A scam in Wichita, Kansas has left a man in his mid-70s out of $15,000.
Last summer, a man received a call from an individual who identified themselves as an Amazon representative. This caller informed the man that his Amazon account had been compromised and that he was unknowingly involved in a drug-trafficking and money-laundering scheme. The supposed representative then instructed the man that he would be transferred to the Social Security Administration. Subsequently, the victim was informed that he was being transferred once again, this time to the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
The victim received a call from someone who identified themselves as an agent from the Marshal’s Office. The caller instructed the victim to withdraw $15,000 from his bank account in Wichita as a way to prove that he hadn’t been involved in money laundering. Following this, the victim was directed to drive to Newton where he was required to carry out two transactions.
The victim was given two instructions. The first one was to buy $10,000 worth of bitcoin and transfer it to the suspect. The second instruction was to insert $5,000 in cash, purchase bitcoin, and send it to the suspect. After completing these tasks, the victim was informed that the amount of money was insufficient and was asked to return to the bank for another withdrawal.
The bank employees promptly informed the man that he was being targeted by a scam and urged him to report the incident to the police. Additionally, a report was filed with the FBI to ensure appropriate action could be taken.
The District Attorney’s Office wants to remind citizens that it is important to be cautious when receiving calls from individuals claiming to be from Amazon, the Social Security Administration, or the United States Marshal Service. These organizations will never contact you to inform you that your account has been hacked, nor will they request money from you.
