WASHINGTON, D.C. – In what authorities are calling the greatest heist in history” a highly persuasive telephone scammer reportedly stole a staggering $1 trillion from the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The fraudster, described by investigators as having an “incredibly convincing voice,” allegedly posed as a top government official and simply asked for the money over the phone. Shockingly, it worked.
According to sources inside the Federal Reserve, an employee received a call from someone claiming to be Jerome Powell, the Fed Chairman, who calmly requested that $1 trillion be transferred to a “very urgent” offshore account.
“He sounded so professional,” said the unnamed employee. “He even used banking terms like ‘interest rates’ and ‘quantitative easing.’ How was I supposed to know it wasn’t him?”
The funds were wired within minutes, and by the time anyone noticed, the money had vanished faster than a budget surplus.
FBI agents say the scammer used a cutting-edge technique known as “just asking nicely.”
Authorities are now searching for the missing funds, believed to be split between several cryptocurrency wallets and a suspicious offshore company called “Totally Not a Scam Inc.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve has promised new security measures, including requiring at least two phone calls before giving away another trillion dollars.
* Image: Pixabay.com / Flickr.com/pedrik