Chase customer loses $200,000 trying to ‘protect his account’ – the bank was unable to prevent several transactions from being carried out

An unsuspecting account holder lost $200,000 after being tricked into transferring her money to someone she thought was a bank employee.

Rachel Chen is accused of running a sick scheme, she pretended to work for Chase Bank before stealing people’s savings.

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According to police, an unidentified victim received a message from Microsoft informing him that his computer was infected with a virus.

The message stated that the user’s financial information was at risk, ABC affiliate WMUR reported in December 2023.

The victim then received a phone call from a person claiming to represent Chase Bank, the New Hampshire attorney general’s office said.

The caller instructed the victim to place the money in an alternate account to protect it.

According to authorities, the victim gave the person more than $200,000 earlier this year.

In March 2024, the victim revealed that a supposed courier from the bank once again contacted them stating that they needed an additional $22,000 to be hand-delivered to a box.

Now suspicious of the scam, the victim contacted Allenstown police, who mounted a sting operation.

When Chen, 25, arrived at the victim’s home on March 14, she received the planted box and was later arrested.

US Sun has contacted Chase Bank for comment.

A quick search of the suspect’s phone led police to possibly connect Chen to another scam in the nearby city of Nashua.

Like the other victim, authorities said the 75-year-old woman was contacted by a person posing as Microsoft, claiming her finances had been compromised.

Again, the third party identified himself as a messenger from the victim’s bank and asked for US$20,000 in cash inside a sealed box.

This time, however, the victim was informed that a member of the FBI would come to his house to collect the money.

Phone scam statistics

Americans are bombarded with three billion spam calls per month. What are the numbers regarding the number of victims and the amount of money lost to fraudsters

• In 2022, Americans lost an estimated $39.5 billion to phone fraud, with 68.4 million US citizens affected, according to TechReport.
• The average phone scam victim lost $567.41 each in 2021, a huge increase from the figure of $182 per victim in 2021, according to Hiya.
• Most scams happen over the phone, with fraudsters twice as likely to call compared to text in 2021, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports.
• In 2021, the US saw a 56% increase in spam phone calls, with 60% of those robocalls.
• US residents receive an average of 18 spam phone calls per month, although some experts believe the real number could be as high as 31 per month.
• Many phone calls from reputable companies can be mistakenly marked as spam, but 38% of companies have no idea whether they are being marked as “potential fraud” or not, according to Hiya.
• Never provide personal or financial information if you suspect a phone call is a scam. For example, your bank will never ask for these full details over the phone.
• To reduce spam calls and scams, sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers, by law, will need to check this list before calling you.
• Downloading third-party apps like Hiya, Nomorobo or Truecaller can help filter annoying spam calls.
• Try not to share your phone number unless necessary, especially online or with sketchy sources.

Authorities say they believe Chen posed as an “agent” and managed to get away with the stolen money.

Since being detained, Chen has been the subject of a series of accusations.

Many of them include multiple counts of conspiracy to commit robbery by deception and accessory to commit robbery by deception.

The Attorney General’s Office is still actively investigating both fraudulent incidents.

Local authorities have reportedly told the public to contact them if they believe they have been scammed.

Members of the general public have also been advised to contact their local computer services company if they believe their devices have been infected with viruses.

Chen is scheduled to appear in Merrimack County Superior Court on June 20, 2024.

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