Alex Delgado, a former news anchor with 22 years of experience, lost $72,000 after being targeted by a sophisticated text message scam. The incident highlights the increasing prevalence of fraudulent schemes that can dupe even those familiar with reporting on such crimes.
In March, Delgado received a text message that appeared to be from the stock trading app Robinhood, claiming suspicious activity on her account and instructing her to call a provided number. Believing the message to be legitimate, especially as she was preparing for a trip, she made the call. The individual on the other end of the line convincingly transferred her to a supposed fraud department.
The scammer informed Delgado that her investment account was at risk due to unauthorized access from Asia using an Android phone. To protect her funds, the fraudster instructed her to move the money into a different account while an investigation was conducted. Over the following two days, Delgado followed the scammer's step-by-step guidance over the phone to transfer the money. Despite moments of doubt, the scammer maintained control of the conversation until it was too late.
"I feel dumb, that I should have been smarter about it. I am in a very vulnerable place," Delgado stated, reflecting on her experience. She noted that as a journalist who had covered similar frauds, she should have been more vigilant. "If it can happen to me, and I am familiar with these, I covered it for the news, I hear about it all the time. It can happen to anyone," she added.
Delgado attempted to contact the legitimate Robinhood through their app but was informed they could not assist. She has reported the fraud to various institutions, but there is currently no indication of her money being recovered. Delgado advised others to "don’t trust anybody. Except your mother."
Detective Timothy Johnson of the Fresno Police Department cautioned the public about red flags in initial interactions with potential scammers, such as a manufactured sense of urgency or a caller's refusal to end the conversation. Johnson noted that fraudulent communications are increasingly designed to appear official, mimicking legitimate emails and text messages from financial institutions and businesses.