Scammers Pretending to be Amazon Agents Bilk Troy Woman for $300 K

A Michigan woman is out about $300,000 in cash, gold, and silver after a group of scammers posing as Amazon agents convinced her to hand over the goods.

Two Months of Fraud

Troy police tell Detroit's WJBK-TV that the thieves began their misdeed on June 23, posing as members of Amazon's fraud department. The first caller told the woman she had already been defrauded and was being accused of trafficking drugs.

The caller convinced the woman that she needed to contact the Social Security Administration in order to clear her name. According to reports, she was then connected to a second person who told her she was under federal investigation for drug trafficking and fraud.

The woman was instructed to surrender any money she had in excess of $5,000 and told not to speak with anyone about the case. The woman carried out the caller's instructions, purchasing pre-paid gift cards and sending the card numbers via text message.

The thieves then asked the woman for documentation of any assets she held and a copy of her driver's license.

The scammers then convinced the woman that they could protect her assets from seizure if they turned them over to them. The woman surrendered approximately $300,000 worth of holdings.

Radio Silence

By the end of August, the pair stopped communicating with the victim. She suspected "something was off" when she discovered that the phone number she'd been given was disconnected.

I'll admit, some scam calls can sound legitimate. But unfortunately, this woman fell hard for a scam that seems riddled with holes.

Here's a link to Amazon's fraud prevention page. It's best to make sure any vulnerable individuals are aware of the tricks often played by scammers.

The case is still under investigation.