Up next in 10
A Concord man fell victim to an elaborate scam, losing nearly $200,000, including his life savings, while unwittingly becoming embroiled in a web of deception. This investigation reveals how scammers manipulated his fears and exploited his trust. Don’t be a victim—stay informed! #ScamAlert #FraudPrevention #ConcordInvestigation #FinancialSafety #ReportScams #ConsumerProtection #IdentityTheft #TaxFraud #StayInformed #ScamAwareness
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:02
a conquered man who once professionally
0:04
help people with security became the
0:05
victim of a scam himself yeah not only
0:08
did he lose his life savings he also now
0:10
owes more than $30,000 in taxes as a
0:13
result of the scam it's it seems
0:15
unbelievable just terrible it team
0:17
reporter melie woodro has this special
0:19
7even on your side investigation Kristen
0:21
and Larry the perpetrators in this
0:22
example took advantage of this victim's
0:25
sense of right and wrong they convinced
0:27
him that he had done something illegal
0:29
and they had lots of proof they told him
0:32
uh that they were federal law
0:34
enforcement officers and at one point
0:36
even involved unsuspecting couriers who
0:39
may have been ride share drivers as part
0:41
of the scam it all fell apart when a CBS
0:43
employee more than 400 miles away in
0:45
Huntington Beach California had a
0:47
feeling something wasn't
0:50
right hi is it Chester yes hi Chester
0:53
it's officer Matthews conquer Police
0:54
Department yes on March 27th conquered
0:56
police showed up at Chester Frick's home
0:59
and they say you've scammed FR says it
1:01
All Began earlier that month with
1:02
someone claiming to be from exfinity
1:05
According to a police report he later
1:06
filed frck told investigators exfinity
1:09
told him someone used his personal
1:10
information to upload videos to a
1:12
pornographic website and that they were
1:14
generating a report to the Federal Trade
1:16
Commission and about an hour later I get
1:19
a call from this man called Jason Brown
1:22
from the
1:23
FTC and he informs me that I'm under
1:26
investigation for wi fraud and he lists
1:29
all the
1:30
credit cards I've had in 40 years pric
1:34
says agent Brown also told him someone
1:36
rented an apartment in Texas in his name
1:38
and that the FTC didn't believe he' made
1:40
those transactions to help him they
1:42
would move all his money to a secure
1:44
account and the scam continues after a
1:47
couple of days they have me withdraw
1:49
more money and this goes on about five
1:52
times frck received a letter he believed
1:54
was from the Department of the treasury
1:56
confirming the plan to clear his name he
1:58
put large amounts of cash and gold in
2:00
boxes picked up by couriers who supplied
2:02
a password he'd been given conquered PD
2:04
believes the couriers may have been ride
2:06
share drivers it doesn't appear in most
2:09
of the cases that that the careers are
2:11
are involved they they're somewhat
2:12
unknowing participants he continued
2:14
receiving letters confirming the
2:15
transactions until one day he was told
2:17
there was no Courier in his area and
2:19
that he'd have to mail $88,500 in cash
2:22
in a box to Huntington Beach via UPS so
2:26
I do
2:27
that and
2:30
that's when I find out somebody's
2:32
knocking at my door and it's the police
2:34
department from conquer so I just had a
2:36
couple of questions about a package
2:38
situation that had everybody kind of
2:40
confused and hope we can get it all
2:41
sorted out okay it turns out UPS
2:44
delivered the package to a Huntington
2:45
Beach CVS where conquered PD says two
2:48
people showed up to pick it up with
2:49
photos of an ID rather than an actual ID
2:53
I think it rang enough bells for the
2:54
employee to deny the package
2:56
unfortunately even with both Huntington
2:58
Beach Police and conquered police
2:59
involved frck didn't get the $88,500
3:02
back that final package is now missing I
3:05
lost the $88,500
3:07
plus all my life savings in total nearly
3:11
$200,000 they were able to get into my
3:14
computer they knew everything about me
3:17
having that information is somewhat
3:19
Mission critical for them to be able to
3:21
convince someone that that they are
3:22
legitimate on top of his loss Fric says
3:24
because he cashed out CDs and an IRA he
3:27
anticipates owing more than $30,000 in
3:29
taxes the IRS told him if he can't pay
3:32
it off they'll put a lean on his house
3:34
it's frustrating for them and it's
3:35
frustrating for us because it just
3:36
doesn't seem to stop it's one problem
3:38
after another after another after
3:40
another the last thing in the world I
3:41
want to do is be out on the street K
3:45
says he believes his biggest error was
3:47
panicking he says once he did he was not
3:49
thinking properly conquered PD says that
3:52
no legitimate law enforcement agency
3:54
will ever discourage someone from
3:56
verifying their identity the scammers in
3:58
this case had had the victim sign a
4:00
non-disclosure agreement so that he
4:02
wouldn't talk to other people about what
4:04
was going on wouldn't contact his local
4:06
police department of course they say
4:08
that they will never do that if you're
4:09
in trouble with the law and really
4:11
they're focusing on educating the public
4:13
so that somebody else isn't victimized
4:15
like this a really elaborate scam yeah
4:18
and I've heard before from the BBB
4:20
totally separate agency of course but
4:21
say take a beat when something doesn't
4:24
seem you know just whatever it is that
4:25
you want to jump and rush to him fix it
4:27
take a beat yeah he was really concerned
4:29
they told him he was breaking the law or
4:31
opposing as him was breaking the law and
4:33
so they were appealing to his sense of
4:34
right and wrong we get it and you know
4:36
nowadays there's so much of our personal
4:38
information that's available and the
4:39
online that you know people can
4:41
manipulate you so um just beware thank
4:43
you thanks for
#Computers & Electronics
#Crime & Justice
#Law Enforcement
#Local News