On January 25, 2025, the Pierce County Sherriff’s Department in Washington arrested 44-year-old Federal Way resident Jingping Xue for serving as a money mule for a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) impersonation scam that is believed to have been facilitated in the United States and may be tied to a larger scam network. How the scam works is:
- The scammers will generate fraudulent popups designed to impersonate the FDIC, urging their victims (in this case a 71-year-old woman) to call.
- The scammers will then try to trick the victims into thinking they need to move their money to a “secure account” as their bank and family were trying to steal their money.
- The victims will be asked to withdraw a large amount of money from their bank under the guise of a “house remodel,” then put into a Bitcoin ATM.
- The scammers will then call the victim the following day, demanding an additional $25,000 through a money mule.
Xue was arrested on charges of theft and attempted theft, though has pled not guilty.
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article299155090.html