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In the annals of American dream-chasing, few stories are as dramatic or cautionary as that of Priscila Barbosa. Barbosa’s story began in Sorocaba, Brazil, an industrial city where she grew up as the eldest daughter of a hardworking family. Her parents, an electrician and a postal worker, invested in her education, providing English lessons and ballet classes.She studied IT, taught computer skills, and even ran a successful healthy meal delivery service, Fit Express, until Brazil’s recession hit hard. Desperate to support her family, Barbosa accepted a suggestion from an acquaintance to move to the US on a tourist visa and drive for Uber and Lyft.
Early days in US
According to a Wired report, Barbosa’s journey to the United States began on April 24, 2018, at New York’s JFK International Airport. Standing just outside customs with two suitcases filled with clothes and Brazilian bikinis, she found herself in a predicament when her US contact, who had promised to help her settle and drive for Uber and Lyft, disappeared. With only an iPhone, $117, and no return ticket, Barbosa was determined to make her American dream a reality.
A scheme of epic proportions
As per the Wired report, Barbosa’s journey would eventually lead her to the center of a massive fraud conspiracy involving rideshare and delivery services. Alongside fellow Brazilian national Guilherme da Silveira and 17 other co-defendants, Barbosa was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. They had orchestrated a scheme to create fraudulent driver accounts using stolen identities, which they then rented or sold to unqualified drivers.
Using the dark web and other sources, they obtained over 2,000 identities, bypassing stringent background checks required by companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. They exploited referral bonus programs and used “bots” and GPS spoofing technology to maximize earnings. According to the indictment, Barbosa’s role in creating and managing these accounts was integral to the scheme’s success, which netted her over $791,000.
A web of deceit: The scheme unfolds
Barbosa, with da Silveira, used the stolen identities to create fraudulent driver accounts. They edited driver’s license images to match the photos of the drivers renting or buying the accounts, circumventing facial recognition technology. They advertised these accounts on WhatsApp, targeting Brazilian nationals living in the US, and managed the accounts by collecting rental payments and troubleshooting issues.
The scheme was elaborate and far-reaching. They exploited referral bonus programs, used “bots” and GPS spoofing to inflate earnings, and managed to siphon off hundreds of thousands of dollars. The operation was so sophisticated that it exposed glaring vulnerabilities in the gig economy’s security measures, the Wired report said.
Legal consequences: The fall
In May 2021, Barbosa and her co-defendants were charged, and by April 2022, she and da Silveira had pleaded guilty. Barbosa was sentenced to three years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fined $20,000. Sixteen other defendants were arrested, with three still at large.
For those who suspect they might be victims of this scheme, resources are available through the IRS and the US Department of Justice’s Victim Assistance Program.
Early days in US
According to a Wired report, Barbosa’s journey to the United States began on April 24, 2018, at New York’s JFK International Airport. Standing just outside customs with two suitcases filled with clothes and Brazilian bikinis, she found herself in a predicament when her US contact, who had promised to help her settle and drive for Uber and Lyft, disappeared. With only an iPhone, $117, and no return ticket, Barbosa was determined to make her American dream a reality.
A scheme of epic proportions
As per the Wired report, Barbosa’s journey would eventually lead her to the center of a massive fraud conspiracy involving rideshare and delivery services. Alongside fellow Brazilian national Guilherme da Silveira and 17 other co-defendants, Barbosa was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. They had orchestrated a scheme to create fraudulent driver accounts using stolen identities, which they then rented or sold to unqualified drivers.
Using the dark web and other sources, they obtained over 2,000 identities, bypassing stringent background checks required by companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash. They exploited referral bonus programs and used “bots” and GPS spoofing technology to maximize earnings. According to the indictment, Barbosa’s role in creating and managing these accounts was integral to the scheme’s success, which netted her over $791,000.
A web of deceit: The scheme unfolds
Barbosa, with da Silveira, used the stolen identities to create fraudulent driver accounts. They edited driver’s license images to match the photos of the drivers renting or buying the accounts, circumventing facial recognition technology. They advertised these accounts on WhatsApp, targeting Brazilian nationals living in the US, and managed the accounts by collecting rental payments and troubleshooting issues.
The scheme was elaborate and far-reaching. They exploited referral bonus programs, used “bots” and GPS spoofing to inflate earnings, and managed to siphon off hundreds of thousands of dollars. The operation was so sophisticated that it exposed glaring vulnerabilities in the gig economy’s security measures, the Wired report said.
Legal consequences: The fall
In May 2021, Barbosa and her co-defendants were charged, and by April 2022, she and da Silveira had pleaded guilty. Barbosa was sentenced to three years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fined $20,000. Sixteen other defendants were arrested, with three still at large.
For those who suspect they might be victims of this scheme, resources are available through the IRS and the US Department of Justice’s Victim Assistance Program.
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