Scam Goddess – Episode Summary

Podcast: Scam Goddess
Host: Laci Mosley
Episode: The Fake Invoice Scam That Outsmarted Silicon Valley w/ Kiran Deol
Release Date: November 25, 2025
Guest: Kiran Deol (comedian, writer, actor)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into one of the most jaw-dropping financial scams to have rocked Silicon Valley: the 2013 fake invoice/invoice fraud scam engineered by Lithuanian scammer Evaldas Rimasauskas, who managed to scam tech giants Google and Facebook out of over $120 million. In her signature comedic, freewheeling style, Laci Mosley, joined by returning guest Kiran Deol, examines not just how the scam went down, but also the absurd vulnerabilities of the world’s biggest companies and the psychology (and art) of scamming. The episode also covers scams in listeners’ lives, the epidemic of loneliness that fuels romance scams, and why, despite being horrified, it’s hard not to respect the sheer ingenuity behind some cons.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scams in Daily Life & The Art of Micro-Scamming

[03:53–09:00]

• Kiran shares her recent “micro-scam”: Pretending to be her mother to dispute a recurring phone charge from a “large unnamed corporation”, explaining how fully embracing the character helped her succeed.
  • “If I am playing a 67-year-old Indian woman, let me hear it, then I am a 67-year-old Indian woman!” (Kiran, 06:11)
• Laci and Kiran riff on how dealing with corporations means operating on the same shifty terms: “If you can’t beat them, join them (with your own mini-scam).”
• Burnout and overwork as “the scam of American life” are discussed.
• The pair joke about corporate culture: “What am I supposed to do? They got the money—what am I supposed to do?” (Laci, 05:09)

2. Scam of the Day: The Lithuanian Fake Invoice Scam

Setting Up the Scene

[14:00–23:00]

• In 2013, Evaldas Rimasauskas begins a years-long scam targeting Google and Facebook, using fake companies and invoices to redirect legitimate payments.
• Laci: “So in 2013, a scammer from Lithuania stole over 120 million from tech giants using a taste of their own medicine.” (14:44)
• Kiran: “It’s hard to empathize with big tech...they kind of ask for it.” (21:44)

Anatomy of the Scam

[23:01–30:49]

• Evaldas and team research company hierarchies and procedures by calling their customer service lines, building a “dossier” of inside info (names, contacts, processes).
  • “Anything can be a dossier if you believe.” (Kiran, 24:30)
• Creates a fake company (Quanta Computer, closely mimicking the legit Taiwanese supplier) and opens bank accounts in Latvia and Cyprus.
• Laci highlights the power of subtlety in phishing: using slightly altered domain names, logos, and believable email chains.
  • “What did I tell you about scamming and spelling?” (Laci, 26:49)
• Fake invoices and contracts (including forged seals) sent to employees responsible for processing large payments.
• Over two years, Google and Facebook wire more than $120 million to Rimasauskas’ accounts.
  • “Facebook and Google employees responded by wiring more than 120 million to the fake company...Multiple links. That’s how they try to get your mama.” (Laci, 32:31)
• Funds laundered across multiple international banks; most accomplices never named or charged.

3. The Vulnerability of Tech Giants and Broader Lessons

[33:18–38:24]

• How could companies of this scale not notice $120 million missing?
  • “If $3.77 gets skimmed off my tip, I’ll know immediately!” (Kiran, 34:44)
• Corporate shame leads to underreporting these crimes (“Large corporations hate to admit that they got scammed by a single individual.” – Laci, 36:14)
• Discusses the math: Five years in prison for possibly $35 million (after fines/restored funds) — “That’s $7 million a year in prison!” (Kiran, 38:43)

[39:13–40:31]

• Invoice fraud is so rampant it has bankrupted companies (e.g., Diesel Jeans, FACC aerospace, Mattel via the “Barbie scam”).
• The pair lampoon how easily busy, distracted corporations get conned by well-crafted but bogus emails: “They trusted the email too much, bro.” (Kiran, 42:08)

4. Romance Scam Hall of Shame: “Love Boat Lolita”

Scammer of the Week Segment
[46:22–73:36]

• Recent Oklahoma scammer Christine Joan Echo Hawk (“Love Boat Lolita”) scammed $1.5 million from elderly women by posing as men online.
• Classic romance scam moves: requests for large sums to help with “oil tanker” emergencies, elaborate stories.
  • “He said he owed $120,000 so the boat could return to shore. Once the rig returned, he could move in with her. Christine, you jumped a lot of—that’s a whole sentence right there.” (Laci, 51:40)
• Discussions on the epidemic of loneliness among the elderly and how it fuels these scams.
• Echo Hawk laundered money through crypto, faces up to 64 years in prison, but only ~$260k in fines — “The government caught a little lick in here too!” (Laci, 73:15)
• Kiran and Laci highlight the emotional and ethical distinctions: “I do not condone anyone scamming elderly people...[they] are already at the end of their lives.” (Kiran, 47:21)
• The importance of teaching older relatives FaceTime/Zoom to avoid faceless scammer “relationships.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “When you embody a character, believe yourself. That’s something I think our president does very well. He just be saying anything.” – Kiran (09:51)
• “If you didn’t learn anything from Kiran’s mama’s story... why would a company call you to tell you they’re taking your money?” – Laci (16:13)
• “Anything can be a dossier if you believe.” – Kiran (24:44)
• “Five years in American prison is trash, but you’ll be all right. Again, obviously, this probably isn’t gonna happen to you on this scale...but please check your emails.” – Laci (44:56)
• “Do you think...we could replace the emotional satisfaction of these scammers with ChatGPT?” – Kiran (56:59)
  “I don’t want anyone talking to ChatGPT. It’s learning too much already!” – Laci (57:46)
• “Can you imagine selling your house to give money to a man?” – Laci (59:34)
• “People are not content.” – Laci (75:31) (On the street-interview TikTok phenomenon and dehumanizing web culture)
• “Remaining vigilant is the new form of self-care.” – Laci (passim)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:53–09:00: Kiran’s “mom scam” story & day-to-day micro-scamming
• 14:44–24:00: Overview of Lithuania fake invoice scam — Setup, anatomy, “dossier-building”
• 26:09–30:49: Fake company/quasi-corporate espionage, creating the forgery
• 32:29–38:24: How the money was moved, why companies didn’t notice, aftermath
• 46:22–73:36: “Scammer of the Week”—Love Boat Lolita, romance scams & the elderly
• 66:13–68:50: Kiran’s “Go Harvard” reveal and higher-ed name-drop banter
• 77:00–78:50: Reflections, Kiran plugs her comedy special “Joy Sucks,” closing notes

The Episode’s Tone

Hilariously irreverent, sharp, and inviting; the hosts never lose sight of the human cost, but take obvious delight in pointing out the foibles and blind spots of institutions and con artists alike. The conversation bounces between personal experience, social critique, and scam breakdown with quick wit and knowing self-deprecation. Frequent asides and playful banter keep the episode feeling loose and spontaneous, but the research is solid and the laughs are as well-earned as the lessons.

Final Takeaways and Advice

• Big scams (even against giant corporations) often start incredibly small and simple: one plausibly-worded email or phone call.
• Even the most sophisticated entities are vulnerable to old tricks: “scamming and spelling” matters!
• If you get an email about a payment you don’t expect, never click links or provide information — go directly to the source, call back on published numbers, and trust your instincts.
• Loneliness is now a public health issue and an avenue for exploitation — make time for your elders.
• Corporations and individuals alike need skepticism as a core skill—“stay invoicing, but never get got.”
• “If you want to scam, scam upwards.” (with tongue planted firmly in cheek).

As Laci signs off:
“Congregation, I want y'all to get out there and I want y'all to stay invoicing, okay? All of our time is valuable. You stay invoicing… stay schemin'!”