I’m a rideshare driver who was tricked into helping scammers steal $20,000 – by the time I knew what had happened, it was too late – The US Sun

AN elderly couple were scammed out of almost $20,000 by a man who tricked a ride-hailing driver into unknowingly taking part in the scheme.

Lyft driver James Elmore received a request earlier this month to pick up a package from the home of an elderly couple in southwest Miami-Dade.

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Upon arrival, Elmore was asked by the couple to speak to a man on the phone, who gave specific instructions about delivering the package.

“Giving me specific instructions on where to take the package, how to deliver it, he would have someone meet me outside of Ross when I got there,” Elmore told the local NBC affiliate. WTVJ-TV on Tuesday.

Although Elmore found the request unusual, he went ahead, handing the package to a man waiting in the parking lot of a Ross store in Hialeah.

“I asked him what the name was on the package because I wasn’t going to release it,” Elmore said.

“He gave me the name on the package — he didn’t say much — I gave him the package and he came back,” Elmore said.

Unbeknownst to Elmore, both he and the elderly couple were victims of a scam orchestrated by Agustin Garcia-Marsan.

Miami-Dade police said the couple received a call from someone posing as their grandson.

Their “grandson” claimed he was being arrested and needed money to pay bail.

According to the arrest report, the grandfather contacted a supposed lawyer, who instructed him to raise $18,500 for the bail bondsman.

Following instructions, the couple placed the money in a small box and handed it to Elmore, who was instructed to remove it.

“These people were so humble, so nice, they didn’t even say much, and at the same time they didn’t know they were being scammed,” Elmore said.

Investigators were able to trace the ride-hailing payment to Garcia-Marsan, linking him to multiple fraud incidents in Florida and North Carolina.

He has employed similar tactics in other cases, using ride-hailing drivers to raise money and meet at shopping centers.

The couple only realized that they had been deceived after contacting their grandson after the fact, who confirmed that he had not been involved in an accident or been arrested.

Elmore expressed relief that the alleged scammer was arrested before anyone else experienced a similar situation.

“That’s the ultimate goal,” Elmore said.

“To get a win for crime, the only thing that could be better than this is if they got their money back,” he continued.

“It’s a victory because it gives them some peace of mind where they won’t be able to do this again.”

Garcia-Marsan was arrested by police on Monday and faces charges related to the scam.

How are scammers finding my number?

Here, Mackenzie Tatananni, science and technology reporter for The US Sun, explains how a scammer can get your information.

Scammers often obtain phone numbers through data breaches, which occur when a hacker accesses a private database – usually those maintained by companies such as contractors and employers.

This information can be shared and disseminated online, including on the dark web, where there are forums dedicated to sharing leaked information.

Another common technique called wardialing employs an automated system that targets specific area codes.

A recorded message will instruct the listener to enter sensitive information such as card number and PIN.

There’s also a much more distressing possibility: your phone number could be listed online without your knowledge.

Data brokers are eager to buy and sell your information. These companies collect information from a variety of public online sources, including social media and public records.

Its main purpose is to build databases of people and use this information for personalized advertising and marketing.

Much of this information ends up on public records websites, which display information like phone number, email, home address and date of birth for anyone to see.

In the United States, these sites are legally required to remove your information if you request them.

Locate your profile and follow the cancellation instructions, but be warned: these sites don’t make things easy and aim to frustrate you as you complete the deregistration process.

To put it simply, you can also use a tool to clean your information from the Internet.

Norton offers one of these services. Called Privacy Monitor Assistant, the tool finds information online and requests removal on your behalf.

It’s also possible that your phone number is linked to a social media account and is publicly displayed on your profile – this happens quite often on Facebook.

Be sure to review your privacy settings and confirm that this information is hidden from prying eyes.