went on, he learned that the losses were even more staggering.
[00:13:47] Will: Brian shows up at the couple’s home.
The husband and wife are in their mid-70s, married for over 50 years.
But when he arrives, he sees there’s a moving truck parked in front of the house.
[00:13:57] Brian Witt: All of their belongings were being moved out.
[00:13:59] Will: Unbeknownst to you…
[00:14:00] Brian Witt: Unbeknownst to me.
Upon arriving at the house, what I found was a situation that was much worse.
They had liquidated all the other equity that they had in the home.
Again, this was their retirement home.
This was a home which two, three years prior to that, they had owned outright.
[00:14:56] Will: Brian is coming across the scene of a scam that he’ll never forget.
The moving truck is just the first sign that things are really spinning out of control.
He knocks on the door and is met with a degree of skepticism he’s grown used to.
I’m carrying a badge and a gun, handcuffs.
And that’s nothing more than a voice on the phone.
Just a voice on the phone.
Like many victims, it starts out with a cold call.
[00:17:08] Will: Taxes and payments they needed to make so you can collect their winnings.
[00:17:12] Brian Witt: Right.
And over time a relationship develops, but in this case, not just a friendship.
[00:19:23] Brian Witt: It did.
[00:20:19] Brian Witt: Correct.
[00:21:20] Will: Brian has to move quickly.
He and the husband go to their bank.
Yes, this is a fraud.
Yes, this is a fraud.
She had never met this individual.
She was purporting her love for him and yet, he was just a voice on the phone.
[00:23:28] Will: But the next chapter in this story will truly shock you.
And the next time Brian would see the couple, would be under far more dire circumstances.
But we’re looking at it in our own mind.
We’re not looking at it in the mind of the person who actually gets involved.
Second, you do have to be careful with calls that come out of Jamaica and Nigeria.
[00:26:13] Frank Abagnale: But they’re everywhere.
[00:26:55] Frank Abagnale: Absolutely.
She doesn’t really understand what’s going on.
This is not correct, or that person can report it to the necessary authorities.
[00:27:47] Will: Alright, Frank.
Be sure to find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
For The Perfect Scam, I’m Will Johnson.
According to the voice on the phone, shes won an overseas lottery.
Millions of dollars and a new luxury car will be delivered to her front door.
At first, shes told she needs to pay taxes, then lawyers fees.
As the demands to send cash mount, her bank account is drained.
Nine months later, the couple has lost everything and is forced to sell their home.
The island nation of Jamaica is a hotbed for this criminal activity.
For instance, if you are looking for a job you are more vulnerable to awork-at-home scam.
