“It's life falling apart”: thinking they were making a good deal, a couple in their sixties were scammed out of 550,000 euros

A couple in their sixties from Nice were scammed out of 550,000 euros, thinking they were making a smart investment in a bank account.

This is a heartbreaking story that took place in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes). Nicole, 62, saw all her retirement savings disappear. She and her husband were victims of a criminal, who stole the 550,000 euros they had set aside, serving as their retirement, according to Nice-Matin. He was a gardener, and she was a hospital worker, the money came from a property sold for 400,000 euros.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

“He speaks well, knows his job”

The scammer introduced himself as a bank advisor when he called them on behalf of BforBank, which is Crédit Agricole's online bank.

The couple, saying they were interested in the offer they were being offered, decided to create a savings account in each of their names and transferred 200,000 euros each into it. Their bank, which is BNP Paribas, even gave them permission, not having noticed the scam. During the summer of 2023, they made three new transfers, a sum reaching almost half a million euros.

Wanting to withdraw money to help their daughter who had divorced, the number of the famous advisor was no longer assigned, and that's when they discovered the deception. They therefore decide to contact BforBank, which tells them that the couple in their sixties have never been customers of theirs, “now, life is falling apart”, she confides.

“He got into my head”

“The IBAN starts with ES, like Spain, while BforBank is a French bank. This may escape a layman, but a bank advisor must be vigilant”, explains Me Kim Kamus who is their lawyer. “I always said: “We have to be careful.” And he got into my head”, laments Me Camus. “Not only were we unable to help our daughter, but we lost everything. I can't think about anything else.”