PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
The two tech companies that were scammed out of $100 million as reported in March have been identified by Fortune as Google and Facebook.
When the incident was first reported, police announced that they had arrested a Lithuanian man, but they refrained from identifying the companies. However, it became apparent which companies were affected after Tawainese supplier Quanta Computer admitted that the scammer used the firms name.
Sources that Forbes spoke to pinpointed Google and Facebook, with one source saying that the social network had asked the US Attorney’s Office for help in getting back its money. Both companies eventually admitted that they were the victims.
Facebook said that it had "recovered the bulk of the funds shortly after the incident and has been cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation", while Google said it "detected this fraud against [its] vendor management team and promptly alerted the authorities."
Fortune’s source said that companies get duped by fake suppliers on a regular basis, and that Facebook was not the first firm to ask for help from the legal body. This particular case was, according to the office’s staff, a noteably large one, making it strange why neither company disclosed the incident to their investors – a legal requirement no less.
If there’s any takeaway from this it is can be considered as a reassurance that big companies can fall victim to online scams as well.
