Ex-fraudsters help to get your money back

Ex-fraudsters help to get your money back

Marwan Ouarab is an unusual hero.

The convicted fraudster who almost came to prison because he had sold fake concert tickets has found a new appointment: he saves fraud victims from their online overfirts. For many, he is the last hope of getting their stolen savings or valuable possessions.

a way to redemption

"It is the way to redemption that I chose," said Ouarab with a smile. The 29-year-old founder of Findmyscammer.com-a company founded in 2023 that determines online fraudsters-has moved into international spotlight in the past few weeks after the history of one of his victims has been viral.

The story of Anne

Anne-who only wants to be named with her first name to maintain her privacy-is a 53-year-old French woman who has been betrayed by fraudsters by 830,000 euros ($ 860,000). For over a year, she was convinced by alleged fraudsters that she was with the Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. The perpetrators bombed them with fake photos and Deepfake videos, in which the supposed actor spoke to Anne and asked for money.

The videos sent to Anne were made professionally and seemed convincing at first glance, but were unmasked by sometimes bizarre audio transmissions and unnatural eye movements of the AI generated fakes.

The hunt for the fraudsters

In an interview with the French broadcaster TF1, which reported about Anne's story, Ouarab used open source intelligence techniques (OSINT) to find the fraudsters in Nigeria. In order to find the accused, Ouarab used a proven tactic: he used the alleged greed of the fraudsters by putting them on a prepared link under the pretext of a legitimate bank platform.

The art of scam hunting

"Basically, Osint is art to find a person with very little information," said Ouarab. With just one phone number or an email address, the 29-year-old can expose online fraudsters and find out their real name, age and their place of residence. "I just had to wait for you to click on the link and give me your consent," he continued. This method ensures that the data collected can be legally passed on to the police. "It is not just reformed fraudsters who can master these tricks. Everyone can use these tools," he emphasized. "This is really a basic Osint that I used in this case."

judicial steps and investigations

ouarab was finally able to determine the IP address of the supposed fraudsters, geolocalize them and identify three young men who lived in a house in Nigeria. He put together all these details in a report that Anne presented the police when she submitted a complaint, her former lawyer Laurène Hanna told CNN.

The French authorities have now started an investigation, and Ouarab's report is used as a piece of evidence, the public prosecutor's office Réunion CNN said. So far, however, nobody has been charged in this case.

a worldwide problem

While Anne's story appears extraordinary, it is unfortunately too common for Ouarab and the Findmyscammer team. In 2024 alone, consumers worldwide lost more than $ 1 billion through fraud, as an international survey by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance showed.

On the occasion of the International AI Action Summit, which took place in Paris this week, the increase in complex Deepfkes and the urgent need for better recognition methods will also be on the agenda.

awareness of fraud victims

"Everyone can become victims of these fraud," warned Ouarab. He speaks from his own experience: A few years ago, his aunt lost jewelry worth 80,000 euros ($ 82,880), while trying to sell it to Leboncoin.fr, a French online marketplace. In her despair, she asked Ouarab for help to find the fraudsters.

"I learned all my skills on the dark side. It became clear to me that they can also be used for good purposes," recalled Ouarab. He was able to find the fraudster and make it return to the stolen jewelry.

The turn in the life of Ouarab

Just six years ago, Ouarab was even the fraudster. He sold fake concert tickets by printing functioning barcodes on empty tickets that he had stolen from his local business. The fraud worked for a while, but the police finally found out what he was doing. At the age of 25 he was convicted of fraud and received a 10-month probation penalty and the requirement to pay 11,000 euros in compensation to the victims.

he decided to change his life and officially founded Findmyscammer.com in 2023, which he describes as the first company that is devoted to the persecution of online fraudsters, although other companies such as Forward Global offer similar services in the USA. What started as a one-man company has developed into a flourishing company with 14 employees. A success that should continue to grow while the numbers explode for online frauds.

Reclaim of losses

In the USA alone, the reported losses through so-called "Pig Butchering" fraud- a mixture of "romance" and finance fraud- from $ 907 million in 2020 to astonishing $ 2.9 billion until November 2023, the FBI reported. "Over time, the number of victims will only continue to increase," said Ouarab, whose companies receive between 100 and 150 new fraud every day.

The consequences of online fraud can be devastating and leave some victims with empty life savings, broken families or even drive them into suicide. The situation is often exacerbated when the authorities refuse to determine. "In many cases, the police rejected the complaints of my clients because there were not enough evidence," the lawyer Hanna told CNN.

a concrete scary example

Luca, who does not want to use his real name for security reasons, is a former Ouarab customer and shared a similar story. He lost 67,000 euros ($ 69,500) in a "Pig Butchering" fraud and felt powerless when the French law enforcement authorities refused.

"I was completely helpless. When I went to the police to submit a complaint, they let me understand that they couldn't help me," said Luca.

in 2022 Luca met "Zara" on Tinder, and the two quickly started an online relationship where they exchanged news and made video calls. They never met personally when "Zara" stated that they were working in London in the financial sector while Luca was in Paris.

for four months in the relationship, she told him that she earned money with investments on a crypto platform and suggested that he should also try it. Luca initially invested 10,000 euros ($ 10,400) and seemed to double his earnings. Then he invested 40,000 euros, and after two months his virtual wallet was worth 100,000 euros. However, when he wanted to withdraw money, he was asked to pay 17,000 euros ($ 17,700). "Zara" assured him that this was a normal process for taxes to be paid for profits. Luca paid; He neither saw the money nor "Zara" again.

Support for tracing

For a fee of 2,500 euros ($ 2,600), Ouarab “Zara”, the accused of Luca, identified, and followed her to Dubai, where she is supposed to be part of a larger fraud system. With this information, Luca was able to ask his bank to reimburse almost half of his losses and to initiate an official investigation into his case.

The banks have certain obligations towards their customers. According to Louis Aubibert, head of Forward Global's investigation and recruitment department, "the bank must ensure that the name of the account holder matches the account number if you transfer money to someone". In the case of Anne, this means that the bank had the obligation "to check whether the bank account was really on Brad Pitt."

You also have a prevention obligation. "When I, as someone who deserves a salary in France, start to transfer large amounts of money abroad, the bank should mark these transactions because they are irregular," said Aubibert.

The challenge of fraud enlightenment

Although not every case leads to a success story, Findmyscammer.com examines a variety of fraud cases. From "Romantik" fraud and "Pig Butchering" to extortion with intimate photos and financial fraud, the company's work now extends beyond individual customers.

Companies commission Ouarab and his team to test their security measures by trying to cheat them. Even governments and public institutions, such as the French State Center for Child Protection, work with Findmyscammer.com to act against networks of minor prostitution, he said.

risks and responsibility

"We are working on identifying the leaders of these prostitution networks. That was very effective," said Ouarab, visibly proud of the broader effect of his company.

The persecution of crooks, however, carries its own risks. Ouarab and his team have received numerous threats, which is why the identities of all employees, except that of Ouarab, are kept secret. He himself pays attention to keeping his place of residence secret because he had to move several times for security reasons.

"I have to be very careful, but I know it is for a good thing," he said. "I used to be a fraudster and I deeply regret it. If this is the price I have to pay to redeem myself, then be it."