Fake Apple Support Scam Leads to $1.2M Fine and 8-Year Sentence in NFT Theft Case
A Los Angeles man, Amir Hossein Golshan, aged 25, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution.
Golshan’s sentence was handed down following his involvement in a series of scams where he masqueraded as an Apple support representative.
Golshan’s High-Tech Scam
Amir Hossein Golshan, a 25-year-old Los Angeles resident, has been handed a severe eight-year federal prison sentence with an order to pay $1.2 million in restitution.
This sentence was delivered by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II following Golshan’s involvement in sophisticated scams where he impersonated an Apple support representative, leading to the theft of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies.
Unmasking the details of the scam, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released information indicating the complex nature of Golshan’s criminal activities.
His methods included subscriber identity module (SIM) swapping and hijacking social media accounts, which affected hundreds of victims over several years. The DOJ’s report highlights the substantial financial impact of these crimes, with losses amounting to approximately $740,000.
Golshan’s technique involved deceitfully convincing victims to share their personal information, including SIM card details and two-factor authentication codes. This enabled him to gain unauthorized access to their digital accounts, paving the way for the theft of digital assets.
This case underscores the increasing complexity and severity of cybercrimes in the age of digital currencies and online identities, reflecting a growing concern for both individuals and legal entities in the digital finance area.
Golshan’s Rampant Digital Asset Theft
The investigation into Amir Hossein Golshan’s criminal activities revealed a more extensive trail of digital theft, including valuable NFTs and cryptocurrencies. This theft resulted in not only financial losses but also significant emotional and psychological distress for his victims.
The DOJ emphasized the particularly egregious nature of Golshan’s crimes. It wasn’t just the monetary value of the stolen assets that made his actions severe; the prosecutors pointed out that the impact of Golshan’s crimes extended far beyond financial harm. His victims were subjected to ongoing fear and worry, a consequence of his fraudulent activities.
Prosecutors in the case underlined the gravity of Golshan’s actions, describing them as a “complete lack of respect” for both the law and basic human dignity.
Exploiting Trust in Tech Support
Amir Hossein Golshan’s method of operation, as detailed by the DOJ, involved a cunning impersonation of Apple support personnel.
This tactic granted him unauthorized access to victims’ Apple iCloud accounts, opening a gateway to their valuable digital assets.
Through this elaborate scheme, Golshan defrauded multiple individuals, stealing not just cryptocurrencies but also non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other digital properties. The financial impact of his crimes was staggering, with individual losses ranging from $2,000 to as much as $389,000.
One particular instance highlighted Golshan’s deceptive approach. Posing as an official Apple Support employee, he contacted a victim using Apple Support’s actual telephone number.
This established a veneer of legitimacy that enabled him to trick the victim into revealing a two-step authentication code. Once he gained access to the victim’s iCloud account, Golshan changed the account’s email address, securing his control over it.
His most lucrative haul from this victim involved the theft of an NFT valued at approximately $319,000 and an additional $70,000 in cryptocurrency.
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