How a retiree in US lost almost $1m savings to scammers

For nearly three months, Mr Barry Heitin, a 76-year-old retired lawyer, thought he was part of a government investigation that felt like something out of the movies. But he was actually assisting criminals in stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars – of his own money.

Last autumn, he spent just about every weekday doing the legwork and making withdrawals from his bank accounts as part of an intricate scam: He believed he was helping the Feds safeguard his money and catch thieves who were after it.