A retired Chicago city worker, Thomas, became the unfortunate victim of a sophisticated wire transfer scam, losing over $19,000. The scam began with an email claiming to be from Chase Bank, alerting him about a platinum credit card he allegedly signed up for with a $499 annual fee. Suspicious of the email, Thomas called the customer service number provided, unaware that he was speaking to a scammer. During the phone call, the scammer gained remote access to Thomas’ computer while he logged into his bank account. The scammer then claimed to have accidentally deposited $20,000 instead of the intended $499 refund for the unwanted credit card. In a panic, the scammer convinced Thomas to remove the overpayment, resulting in the disappearance of both the $20,000 deposit and $19,450 of Thomas’ own money.