A notorious Mexican drug cartel has been operating a series of scams targeting elderly Americans, going to such lengths as posing as officials from the U.S. Treasury Department, according to U.S. authorities.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Treasury Department has revealed the details of the fraud. The cartel, known as the Jalisco drug cartel, has been using call centers to promote fake offers to purchase timeshare properties from Americans. In total, they have managed to scam approximately 600 individuals out of around $40 million.
In a new twist, the fraudsters have begun contacting people by claiming to be employees of OFAC itself. They offer to release funds that are supposedly frozen by the agency, which is responsible for combating illicit funds and money laundering.
The agency stated, "Perpetrators of timeshare fraud often exploit the names of government agencies in order to appear legitimate. For instance, they may contact victims and falsely claim to represent OFAC, demanding payment in exchange for the release of funds that they allege have been blocked by the agency."
Officials have revealed that a scam targeting Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco state has been uncovered. In a March alert, the FBI warned that scammers were contacting sellers via email, claiming to have a buyer lined up but requiring the seller to pay taxes or fees before the deal could proceed.
The FBI stated that "sales representatives often employ high-pressure tactics to create a sense of urgency in the deal". It appears that once the money was paid, the deals never materialized.
On Thursday, OFAC announced a new round of sanctions against three Mexican individuals and 13 companies linked to the Jalisco cartel, also known as the CJNG, which has been responsible for killing call center workers who attempt to leave.
Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen stated that "CJNG uses extreme violence and intimidation to control the timeshare network, often targeting elderly US citizens and defrauding them of their life savings".
The Jalisco cartel is notorious for producing large quantities of lethal fentanyl and smuggling it into the US disguised as Xanax, Percocet, or oxycodone. These counterfeit pills are responsible for approximately 70,000 overdose deaths in the US each year.
Yellen added that "Treasury remains committed to the Administration's comprehensive effort, in collaboration with our Mexican partners, to disrupt CJNG's sources of revenue and their ability to traffic deadly drugs like fentanyl".
Tragic Incident Unveils Dark Side of Call Center Industry in Mexico
In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that a call center operated by the notorious Jalisco cartel in Mexico has claimed the lives of at least eight young workers who attempted to quit their jobs. The victims' families were under the impression that their children were employed at a regular call center, unaware of the dangerous nature of the establishment.
The Jalisco cartel, recognized as one of the most dangerous transnational criminal organizations globally by the Department of Justice, has been involved in various illicit activities. Led by Nemesio Oseguera, also known as "El Mencho," the cartel has become a prime target for both Mexican and U.S. authorities.
