Nigerian Money Scam Targets Hollywood Directors, Producers

Nigerian Money Scam Targets Hollywood Directors, Producers
Jack Phillips
10/24/2014
Updated:
7/18/2015

A report is saying that Nigerian scammers are targeting Hollywood directors and producers.

TMZ did an article--Hollywood Big Wigs Pawns in New Nigerian Money Scam"--on the trend, which says that Nigeria-based scammers trick job seekers in posting resumes online before bilking them out of thousands of dollars.

The scammers claim that they can find the job-seekers work with producers or doing work with charitable organizations.

The scammers have used names including Louis Leterrier and Alex Orlovsky.

Essentially what happens is the scammers use Gmail accounts and use the names of producers and other Hollywood executives. After that, they give a start date of an assignment.

Sometimes, they send fake checks worth about $3,000 and then get the victims to buy pre-paid debit cards.

“Once the checks are deposited, the potential victims will be asked to purchase a pre-loaded debit cards based on the amount of the fake checks. Once the cards have been purchased, the scammers will ask the victims to send them a picture of the pre-loaded debit cards with the numbers, as proof that they are following their instructions,” reads a report from Online Threat Alerts.

“Once they have received the pre-loaded debit card with the numbers, the scammers will use them to purchase goods or services online, thereby draining the money from the prepaid or pre-loaded debit cards,” it adds. “Now, once the victims’ banks have discover that the checks are fakes and the scammers have already spent the money, the victims will be responsible for paying back the money and the fees incurred by the banks or they may be arrested and charge for fraud.”

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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