Conman’s hit upon Branson
BRITAIN: Sir Richard Branson has told how a conman masquerading as Britain’s defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon tried to defraud him out of $5 million.
The fraudster, who spoke to the head of the Virgin Group on the phone and sounded exactly like Fallon, tried to persuade him that the money was needed to pay the ransom for a British diplomat who had been kidnapped.
However, Branson was suspicious and rang the real defence secretary on another line. While that attempt failed, another succeeded.
The entrepreneur, 67, said a business friend of his in the United States had been persuaded to part with $2 million to someone pretending to be him.
The deceptions were revealed by Branson in his blog yesterday. He wrote: ‘‘Six months ago my assistant received a written note on what appeared to be official government notepaper from Secretary of State for Defence Sir Michael Fallon, requesting an urgent call with me . . . He asked that we speak in strict confidence and said that a British diplomat had been kidnapped and was being held by terrorists.
‘‘He told me that British laws prevented the government from paying out ransoms, which he normally completely concurred with. But he said on this occasion there was a particular, very sensitive, reason why they had to get this diplomat back.’’
Branson was assured the government would pay him back. However, he said: ‘‘Although the Sir Michael I spoke to sounded exactly like Sir Michael, I was understandably cautious.’’
He rang the real Gallon’s office via Downing Street and was assured by his secretary that nobody had been kidnapped. Later, after Hurricane Irma, he received an email from a business friend in the US asking when he would be returning a three-week loan after he had been asked for help with the British Virgin Island communities.
‘‘I had no idea what they were talking about,’’ he wrote. Branson, who believes the same person was behind both deceptions, said they quickly realised his friend had been conned.
‘‘He has spent his life being cautious and told me he couldn’t believe how stupid he had been. He is an incredibly generous person who gives to all sorts of causes, and it is just too sad for words that of all people it was he who had fallen for it.’’ –