Instagram bank scam costs Omaha woman $37,000

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/instagram-bank-scam-costs-omaha-woman/article_4743b3e8-a5e1-5e68-901e-e9fce9291803.html

POSTED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2015 12:30 AM | UPDATED: 10:45 AM, TUE SEP 1, 2015.
By Kevin Cole / World-Herald staff writer

An Omaha woman has been told she must pay back her bank more than $37,000 after falling prey to an Internet loan scam that targets social media users.

The 32-year-old woman told police she was contacted via Instagram by a woman calling herself “Jackie Coleman.” The woman was offering loans to people “with active bank accounts,” according to an Omaha Police Department report. Coleman instructed the woman to send her debit card information via UPS to a Chicago address.

On Aug. 18, the victim noticed a check for $37,891.75 had been deposited in her bank account. She also noticed that someone had been charging large purchases against the check. When she contacted the woman and asked for an explanation, she was told it was standard procedure.

The woman told the Omahan that the deposited check should have been written for only $3,789. The woman then asked the Omahan to return the $25,000 left in her account.

FULL story at link.

[petronius]

1. Setting aside her vastly foolish decision-making for a moment, this seems

unfair on the part of the bank: it's not uncommon IME to be temporarily prevented from accessing funds deposited by check (ostensibly so the bank could verify the validity), She had no way to verify the check herself (aside from common sense, of course), and the bank chose to make the funds available despite what I suspect would have been a highly unusual transaction for her account.

Seems that she's not the only one who screwed up, here...

[Snobblevitch]

2. I agree with you.

The woman was incredibly stupid. People should NEVER give out personal information to someone who contacts you whether it's by telephone or social media.

The bank screwed up. Why did they make any funds available before the check clears? I hope this woman is able to find a pro bono attorney to get this straightened out.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. If the woman had tried to take out any of her own money , the bank would be watching like a hawk.

They are supposed to report any "suspicious" transaction over 9,000 OR outside of the customer's "normal" pattern.

That is, IF the snoopy banks are really doing this in the name of ....money laundering.