Internet Fraud Casebook

Chapter 5. Small-Town Boys

ANDREA LEE VALENTIN

Buzz and Felix, two dull-witted local troublemakers, enjoyed creating a ruckus in their small Virginia town of Walden during their teens. They frequently got into trouble in school — when they made it, that is — and parents with teenage daughters steered them clear of the duo. However, after they somehow graduated from high school, the young men both moved away for a few years and came back as productive citizens. They surprisingly managed to grow up to be hard-working adults. Buzz and Felix were still known to enjoy late-night outings and flashy cars and clothes, but otherwise they kept to themselves. Both were very good tippers at the local restaurants and were friendly and helpful to their neighbors. The townspeople believed Buzz and Felix, in their early thirties, were traveling salesmen who made frequent trips all over the East Coast. They were strong technology users and usually had a cell phone, laptop, or other technical device in hand.

When they returned to Walden, Buzz told Felix, "This is the best place for us right now. It is centrally located so we can easily travel to Atlanta, New York and Miami as needed." But Felix did not know exactly how important their location was in Buzz's plans.

Thrown Together by Fate

USA Choice Payments, Inc., a privately held company based out of Greenwood Village, Colorado, specialized in payment systems providing an alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar banking by offering complete payroll ...