(WDIV) He's one of the most notorious con men in history.
His life was so fascinating, it inspired the Academy-Award nominated film "Catch Me If You Can."
Frank Abagnale talked to KPRC Channel 2 News partner WDIV-TV about how people can protect themselves from the kind of person he used to be. He was only 15 when he pulled off his first con. He took his father for thousands of dollars, using a gasoline credit card. He then moved on to much grander schemes, and between the ages of 16 and 21, wrote $2.5 million worth of bad checks.
He went to prison, but wasn't in long before the government took him out and asked him to work for them. Abagnale has been doing that for more than 40 years, currently as a consultant and lecturer for the FBI.
Is he remorseful?
"I wouldn't have worked for the government for 41 years if I didn't have remorse," he said. "I was too young. I was an adolescent. I didn't think of the consequences."
Opinion on con men
Abagnale said there are no real con men anymore, just people sitting in China, Russia and India in their pajamas with a laptop stealing billions of dollars from people miles away. He said there's no need to be well-spoken and well-dressed anymore because the victim never sees who's victimizing them.
He said it's not only seniors who fall for computer scams. A lot of young people fall for phishing scams or get malware on their computers.
Why people fall for scams
"I think people are basically honest and because they're honest they don't have a deceptive mind, so they're not thinking someone is trying to rip them off or it's a scam," he said.
The solution
Abagnale said education is the key. Knowing what kinds of scams are out there helps you know what to look for and protect yourself.
An example is when people get phone calls asking for money. The caller befriends you and then plays on your sympathy, asking for money for an operation or to help someone in their family. That's all it takes and you send the money and never see it again. Think it through. If you don't know who you're talking to, don't send the money.
Advice
If someone does scam you, don't be ashamed, Abagnale said. Call a loved one and call the police. He said the smartest bankers have been ripped off. By reporting any kind of con, you help other people become aware and stop the bad guys.
Click here to report a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Click here to learn what to know and do about scams.
This story was borrowed from KPRC Channel 2 News partner WDIV-TV.
