Foreign Fraud Gangs Are Ripping Off West Coast States

City Journal ^ | Jan 13 202 | Christopher F. Rufo

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The Somali fraud scandal has captured Americans’ imaginations. The story is almost unbelievable: Somalis in Minnesota allegedly set up fraudulent housing services, meal programs, and autism-therapy offerings, which formed part of a “web” that stole “billions of dollars in taxpayer money.” Some fraudulently obtained funds, according to federal law enforcement sources, ended up in the hands of Al-Shabaab terrorists.

Meantime, on the West Coast, another pattern of fraud has taken root: foreign criminals have developed sophisticated schemes to cheat and steal from unsuspecting Americans. I spoke with a veteran blue-city police detective, who has spent two decades investigating serious crimes, in order to learn more about how these groups operate and what might be done to stop them.

We granted the source anonymity so he could speak candidly about the fraud and the politicians who have enabled it. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Christopher Rufo: We’ve seen the Somali fraud schemes in Minnesota, but in the West Coast, there seems to be another pattern: foreign fraud rings ripping off Americans. What are the most common schemes you’re seeing here?

Detective: The two most common I investigate are credit-card fraud and elder fraud. I noticed that in cases involving a high dollar amount—$1,000 or more—and that target a stranger, it’s almost always perpetrated by foreigners.

A typical organized-crime credit-card crew would be from Romania. They will come to the United States by sneaking over the Mexican border and go up and down the I-5 corridor. They steal credit cards out of gym lockers at fitness clubs.

They’re very sophisticated. They have a computer and a printer in their car. They will steal your credit card, and if your phone’s there, they will steal the SIM card. Once they get to their car, they will immediately make a fake ID...

---

TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS:

[Bob Wills is still the king]

Russians are the biggest organized crime group in the United States now, and are involved in everything from computer fraud, real estate fraud, welfare fraud, and credit card fraud across the country.

Russian organized crime is a far bigger threat to the USA than some Somalis committing childcare fraud.

[algore]

I once worked for Amex and several Banks in loss recovery

there was a ton of fraud where foreigners would open a bunch of cards and use them as normal for just over a year then they would crank them all up to the limits, write a bad check for the balance and as soon as the check posted to the account they would immediately crank them all up to their limits again then the check would bounce and the person (usually a foreign student) would vanish.

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

Foreign Fraud Gangs

Otherwise known as the Hussein/Biden/Harris/Clinton/Pelousy/Newscum Regime - Crime Syndicate

[Valpal1]

Somalis stole billions from various welfare programs.

The Russians are stealing millions in credit card fraud from businesses and banks.

I want them both stopped and deported.

[LouAvul]

You forgot jorge busho.

[ConservativeMind]

They are not ripping off states. They, along with the states, are ripping off the Federal government.

[spintreebob]

“biggest organized crime group”

The Somalis ripoff the taxpayer. These West Coast groups seem to ripoff successful civilians.

Compare that to Welfare Contractors like Deloitte IES Integrated Eligibility System that rips off welfare money before it ever gets to the “poor”.

[webheart]

The Somalis did not do this by themselves. They were abetted by politicians and consultants who reaped their own rewards from the scams.

[No name given]

And grandpa Xiden.

[subterfuge]

You don’t often hear the word “foreigner” anymore.

[SkyDancer]

"My name is Abdul and I want to send you five small gold bars for free if only you'd give me your debit card number for just shipping ....."