A South Florida man says he lost more than $250,000 in an elaborate bank imposter scam.
Read more Security preparations underway ahead of Stonewall Pride Parade in Wilton Manors
Randall Kahn said he received a phone call in early January from someone claiming to be a representative of Wells Fargo. He said the caller told him that irregular activity had been detected on his accounts and that immediate action was needed to protect his funds.
“I was in panic, sheer panic,” Kahn said.
According to Kahn, the caller provided what appeared to be legitimate credentials, including an employee identification number and an incident report number.
He said the caller instructed him to withdraw cash from his accounts and transfer the money to what was described as a secure account.
“I would have to make cash withdrawals, not money orders, not cashier’s checks, cash withdrawals,” Kahn said.
Over a seven-day period, Kahn said he visited nine bank branches and withdrew more than $250,000 from his accounts. A police report reviewed by NBC6 showed total withdrawals of $251,300.
Kahn said he was told the money would be picked up by a rideshare driver, who would then ensure the funds were safely deposited back into his accounts.
Kahn shared security camera images from a nearby doorbell camera, he says, captured one of the pickups.
“As soon as she had received the last cash, told me she had received it, I immediately called back and the line went dead,” Kahn said. “It went dead.”
While Kahn’s experience may appear unusual, consumer protection experts say similar imposter scams are occurring across the country.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, the agency received more than 1 million reports of imposter scams in 2025. Reported losses rose nearly 20% to $3.5 billion.
Scammers commonly use phone calls, emails and text messages to impersonate trusted organizations, including banks, government agencies and businesses, in an effort to gain access to victims’ money or personal information.
Read more Man killed in crash involving motorcycle in Coral Springs, police say
In a separate Broward County case reported weeks before Kahn’s alleged scam, a woman told sheriff’s deputies she lost $2,000 after someone posing as a bank representative came to her home and collected her debit card. She later learned the individual was not affiliated with her bank.
David Meister, a representative of cybersecurity company Check Point, said consumers should be skeptical of unsolicited communications involving financial accounts.
“Take a healthy dose of skepticism to any communication that you have,” Meister said. “If you’re not expecting communication, more times than not, it may be malicious.”
Meister said one of the most effective ways to avoid becoming a victim is to end the conversation and contact the bank directly using a verified phone number.
“If it is a financial scam, contact your bank as soon as possible,” Meister said. “If they’ve got access to your credit card numbers, block those cards. Most banks, you can do that now directly from the app.”
Kahn said he later filed claims with Wells Fargo seeking reimbursement. The bank denied those claims, citing his authorization and participation in the transactions.
In a statement provided to NBC6 Responds, Wells Fargo said, “Proper policies and procedures were followed in this case.” The bank noted that the account involved was a business account, where larger withdrawal amounts are common, and said it must make funds available when customers are properly authenticated during in-person transactions.
The bank also said it has “robust security measures in place” and continues efforts to educate customers about common scams.
For Kahn, the loss has been devastating.
“The reality for me is it’s everything I have worked for the last 25 years of my life,” he said. “To provide for my family, to provide for my grandson.”
Authorities encourage anyone who believes they have been targeted by scammers to report the incident to local law enforcement, the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission.
Read more Bodycam shows officers rushing to help after small plane crash in Pembroke Pines