Tuesday 14 August 2012

Tag Team: Father & Son Scam


“Just when we thought we had seen it all, says Tero Pollanen, a well known fraud specialist, we see yet another major institution fall victim.” With all the chatter about the major world banks, now it’s Western Union and a money transferring scam involving a father and son team.  Here we have 2 people, illegal immigrants facing deportation from the UK. The father was bankrupt several years ago and yet became an agent for a Western Union transferring company after “various checks had been carried out”. Apparently these checks were not quite thorough.

The business they set up offered unsustainable transfer rates and was marketed to their own people in India and Pakistan. “..the money transfer service had quickly gone wrong because they were offering such good exchange rates that they made no profit.” 

More than 20 customers over a three month period were defrauded as they used this service which offered “excellent rates on transactions.” The judge that eventually tried the case “described their offenses against their own Asian community as ‘despicable’”. Both men knew they were facing deportation to Pakistan; the elder being fearful of returning there because he received better health services in the UK. Apparently despite his status, he had been receiving free medication.

It seems there is no limit to the depth to which people will sink in these most desperate times. Everyone must be vigilant.

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