Former Vancouver telemarketer surprised how fast phone scammers work

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A former telemarketer from Vancouver is warning of a money-laundering phone scam after she received such call, and talked her way through it.

Amanda Madden fears the automated threats could scare people into turning over their life savings.

She received such a call recently, the person claiming she was being investigated for money laundering.

Madden stayed on the call, giving false information.

“He just continued to tell me about how I had charges for drug trafficking, and money laundering against me, which I don’t have enough money to launder,” she said.

“It just kind of puts you into a fear mentality.”

But Madden called him on the scam.

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“I said I should probably call my lawyer and he said, ‘No. I am the only one who can help you.’ And that right there is automatically a dead giveaway that someone is attempting to manipulate you,” she said.

Then she asked him how the scam works.

“We’re both just humans here,” she said to him. “So person to person, everything aside, I’m interested to know, why do you do this? How do you feel about doing this? How long does it usually take for you to convince someone to do this? And he said, generally, it takes about 30 to 40 minutes to get someone to withdraw their life savings and transfer it to him. I mean all of their money, I mean everything.”

She said a friend lost more than $12,000 in a similar scam.

Madden said it’s not worth getting into arguments with those who make scam calls.

“Just do everything in your power to recognize and not fall for a scheme like that,” she added.

RCMP advises it would never contact residents about an outstanding warrant via an automated message.

Madden said to be aware and help elders recognize such scams.

“If you get an automated message, and you don’t know what it’s about, just hang up the phone.”