I’m a rideshare driver who was tricked into helping scammers steal $20k – when I knew what had happened it was too late

AN elderly couple was scammed out of almost $20,000 by a man who tricked a rideshare driver into unknowingly participating in the scheme.

James Elmore, a Lyft driver, received a request earlier this month to pick up a package from an elderly couple’s home in southwest Miami-Dade .

NBC 6

Upon arrival, Elmore was asked by the couple to speak with a man on the phone, who provided specific instructions on delivering the package.

“Giving me specific instructions on where to take the package, how to deliver it, and he would have someone meet me outside of Ross when I got there,” Elmore told local NBC affiliate WTVJ-TV on Tuesday.

Although Elmore found the request unusual, he followed through, delivering the package to a man waiting at a Ross store parking lot in Hialeah.

“I asked him what was the name on the package because I wouldn’t release it,” Elmore said.

“He gave me the name on the package — he didn’t talk much — I gave him the package and he went back,” Elmore recounted.

Unbeknownst to Elmore, both he and the elderly couple were victims of a scam orchestrated by Agustin Garcia-Marsan.

Miami-Dade Police reported that the couple received a call from someone posing as their grandson.

Their “grandson” claimed he was being arrested and needed money for bail.

According to the arrest report, the grandfather contacted a supposed attorney, who instructed him to gather $18,500 for the bail bondsman.

Following the instructions, the couple placed the money in a small box and handed it to Elmore, who was directed to pick it up.

“These people were so humble, so nice, they didn’t even speak much, and at the same time, they didn’t know they were being scammed,” Elmore said.

Investigators were able to trace the rideshare payment back to Garcia-Marsan, linking him to multiple fraud incidents across Florida and North Carolina.

He had employed similar tactics in other cases, using rideshare drivers to collect money and meet at shopping plazas.

The couple only realized they had been scammed after contacting their grandson after the fact, who confirmed he was neither in an accident nor in jail.

Elmore expressed relief that the alleged scammer had been apprehended before anybody else went through a similar situation.

“That’s the ultimate goal,” Elmore said.

“To put up a win for crime, the only thing that could be better than that is if they get their money back,” he continued.

“It’s a win because it gives them some peace of mind where they can’t do it again.”

Garcia-Marsan was arrested by police on Monday and faces charges related to the scam.

How are scammers finding my number?

Here Mackenzie Tatananni , science and technology reporter at The U.S. Sun, breaks down ways a scammer may get your information.

Scammers commonly get phone numbers from data breaches, which occur when a hacker accesses a private database – often those maintained by companies like service providers and employers.

This information may be shared and circulated online, including on the dark web, where there are forums dedicated to sharing leaked information.

Another common technique called wardialing employs an automated system that targets specific area codes.

A recorded message will instruct the listener to enter sensitive information, like a card number and PIN.

There is also a far more harrowing possibility: your phone number could be listed online without your knowledge.

Data brokers are hungry to buy and sell your information. These companies gather information from various public sources online, including social media and public records

Their primary goal is to build databases of people and use this information for tailored advertising and marketing.

Much of this information ends up on public record sites, which display information like your phone number, email, home address, and date of birth for anyone to see.

In the United States, these sites are legally required to remove your information if you request it.

Locate your profile and follow the opt-out instructions, but be warned – these sites do not make it easy and intend to frustrate you out of completing the deregistration process.

For simplicity’s sake, you can also use a tool to purge your information from the Internet.

Norton offers one such service. Called the Privacy Monitor Assistant, the tool finds info online and requests removal on your behalf.

It is also possible that your phone number may be linked to a social media account and publicly displayed on your profile – this happens quite frequently with Facebook.

Be sure to review your privacy settings and confirm this information is hidden away from prying eyes.