NFL Players Scammed in Phishing Scheme

0:00On March 27, the NFL Players Association recently warned agents that NFL and NBA players may have fallen victim to a fishing scam run by Kwamei. Jarel Ford, a 34-year-old from Buford, Georgia. He's facing multiple charges including wire fraud, computer fraud, identity theft, and sex trafficking after allegedly targeting athletes' apple, accounts to steal financial information. Ford pulled off the scheme with a clever two-step trick. He first posed online as a popular adult entertainer, promising explicit videos. Then, pretending to be Apple customer service, he texted victims for their user names, passwords, or verification codes to supposedly deliver the content. Dozens handed over details, letting him drain cards for personal spending. Athletes weren't the only targets in the bigger picture. Ford has a history here. He got convicted in March 2019 for hacking over 100 Apple accounts from athletes and musicians. Then, blowing nearly $325,000 of stolen money.

1:03The NFL PA highlighted the risks in a memo to stay vigilant. Prosecutors say the plot started as early as November 2020, even while Ford was behind bars. It escalated when he allegedly lured a woman into commercial sex acts with players, promising her a modeling boost, while secretly filming encounters, and pocketing payments. Ford pleaded not guilty on March 13, and remains in custody without bail ahead of trial. Law enforcement stresses there on top of these evolving threats to protect everyone involved. That wraps NFL News Today, brought to you with AI. I'm Cory with The Story.