My Scam Story 2023
$400,000 and the Dirty Details
Help Linda Recover from Being Financially Scammed
College Professor’s Retirement Stolen in Nightmare Scam
A college professor finds herself retiring early and buying gold bars to load into a stranger’s car.
AARP The Perfect Scam Podcast Episode
Linda Khandro is a busy college professor who spends her spare time playing her harp in hospitals and hospice facilities. One day her life is turned upside down when a virus alert on her computer leads to a threatening phone call and a four-and-a-half-months long nightmare. The ordeal has her doing things she couldn’t have imagined: retiring early from the teaching career she loves and buying gold bars and putting them into a stranger’s car. Listen to the Podcast Episode here:
I’m a college professor. I fell for a scam that drained my life savings.
Feb. 2, 2024 at 11:10 am
By Linda Khandro
Special to The Seattle Times
Between June and October 2023, I was scammed. It was by someone impersonating the chair of the Federal Trade Commission who said my money was in danger. I was threatened with arrest (for money-laundering and child porn) and with breaking the law if I told anyone (my children, friends, banks). I was told that the people threatening my savings would be caught if the government “secured my money.” Once the case was closed, my money would be returned.
I didn’t discover the lies until months later. By then, the money was gone. My career was in tatters. I had to retire. I hope a pension is forthcoming. I’m an academic with degrees in earth sciences, I had been teaching college for 30-plus years and am not so easy to intimidate, but they got me. I had lived in a scientific bubble, unaware that this could happen.
What did happen? And what were the red flags I missed?
Red Flag #1
On June 2, 2023, my computer screen flashed with a message that it had been hacked and that I must phone an 888 number to get a technician.
I called the number; don’t call numbers like this.
Red Flag #2
I was redirected to the “Chairperson of the Federal Trade Commission.”
A federal official will never call you.
Red Flag #3
I was told some accounts had been used for fraud and theft, and there was a “pending arrest warrant for money-laundering and child pornography.”
Arrest warrants are never issued by phone and/or text message.
Red Flag #4
I was then told I could not tell anyone about this under the Privacy Act.
The U.S. Privacy Act of 1974 does not apply to civilians; it applies to employees and officials of the federal government.
Red Flag #5
I was told to send $187,000 to the federal government to “secure my account(s) to keep money launderers from using it.”
A request for a large amount of money, to be delivered immediately.
I was told that once the money was received, my “case would be closed and all money would be reimbursed.” I withdrew half the money from a bank and my retirement savings. Bank managers repeatedly asked if I was being pressured to make these withdrawals. I lied; no one would crack this wall of secrecy, I vowed.
By mid-August and my forced retirement, the scammers had more than what they said they required but insisted on the retirement-based balance in my accounts. The scammers described in great detail how the funds were to be delivered. I made withdrawals, deposited money, withdrew more money. I even turned over bitcoin.
An Oct. 10 text from the “FTC chair” said my case was closed; documents and cashier’s checks would arrive at my home in a week.
But eight days later, everything came crashing down. I happened to see something from a bank that I had taken notes on in July. I knew everything, instantly. The whole picture unspooled; the entire operation was all lies. I had believed it and was robbed of $400,000 and $80,000 in taxes.
I started reporting the scam right away: local police, the FTC, FBI, IRS, federal lawmakers and banks. Will I recover my money? I highly doubt it and do not count on it. I am using food banks and hoping to return to employment.
At age 76 I’m healthy and strong but what if someone else in this situation were not? It’s a painful question.
Be safe and look out for each other.
Linda Khandro is a geologist, earth and space science educator, musician and artist in Shoreline.
Linda Marie Khandro, MAT
Shoreline WA 98133
lkhandro@gmail.com
November 12, 2023
60 Minutes
524 West 57th St
New York, NY 10019
60min@cbsnews.com AND investigates@cbsnews.com
Dear CBC News, 60 Minutes, and investigates@cbcnews.com
First of all, in advance, I appreciate you taking the time to read this letter and this unconditionally hideous story that I have to share. The operative words there are “have to.”
The letter below is nearly identical to that which I sent, October 23, 2023, to the FTC Chair, Lina Khan and WA Senators Patty Murray, and Maria Cantwell along with many in law enforcement and fraud investigations. Tonight, I updated it a little and sent it to District 7 House of Representative member Pramila Jayapal. In either form, this letter may be the most productive document I have produced in the process of describing this story; other versions may have a full-on rage and so are mainly for readers who can absorb that kind of anger and grief.
It comprises a list of events that, in short, threatened my health, welfare, and financial security as part of a massive scam in which I was victimized by perpetrators of a criminal fraud who were impersonating Chairperson Khan.
The details of the nearly 5-month attack on me is sketched out in the following pages, but there are of course, more details for what I hope will be useful evidence that I can add at any moment; it’s a long narrative and I am still in the process of transcribing those months of text-message conversation.
I deeply appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to read this and to hopefully, accelerate it up an appropriate chain of interest, if only to provide evidence of this fraud. For the appropriate recipient, I am also asking for personal help, but the process of reporting is more urgent.
Fraud and theft narrative by Linda M Khandro, MAT;
fraud and theft that began June 2 2023, and ended October 11 2023.
At 10:20 AM June 2, 2023 the following frightening, painful, exhausting and ultimately financially ruinous events took place: I’m writing this ‘story’ so that it can be readily edited and ultimately shared with others who may need to read and understand it.
I have lines of evidence that I want to share and be shared, but I don’t know how useful they will be; the most important may be 3 separate but sequential strings of text-messages between the ‘leader’ of this scam and myself. They are archived on my cell phone. If it’s at all possible to extract the voice conversations from my cell phone, I hope that can be done, and ASAP.
Please note that I am writing this in strict chronological order – realization of the kinds of persons and activities and results behind the scenes did not become clear until over 4 months later, and to work those into the narrative out of sequence would break the timeline which in itself, clearly represents my own naivete and hopeless hope for the promised outcome.
Finally, still keeping to the narrative, each item on this list that is underlined, is one that was later found to either probably be fraudulent or a lie, or to certainly be fraudulent or a lie. I do not distinguish between the 2 versions here:
My computer was hacked (Clampi virus) then restored by Microsoft techs.
I was told a credit card, a US bank, and my Social Security number were used for fraudulent activity and theft. A small credit union in BC, Canada was even targeted. These events were true; once discovered, I closed accounts or changed cards and passwords immediately. All fraudulent charges and withdrawals were credited by the banks.
I was re-directed to the Chairperson of the Federal Trade Commission, Dr. Lina Khan (PN254).
She then told me there was a pending arrest warrant (Case #PL86295) for money laundering with respect to child pornography in Columbia, Jamaica, China.
I was then told I could not tell anyone about this pending arrest per rules of The Privacy Law, or Privacy Act (Violation of Penal Code #496).
I was told I had to send a large sum of money ($187,000.00) in order for the Federal government to "secure my account(s) to keep money launderers from using it".
I was told that once the money was received, my "case would be closed" and I would receive all funds back via a personal visit by a local Federal officer; later, the name of David Black was given.
I withdrew about half of the required money from both a credit union, and my retirement savings, which had been invested by TIAA-CREF (now called just TIAA).
Each withdrawal from a TIAA account had money held by the IRS as federal tax withholding; loans from TIAA accounts were to be paid off over the following months. I was told the tax withholding would be credited back to me from the IRS.
By mid-July I was forced into retiring from 31 years as a successful college earth and space science teacher in Washington State in order for TIAA release the remaining half of all my savings/investments. A small amount still remains frozen with TIAA. By this point, the scammers had well over the $187,000 they said was to be “secured by the Federal Government” to counteract the projected money laundering
Other promises were made by “Lina Khan” regarding current and future financial losses of income & savings due to these withdrawals before and after the forced retirement. Again, and as usual, I was promised that all the funds were to be returned,
An Oct 10 phone call from “Lina Khan” told me that my “case was closed” and documents would be delivered to my home” October 15 and money would be delivered with cashier’s checks October 16.
These dates were changed to November 3 and November 5, respectively.
For 4.5 months I functioned in a bubble, a cage, a cattle chute of disbelief, despair, anger and fear, as I was told, repeatedly, that “Lina Khan” was whom she was impersonating.
Her last reply to my request to speed up the process was Wed Oct 11.
Up until October 18, I wrote daily with increasing concern and with no reply.
The night of Wednesday October 18, I began to believe that the real Dr. Lina M. Khan, Chair of the Federal Trade Commission had indeed been impersonated. And in fact, that the entire operation, from the first notice on my computer screen, was a complete and total scam. I had believed it, and I have lost over $400,000.00.
There are some uncertainties in that $400,000 number as I had begun to calculate and add additional details related to non-cash losses either certain to occur due to retirement and loss of income, or speculated to occur due to health insurance changes. I kept spreadsheets of all cash and non-cash losses and will eventually have a detailed amount to add to any reporting.
In addition, of the approximate total of $400,000.00, $81,000.00 was considered Federal tax withholding and thus is also lost until or unless the IRS and an appropriate agency will work with the IRS and TIAA to remove that withholding tax, and confirm that any other pending charges from the TIAA withdrawals will be nullified.
It’s CRUCIAL that while I don’t expect to actually receive any of my funds back, other than a tax refund for excess withholding, I not be further charged tax on retirement “income” when in fact it was stolen from me under conditions of extreme privation and distress.
In summary then, I am now a victim of theft of retirement funds and am willing to testify (and travel to testify) to the details enclosed or more, as requested. I already have or will have copied/pasted/mailed and personally delivered this report to relevant persons and agencies, professions, and advocates; reports and/or letters to the following are either complete or almost complete:
Federal Trade Commission reports (#165196689 and #165739100) and this letter to Chair Lina Khan and WA Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.
Further reports (added to this document 11/4/23) to FTC were reports #165802263 and #165701282
FBI/iC3 Unit
IRS
Equifax, Experian, Transunion Credit Bureaus
Chase Bank, Global Credit Union, Bank of America
Social Security Administration
Unemployment Insurance, WA
Washington State Attorney General Robert Ferguson
Shoreline City Police/King Co Sherrif report (#C23036090)
Criminal and tax lawyers
WA Consumer Fraud Protection Bureau (CFPB)
WA Health and Human Services advocate Monique Olvera (DSHS)
TIAA (TIAA-CREF) Investments and Retirements
Three transcripts of 4.5 months of daily text-messaging back and forth between myself and the principal scammer, “Lina Khan.” She used 3 cell phone numbers, and I have the entire conversation, including pictures that I was required to take when I was packaging up cash and gold (yes, gold) for her agents to pick up from my home.
The situation I am in is nothing short of dire. I’m 76, in moderately good health with the exception of fluctuating despair and grief. I have no retirement savings, no income, and little expectation that I’ll be able to resume teaching. But I’m committed to publishing and airing this crime as far, wide, deep, and high as possible. I’m a college science educator, with no fear of camera, microphone or a large audience. This ‘story’ MUST be shared, even if it cannot be solved.
It must be made available to others, and not just senior citizens like myself. If there is ANY way that you can push this boulder a little further up the hill, we will all be profoundly grateful.
My deep thanks to you and to any or everyone with whom you can share this. You are badly needed.
Sincerely,
Linda Khandro, MAT
Shoreline, WA 98133