“There’s a pretty good possibility if you go down to Florida, that you’re not coming back alive.”
Every day, millions of people go online looking for roommates, or concert tickets, or a date, or cheap vacation. Most are keenly aware that there’s a chance they’ll encounter criminals and scams along the way. Navigating that minefield is hard….too hard…and the consequences can be steep. People like me often warn users that if they encounter the Dark Side, you just don’t know who you’ll be messing with. Maybe the person behind that fake job listing is just a solo criminal out for a quick buck. But increasingly, Internet crimes are operated by sophisticated crime rings. Dangerous crime rings.
Sometimes, that warning sounds hollow or hyperbolic. That’s why I’m so grateful that Therin Miller approached me a couple of months ago with his harrowing story. He went online looking for a roommate after a divorce. A seemingly mild-mannered, successful man took him up on the offer. A couple of months later, Therin and his new friend made plans to open a new business together – a car dealership. Therin applied for business loans using his roommate’s financial advisor. Only later did he find out the applications were fraudulent, he might be on the hook for half a million dollars and some felony charges. Worst of all, he learned the roommate’s money man had close ties to Mani Chulpayev, a well-known Russian mob figure and some-time government…
