How dressing inappropriately leads to success
September 10, 2008 by Shane BorerPosted in: "Seemed like a good idea at the time", Fighting off fraud, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest news & views, Tech failure
Remember the old saying, “if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck …?” It doesn’t apply to bank security guards.
Customers at a Wells Fargo Bank branch in Tigard, OR, learned that lesson when two men dressed up as security professionals and camped out in front of the night deposit drop-box. They covered the slot with an “Out of Service” sign and waited for victims to stop by. Once there, the faux-guards offered to hold customers’ money and make the deposits when the branch opened in the morning.
Apparently, they played their roles convincingly. Statements taken from victims claim the men wore uniforms that looked authentic, including badges and firearms.
Oregon police caught onto the problem when one business contacted the branch in the morning to inquire about its deposit.
