HOUSTON – After losing her husband Giancarlo, Joel Locandro’s world shattered even further when sophisticated scammers stripped her of her entire life savings—$500,000—through an elaborate work-from-home scheme.
The devastating loss came after a 20-year career as a successful small business owner, where Locandro had built her reputation designing and creating personalized products, from coffee cups to inspirational posters.
Massive scale of fraud
The scope of such scams is staggering. According to Federal Trade Commission data, job scam complaints exceeded 61,000 last year alone, with victims losing a combined $186 million to fraudsters .
“This happens to everyone, regardless of their background, their education where they live or what they do. These scams are very sophisticated and very elaborate and can fool anyone,” warns Rhonda Perkins from the Federal Trade Commission.
How the scam unfolded
The fraudsters approached Locandro with what seemed like a legitimate opportunity—a guaranteed $600 weekly salary plus benefits, including paid vacation and time off. The job appeared simple: review women’s fashion items online.
But there was a catch.
“For the review to look legitimate, it had to appear that I actually purchased the item and then left a review,” Locandro explained. The scammers promised reimbursement for these purchases and big commissions for the work, slowly building trust with her while draining her accounts.
Sophisticated psychological manipulation
The criminals employed sophisticated tactics to maintain control over their victim. They created an elaborate support system using WhatsApp, where they posed as supportive co-workers, constantly encouraging Locandro to continue .
“I was talking to these people on a daily basis. I just felt so stupid, I mean who loses $500,000, who does that?” Locandro shared, her voice breaking. “It almost literally destroyed me... I lost everything.”
Warning signs
The Better Business Bureau’s Leah Napoliello identifies key red flags:
- Job offers through unsolicited social media messages or texts
- No in-person interviews or reference checks
- Requests to send money within days of starting
- Overpayment schemes requiring you to “return” funds
How to protect yourself
If you encounter a suspicious job offer:
- Never send money to potential employers
- Research the company thoroughly including checking the names of the hiring director and head of the department that is offering to hire you
- Be wary of jobs requiring upfront purchases
- Verify all communication channels and company contacts
- Trust your instincts—if it seems too good to be true, it probably is
Taking action
If you become a victim of a work-from-home scam:
- Contact the FBI immediately, within 24 hours of realizing that you’ve been taken at www.ic3.gov
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Report the incident to your local law enforcement
- Document all communication with the scammers
- Contact your bank or credit card company or whatever service you used to pay the scammers to dispute charges and see if those charges can be reversed