BLOG: WeHo Detective Nabs International Cyber Scammer

I was scammed a few weeks ago. I admit it. Despite all of the Craigslist warnings about not wiring or depositing money into someone’s account, I rolled over and played stupid.

Looking for a place for my band for a weekend gig in San Francisco, I booked a five-bedroom house in a really great part of the Bay Area. We signed a rental agreement and deposited the cash into a local WeHo U.S. Bank branch account.

Hours later, after looking up the property address on Google and looking at the contract more closely, red flags started popping up like it was Chinese New Year’s.

But, I told myself in delusion, the pictures in the ad and the email looked great!  

It was fast becoming obvious that we’d been duped and that sickening feeling was growing. Worse, is that we had to make a beeline up the coast in the middle of the night, knowing it was a holiday weekend and accommodations would be tough to find. It was a mess.

Of course I went to the site listed on our contract and that looked like the South Bronx in New York in the 70’s.

Fortunately, we finally found a place at a much higher cost in Sausalito. That was the good news. But we had to leave behind some band members since we weren’t sure we could accommodate everyone at the last moment.

The gig was successful and we’d won over new fans. The drive back, however -- knowing we’d been had -- was hours longer then it should have been,

Meanwhile, The Scammer, oblivious to any kind of reality, was texting us that, “Everything would work out.” Little did he know how true that statement would become.

The next day, feeling kind of hopeless, we went to the WeHo Sherriff’s station on San Vicente and Santa Monica boulevards. It was a nice enough building, but  expectations weren’t very high. I’m from New York.

A couple of deputy sheriffs interviewed us for a while, checking out our story, looking at our evidence, seeing if we were consistent and that there weren’t any fatal flaws to the case. I got that. Also, take note that when dealing with Internet crimes, where your computer is when you see an email or ad is where the crime took place, and where the report should be filed.

We thought we had a strong case with lots of documentation, bank account number, text message and email transcripts, etc. But, like I said, I have New York DNA and dealing with NYPD over the years … well, it toughens you.

About 48 hours later Deputy Sheriff Black called us with a few more questions. A few days later Detective Jeff Bishop followed up, too. He had some questions. 

At this point I really felt the money was long gone and eventually the case would be dropped. A few days later, however, Detective Bishop called and left his cell phone number. His cell phone number? Really?

I called back and he answered. He was off for a few days, he said, on a family vacation to Disneyland. But he wanted to let me know that I could pick up the stolen money at a U.S. Bank branch in Canoga Park.

Huh? The money? Pick up a check? 

"I froze the account," he said, nonchalantly. “Don’t worry,” he said, “it’s a cashier’s check.”

Really. Maybe I was in Disneyland.

To just review the scope of this investigation: The Scammer, who doesn’t live in WeHo, was ripping off hundreds of other victims around the country, for tens of thousands of dollars. We found out his strings where tied to a large overseas Nigerian network (as this all became known).

Still he was nabbed by local Weho Detective Bishop, with an assist by U.S. Bank, in less then two weeks.

Somehow, Detective Bishop got all my money back while continuing to pursue the criminal case – and while on vacation, part of time. 

Great story, right? Doesn’t end here.

I found out that I was also legally entitled to recover any and all expenses from that weekend. That worked out to be about $1,300.00. So my attorney sent a demand letter to The Scammer that a civil suit was about to be commenced -- just in case he hadn’t had enough of me, yet.

A day after the letter was received, Detective Bishop calls again from his cell phone. He’d just spoken to The Scammer, he’d said, who’d called about my letter. The detective “arranged” for The Scammer to pay the $1,300. Just like that.

That’s an incredible result.

Recently a similar type account was opened at the West Hollywood branch of  U.S. Bank on San Vicente and Santa Monica boulevards. It’s the same helpful branch where I deposited the money.

Joseph Marzouk, part of the very friendly and alert bank staff, was wary from the beginning and the account was flagged. It was quickly determined that the account was being used criminally and was closed. So the local WeHo U.S. Bank branch does a lot more than handle deposits and check cashing. It protects its community, as well.

In the new era of cyber crime, both the West Hollywood Sherriff’s station and the West Hollywood U.S. Bank branch are working together using new white collar techniques to combat unseen cyber criminals, who most likely don’t live in WeHo.

I could give more details but I don’t want to give scammers any help.

The lessons here are: Don’t send money in any form to anyone you don’t know. It’s easy to get drawn in, particularly if you are busy and your attention is elsewhere.

The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station does care and are quite awesome and proud about what they do. So don’t be critical and give them a hard time over traffic tickets anymore! It’s a very tough job!

Finally, if you are a Cyber Scammer -- or any kind of scammer -- DON’T MESS with WeHo residents, because, wherever you are, you will be found and prosecuted.

You’ve been warned.