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(Photo: Twitter/ U.S Customs and Border Protection)
The indictment alleges victims were sometimes re-victimised multiple times and threatened with bodily harm if they did not pay. Upon conviction, both of them face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible USD 250,000 fine.
According to the charges, the ring tricked and deceived victims using various ruses and instructed them to send money via wire through a money transmitter business such as Western Union or MoneyGram, by buying gift cards and providing to the fraudsters or by mailing cash to alias names via FedEx or UPS.
One such scheme allegedly involved the claim of providing computer technical support services.
Once victims contacted them, they were told various stories such as they were communicating with an expert that needed remote access to their computer in order to provide technical support services.
The fraudsters then allegedly gained further access to their personal data and bank and credit card information, the Department of Justice said in a statement.
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