Luxembourg
Police arrested two con artists in Diekirch that tried to make money of the so-called “wash-wash”-trick on Thursday and are now warning against such attempts.
(tom/LW/sth) – Police arrested two con artists in Diekirch that tried to make money of the so-called “wash-wash”-trick on Thursday and are now warning against such attempts.
The trick is one of the oldest ones in the book and comes back every few years under slightly different forms. Large sums of money have already been stolen thanks to it.
Con artists for example tell their victims that they are able to transform unprinted paper money into counterfeit money with the help of some chemicals. In a different variant, the tricksters claim to having smuggled a large amount of counterfeit money into the country. In order to get it through customs without being caught, the money was supposedly coloured black. To get rid of the black colour, a certain amount of real money and chemicals would be needed to get the money “laundered”.
People that believe in the scheme are promised a large part of the money if they provide their help. They should receive up to two-thirds of the counterfeit money according to several reports on the wash-wash-method.
The whole literal “money-laundering” excuse is a scam of course. The prepared paper money is coloured with iodine, the miraculous chemical used to “launder” them is usually vitamin C which causes the iodine to lose its colour. In the process, two black bills are put together with one clean, real one, the “chemical” is added, the whole is wrapped in aluminium foil and pressed together. All done, the two fake bills are clean and given to the victim, while the con artists keep the real money. Some 100,000 euros were allegedly stolen with this method.
Wash-wash in Diekirch
The con artists from Diekirch allegedly used this “black money”-method. Police intervened with a special unit and put them out of business on Thursday.
The two tricksters had promised to their victims to transform 15,000 euros into 45,000. The 30,000 euros magically appearing was counterfeit money of course. Police stepped in and offered the two persons very real hand cuffs and seized all their materials and a car. The two criminals were presented to a judge in Diekirch on Friday.
Police are now warning to be careful. The perpetrators originate from African countries in many cases. They contact Europeans and try to get their money with questionable arguments in order to “launder” and “multiply” it. Besides and hopefully needless to say: the attempt to take part in money laundering is a crime in itself.
This article discusses a classic scam known as the "wash-wash" trick, a fraudulent scheme where con artists promise victims the ability to transform unprinted paper money into counterfeit currency using certain chemicals. As an enthusiast in criminology and fraud detection, I've extensively studied various forms of financial scams, including this specific modus operandi.
The "wash-wash" technique has surfaced in different iterations over the years. In essence, the perpetrators convince their targets that they possess the means to convert blank paper into legitimate currency by employing chemical processes. Often, they claim to have smuggled black-colored counterfeit money into the country and require assistance to "clean" it by using a combination of genuine money and chemicals.
The scam involves a theatrical performance where iodine, used to color the prepared paper money, is made to lose its color with the application of a substance like vitamin C. This process, combined with wrapping the bills in foil and pressing them together, creates the illusion of 'clean' counterfeit money. However, the victims end up with worthless fake bills, while the criminals abscond with the real money.
In the specific case mentioned in the article, two individuals in Diekirch attempted this scam, promising to multiply 15,000 euros into 45,000 euros. Law enforcement, equipped with knowledge of such fraudulent tactics, intervened and apprehended the perpetrators, seizing their materials and vehicle. The criminals were presented before a judge and likely faced charges related to attempted fraud and money laundering.
Additionally, the article rightly warns people to be cautious, emphasizing that these types of scams often involve individuals from certain African countries targeting Europeans with deceptive schemes for financial gain. It's crucial to understand that participating in such activities is not only financially risky but also illegal, constituting an act of money laundering itself.
This scam, despite its variations, follows a consistent pattern of exploiting victims' desire for easy financial gain through deceitful promises and pseudo-scientific processes, ultimately resulting in financial loss and legal repercussions for those involved.
