Criminal’s Story #3 – Rachel Ortiz

Crime Type: Fake Product Scam

Crime Country: USA

This is a true crime story from the actual criminal’s story as obtained from official and media sources, enhanced by the SCARS Institute Editorial Team. We utilized the SCARS Institute’s AI ‘Jane’ to dive deeper and delve into the minds of these criminals, scammers, and fraudsters, crafting their real stories to reveal their potential motivations and methods. Understanding these perpetrators helps us combat and disrupt crime/scams/fraud more effectively, empowering us with the insights needed to protect others.

WARNING: THIS SCAMMER’S OR CRIMINAL’S STORY MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME PEOPLE. DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

ADVERTENCIA: LA HISTORIA DE ESTA CRIMINAL O ESTAFADOR PUEDE SER INSENSIBLE PARA ALGUNAS PERSONAS. SE RECOMIENDA DISCRECIÓN.

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A Criminal’s Story

I Scammed Hundreds with Fake Luxury Handbags: My $130,000 Fraud Scheme

I’m Rachel Ortiz, a 23-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, and I’m filled with a mix of defiance and shame as I confess how I defrauded hundreds of victims out of $130,255 in an advance-fee scheme involving fake luxury handbags and other high-end items. I built a web of lies, preying on people’s desire for a deal, and I watched as their money poured into my accounts, funding my lifestyle while I left them with nothing but empty promises. I knew it was wrong, but the rush of easy money and the thrill of outsmarting my victims kept me going until I faced the consequences of my actions.

It all started in October 2019, a time when I saw an opportunity to make quick cash without much effort. I lived in a small apartment in Grove City, scraping by with odd jobs, my days filled with boredom and a burning desire for more. I had always loved luxury items, the kind of handbags and jewelry I saw influencers flaunting on social media, but I couldn’t afford them. I teamed up with my boyfriend, Owen Carter, a 25-year-old from Rochester, New York, and we hatched a plan to sell fake luxury goods online, my mind racing with the possibilities of how much we could make. I set up accounts on platforms like Poshmark and OfferUp, my fingers typing out listings with a sense of purpose, knowing I was about to exploit people’s trust for my own gain.

I crafted my scheme with precision, my voice steady as I posed as a young woman going through a divorce, claiming I needed to sell my ex-husband’s gifts at a steep discount. I posted listings for high-end handbags, Chanel purses, Louis Vuitton wallets, and other luxury items, my photos stolen from online catalogs, my descriptions dripping with fake emotion as I lured buyers in. I targeted anyone looking for a deal, my victims a mix of bargain hunters and luxury enthusiasts across the U.S., many of them in the greater Philadelphia area, their desire for a discounted designer bag making them easy marks. I offered them a deal they couldn’t resist, promising an even lower price if they paid through third-party money transfer apps like Zelle, CashApp, Venmo, Google Pay, or PayPal, my words convincing as I urged them to act fast.

I collected their money with cold efficiency, my inbox filling with payment confirmations as I watched the funds roll in, my heart pounding with the thrill of each new transaction. I promised to ship the items, my messages full of fake tracking numbers and assurances, but I never sent anything, my hands pocketing the cash as I cut off contact, blocking them on the platforms and disappearing like a ghost. I defrauded more than 300 victims from October 2019 to November 2021, my scheme raking in $130,255, money I used to fund a lifestyle Owen and I couldn’t have dreamed of otherwise. I ordered frequent food deliveries, my kitchen table piled high with takeout containers from our favorite restaurants, my appetite for luxury satisfied by the meals we didn’t cook. I spent hours playing video games, my new console a shiny reward for our success, my fingers gripping the controller as I lost myself in virtual worlds, the money burning a hole in my pocket.

I spent the rest on myself, my greed taking over as I indulged in the life I had always wanted. I bought new clothes, my closet overflowing with trendy outfits I wore to impress my friends, my confidence growing with each purchase. I splurged on electronics, my apartment filled with the latest gadgets, my TV screen glowing as I watched movies in high definition, my life a far cry from the one I had known before. I treated Owen to nights out, my wallet stuffed with cash as we hit bars and clubs in Columbus, my laughter loud as I lived in the moment, my mind refusing to dwell on the people I was hurting. I knew what I was doing was illegal, knew I was stealing from people who trusted me, but I pushed that thought aside, my desire for money and luxury outweighing any guilt as I convinced myself they could afford the loss.

My motivation came from a place of resentment and ambition, a burning desire to escape the life I had always known, to live like the people I envied on social media. I grew up in a working-class family, always watching others live the life I wanted, my frustration growing as I struggled to make ends meet. I saw my victims as a means to an end, their money a ticket to the world I craved, my mind convinced I was smarter than they were, smarter than the system that would never catch me. I felt powerful, my days filled with the rush of control, their trust in me a drug I couldn’t get enough of. I justified my actions, telling myself they were getting a deal, that they’d move on, my greed outweighing any empathy as I focused on my own gain, my own escape from a life I hated.

I kept the scheme going for two years, my confidence growing with each new victim, my accounts swelling as I moved their money through apps, my operation a well-oiled machine I thought would never break down. I posted new listings, my fingers typing out more lies as I marketed fake purses, my inbox filling with messages from eager buyers, my heart racing with the thrill of each new scam. I collected their payments, my notifications pinging as the funds hit my accounts, my mind buzzing with plans to spend the money, to keep the cycle going. I blocked them when they asked for updates, my fingers swift as I erased them from my life, my conscience quiet as I moved on to the next target, my greed growing with each new deposit.

I didn’t think about the long-term consequences, my mind too caught up in the immediate rewards, the rush of each successful scam. I felt alive, my days filled with the thrill of deception, even as I knew deep down I was breaking the law. I imagined a future where I didn’t have to worry about money, where I could live the life I always wanted, my mind refusing to consider the fallout, the lives I was destroying with every dollar I stole. I pictured my victims as faceless, distant, my mind refusing to dwell on their suffering as I focused on my own gain, my own escape from a life I despised.

I face the consequences now, my world collapsing as I sit with a 20-month prison sentence, my mind a storm of defiance and shame. I defrauded more than 300 people, targeting anyone looking for a deal, exploiting their trust for my own gain, and now I sit here, my dreams of luxury replaced by the harsh reality of my actions, my freedom gone as I face the fallout of a crime I thought I could outrun. I wanted a better life, but all I found was a $130,255 scam that cost me everything, leaving me to face the consequences of a life I built on lies.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/ohio-woman-who-defrauded-hundreds-victims-advance-fee-scheme-involving-high-end

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SCARS Institute Notes:

Legal Disclaimer: The above narrative represents an interpretation and extrapolation based on all available information about the case. Achieving 100% factual accuracy remains impossible due to the inclusion of supposition and fictionalization to create a complete story and monologue. We aim to present a coherent account of the criminal’s perspective solely for entertainment purposes. We derive no income from this endeavor, offering it purely in the public interest. The criminal did not participate in this process.

Fictionalized True Crime Disclaimer: This story offers a dramatized account inspired by real events, crafted to explore the criminal’s perspective for entertainment purposes. We base the narrative on publicly available information, supplemented with fictional elements to create a cohesive storyline, and do not claim complete factual accuracy. The characters, dialogue, and specific motivations reflect artistic interpretation and do not represent the actual thoughts or actions of the individuals involved. We intend this work to raise awareness about the dangers of financial fraud, and we derive no profit from its publication, presenting it solely in the public interest. The depicted individuals did not contribute to or endorse this narrative.