"Mounir Outachfine, nicknamed "Padrino" -- Italian for "godfather", was convicted of having headed the operation that swindled around 100 victims of more than €740,000. He orchestrated the scam via the Telegram messaging service, probably from Morocco. Eight others were found guilty of taking part in the scam between April 2022 and April 2023, but mostly handed suspended sentences."
"The scam followed a clear pattern, with victims -- most of whom were elderly -- first receiving a text message warning of an alleged fraudulent purchase made with their bank card and urging them to call a telephone number. They were then connected to a fake fraud officer who kept them on the line -- sometimes for hours -- and persuaded them to cut their bank card in half and hand over their PIN code."
"A fake courier was then dispatched to their home to collect the card, which was handed to a "buyer" who drained the accounts via ATM withdrawals and purchases at major retailers. The scam was usually carried out outside banking hours to stop victims from reaching their real advisers."
A French court convicted Mounir Outachfine, the ringleader of a sophisticated fake bank adviser scam, to six years in prison in absentia, with an arrest warrant issued. Operating primarily through Telegram, likely from Morocco, Outachfine orchestrated fraud targeting around 100 victims, stealing over €740,000. Eight accomplices received mostly suspended sentences. The scam targeted elderly victims through text messages falsely warning of fraudulent card purchases, directing them to fake fraud officers who convinced them to cut their cards and reveal PIN codes. Fake couriers collected the cards, which were then used for ATM withdrawals and retail purchases. Operations deliberately occurred outside banking hours to prevent victims from contacting legitimate advisers.
Read at The Local France
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