A Hardin County, Texas, resident received a series of calls from people claiming to be bank representatives investigating suspicious activity.
The callers later presented themselves as federal law enforcement agents and said employees at the victim’s bank were under investigation. The story convinced the victim to disclose account passwords, PIN numbers and other sensitive banking information.
The scheme then moved from the telephone to the victim’s front door. The resident was instructed to package several debit cards and hand them to a person who arrived at the home to collect them, according to 12NewsNow.
Hours later, officers found several of the victim’s cards and thousands of dollars in cash during a traffic stop. The investigation led to the arrest of Bradly Louis, 23, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Callers Said Bank Employees Were Under Investigation
The case began August 4 when Hardin County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported fraud in the Lumberton area. Investigators said the victim had received convincing calls from people claiming to represent the victim’s bank.
The callers said suspicious activity had appeared on the accounts and later added another layer to the story by posing as federal law enforcement officers. The victim was told that employees at the bank were themselves under investigation.
Believing the explanation was legitimate, the resident provided account passwords and PIN numbers that could be used to gain access to the financial accounts. Authorities have not identified the bank or disclosed how the scammers obtained enough information about the victim to make their story convincing.
The people controlling the calls instructed the victim to gather several debit cards, place them into a package and hand them over to a person who came directly to the residence. The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office immediately began investigating the pickup and movement of the package.
The investigation changed during the early morning hours of August 5 when Lumberton Police Department officers stopped a vehicle. Inside, officers found several debit cards belonging to the Hardin County victim, thousands of dollars in cash and other evidence investigators believe was connected to the fraud, according to KFDM.
A 23-Year-Old Florida Man Was Arrested
The investigation led deputies to Louis, who lives in Fort Lauderdale. He was charged with fraudulent use or possession of identifying information and failure to identify. His bonds on the two Hardin County charges total $12,000.
Authorities also said Louis is wanted in Broward County, Florida, on a separate felony hit-and-run with injury warrant carrying no bond. That warrant is unrelated to the Hardin County fraud allegations.
Investigators said the Texas case remains active and additional arrests or charges could follow as they work to identify other people who may have participated.
A Real Bank Will Not Send Someone to Your Home for Your Cards
The alleged method closely resembles a scam the FBI has specifically warned bank customers about. In that scheme, impersonators call about supposed suspicious transactions and then arrange for an accomplice to visit the victim’s home to collect a bank card.
Anyone receiving an unexpected fraud call should hang up and contact the bank independently using the official mobile app, the number printed on the back of the card or a recent statement. The Federal Trade Commission also advises consumers not to rely on contact information supplied by an unexpected caller and never to disclose account passwords or verification codes.
Someone who has already disclosed a password or PIN should contact the bank immediately, change compromised credentials and cancel affected cards. Unauthorized withdrawals or transfers should be reported as quickly as possible so the financial institution can determine whether they can be stopped or reversed.