Associated Incidents
Police in Washington state are investigating reports that a scammer posing as popular MSNBC host Ari Melber bilked at least $20,000 out of a 73-year-old woman and even convinced her to meet up.
The family of former Boeing employee Patricia Taylor told KING 5-TV in Seattle that she’s a huge fan of Melber’s, and thought she was connecting with the cable anchor on social media.
Taylor’s adult children called her a “very trusting person” who started texting with the scammer and sending him money.
According to a K5 report by Erik Wilkinson:
“She’s at least $20,000 in,” said Meri. “It was $20,000 as of the first of November. There could be more.”
But the scam doesn’t stop there.
The family said over the past four months, the scammer convinced Patricia they were in love and going to be married. He even sent her a ring.
“We found the ring,” said Meri. “It’s a $30 ring.”
When Patricia got suspicious, the scammer doubled down. Faki Ari texted, “When did Ari Melber turn into a scammer?”
That was followed by an AI generated message using fake Ari’s voice: “You’re reading my messages and not responding. I’d never (scam) you. Have you found someone else?”
On Monday, Patricia boarded a plane from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to New York City to meet her mystery man.
Family members said a GPS on the victim’s phone allowed a relative to “intercept” her on a layover in Portland. They said they believe she would have been kidnapped and held for ransom if the scammer had succeeded with his plot.
MSNBC told KING 5 that “the real Ari Melber” had nothing to do with the scam.
Despite the revelations, family members said they’re afraid Patricia was in so deep, she might try again to meet up with the fake “Melber.”
The report included an FBI statistic that in 2023 “more than 101,000 people 60 and older fell victim to fraud. That’s a 14% increase from the previous year.”