The criminal prototype in the movie "How to Get Away with Murder" now joins the ranks of anti-high-tech fraud

In conferences about the latest and most cutting-edge computer technology such as the 2007 Wharton Technology Conference The inclusion of Frank Abagnale Jr as the keynote speaker seemed a bit confusing, not least because of Abagnale's (Steve Spielberg's 2002 film How to Get Away With Murder) Catch Me If You Can) is one of the most notorious people of the 20th century, also because of the very low-tech nature of his methods.

Abernam (who was still a teenager at the time) pretended to be a Pan Am pilot in the 1960s, flying a million miles and traveling to 26 countries for free. More than 250 cities in the country. Forging Pan Am identity documents was a key link in Abernam's entire fraud plan. He bought a set of aviation models from a model toy store, and then took off the airline's logo from the model.

Abnam’s lecture was sharp and humorous, and he also reminded everyone that we must be more careful about scams now than in the past, because current technological development makes it easier to commit fraud, and he was able to commit thousands of frauds back then. A lot of hard work.

In a brief interview after his speech, Aibnan said, "Because of various advanced technologies, it is 4,000 times easier to commit fraud now than it was back then. I used to use Heidelberg's machine to print checks. Printing equipment, which costs millions and is 90 feet long and 18 feet high, requires all kinds of printers, separators, and negatives. Now I can open my laptop and design a check for a large Fortune 500 company. Get their company logo from the company's website and print it on the check, and within a few minutes you can create a check that's authentic enough."

Why do you resort to fraud?

Abernan now has a prosperous security consulting firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is seriously studying various ways to use computers and the Internet to defraud. But his job over the past thirty years has not been to devise elaborate scams, but to serve as a consultant to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and many corporate clients, advising them on how to prevent theft and fraud.

His business has never been worried about no one patronizing it, and in the Internet age, there is no need to worry. He said, "High technology breeds liars, and this will continue to be the case in the future. There are always people who want to use high technology to do evil and seek personal gain."

Although Abernan later helped the FBI solve the case, the amount he stole was nearly 300 Ten thousand dollars (mostly by writing bad checks), he also pretended to be a pilot, a pediatrician, passed the Louisiana bar exam, and even found a job in the state attorney's office. He was later arrested in France and spent time in prison in France, Switzerland and the United States. The movie "How to Get Away with Murder" is adapted from Abner's autobiographical novel, starring Leonardo Dicaprio as Abner. After the film was released, Abernam became a minor celebrity.

Although the film strives to be faithful to Abernam's legendary true story, he said that the film is very different from real life in at least one major aspect, and that is the relationship between him and his father (Christopher Wall) Ken (played by Chirstopher Walken). In real life, his parents divorced when he was 16 years old. This incident left a trauma on his young mind. From then on, he never saw his father again, and he embarked on the path of crime.

Abnam said he was born in a wealthy suburb of West County, New York, and lived a peaceful life there until one day someone came to pick him up from the rigorous Catholic high school he attended. Go and take it to Family Court for hearing. He said, "I was led to the back of a huge courtroom, and my parents were standing in front of the judge. I couldn't hear what the judge was saying, but finally... he motioned for me to come forward, and I walked over and stood Between my parents, I distinctly remember the judge not even looking at me the whole time, not even realizing I was standing there, just mechanically reading the divorce papers because I was over 16 and I had to tell the court that I chose to go with Who live together?"

Then he started crying and the judge adjourned the case.

By the time the court resumed, the teenager had long since fled. He boarded a train bound for Manhattan and began his wandering career.

At first, Abernam (who said he looked ten years older than he was at the time) struggled to make ends meet with his own hands, relying mainly on checks from home. But soon after, in order to find a better job, he changed the age on his driver's license to 26 years and even started writing bad checks.

Later, the 16-year-old boy learned that the New York police were arresting him. As he wandered down 42nd Street, he caught a glimpse of Eastern Airlines crew members leaving the historic Commodore Hotel and boarding a shuttle to the airport. "When they got in the car, I thought, 'Yeah, I can pretend to be a pilot,'" Abernam recalled. "That way I could travel around the world for free and maybe cash a check from random people." ”

He called Pan Am’s purchasing department and concocted a huge lie, claiming that he had accidentally lost his pilot’s uniform. Soon he got the address of the supplier of uniforms for airlines and ordered a suitable uniform. After he was equipped, he went to the nearest airport, LaGuardia, New York, and wandered around trying to figure out how to board the plane. Later he stopped for lunch and discovered that his seatmate was a TWA captain.

He recalled, "The captain leaned over and said, 'Hey, young man, how's Pan Am doing?' I said, 'It's okay, Captain. . ’ He said, ‘Why are Pan Am here? They don’t fly to LaGuardia. They only fly to JFK.’” In his rush to deceive, he ended up at the wrong airport. He told the TWA captain he was there to meet a friend, but the real pilot then asked Aibnan what "equipment" he was using. "I was wondering what 'equipment' is? The only piece of equipment I've ever used is this stool." He didn't know the captain was asking him what kind of airplane he was flying, using industry terminology.

He then decided to forge Pan Am identity documents, and tried to find the supplier's phone number. He lied that he was considering ordering a large number of identity documents, and then got one with his name printed on it. Photo sample. In this way, the Pan Am logo removed from the model aircraft also found a use.

The audience that Aibnan faced were all computer technology experts. It seemed that the lack of advanced technology in the 1960s encouraged his behavior back then. He learned that airlines had agreements to cash checks with each other, so he ran around the airport cashing bad checks. When the shift changed, he would change direction and repeat the same trick.

Aibnam said in a subsequent interview that advanced technology has both advantages and disadvantages. "When I used to say I was forging checks, people would ask me, 'How do you know who signs Pan Am checks?' I said I don't know. 'How do you know where to withdraw cash?' - Me I can only make it up. I don’t know any of this..."

"Now, I can call any company, get the account information on the phone, and tell them that I want to send money to them. . They will tell me which bank to remit to, the bank address and their account information. I can get the annual report of any company, intercept the signature of the chairman, CEO or CFO, and then forge their signature on the check. . ”

The more real side

Facts have proved that for Aibnan, it is more difficult to correct evil than to go astray. When he decided not to pretend to be a Pan Am pilot, he used the money from the scam to buy a mansion in Atlanta, Georgia. He told his neighbors that he was a retired pediatrician who was looking for opportunities to invest in real estate. He made it all up so well that it wasn't until a real pediatrician moved in that he revealed it.

He was later asked to work as the night shift attending physician at Georgia Hospital. "I like adventure, so I couldn't help but give it a try," he said. Fortunately, no patients died during his shift at the hospital. In the next five years, Abernam pretended to be a lawyer and a teacher one after another until he was arrested and imprisoned in Paris in 1969.

Now with the popularity of the movie, Abernam has become famous. He said he received numerous emails from people calling him a genius at fraud.

But he told these people that he was just a teenager, and "if I was really a genius, why would I need to make a living by breaking the law? I know everyone was worried about me being a kid 40 years ago." I am amazed by what I did, but I know very well that my behavior is unethical and illegal.”

He also expressed regret that he missed the childhood that a child should enjoy, such as not having the opportunity. Attending high school football games or high school proms in hopes of dispelling superstitions about his supernatural powers. He asked back, "How could my life be colorful? Before I was 19, there were Christmases, birthdays, Mother's Day and Father's Day. I would often cry in a hotel in a strange country where I didn't understand the language. Falling asleep."

Finally, Aibnan said something emotional at this high-tech-themed conference, which was touching. He said, "Steve Spielberg made a very good movie. But the truth is, nothing I do is as good as being a good husband and a good father, because being a good husband and a good father A good father is one who has a sense of accomplishment, is worthy, and can bring me peace, laughter and happiness.”

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I don’t know whether it will take only two weeks to pass...