FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA) – A Texas man has a warning for others after he was defrauded out of $32,000.
The teacher says he lost his life savings after answering a phone call from, who he thought was, his bank.
However, the call was part of a sophisticated scheme.
It felt so real and happened so fast for Russell Leahy.
The 28-year-old said schemers called and convinced him they were bankers with Chase, then got away with all $32,000.
“It really felt like the end of the world for me,” Leahy said
Leahy is a school teacher who just got married. He stayed in on the weekends and never traveled, just to save that money to start a family.
“Now, we’ve entered into the world of living paycheck to paycheck,” Leahy said.
The schemers pretended to work for Chase, Leahy said. They called him, told him he’d been defrauded and needed to move his money into a new account.
They sent him texts and baking information that looked real.
“It’s been extremely violating,” Leahy remarked.
Leahy said Chase gave him back just over $2,000.
He wants them to make good on the other $30,000, but was told he’s not covered by fraud protection.
“I’m really hoping to move on with my life and not have to start over from scratch,” Leahy said.
In a statement, Chase said, “Fraud on a bank account involves someone illegally accessing someone else’s account and making withdrawals, transfers, or purchases without the account holder’s permission.”
The scenario like the one Leahy was victim of was described by the bank as “a deceptive scheme or trick used to cheat someone out of their money or other valuable assets.”
“I’d rather me be the sacrificial lamb for the rest of these people and maybe save other people’s money from being stolen,” Leahy added.
Leahy said as much as he needs that money back, if he doesn’t get it, he hopes his painful tale will at least encourage others to beware.
“I just hope it doesn’t end the way that this did,” Leahy said.
If a customer is not sure if the person calling is a real representative, they can call the number on the back of their bank card or visit a branch.
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