Florida Principal Resigns after Falling Victim to Scam

The principal of a school in Florida has resigned after being the target of a scammer who posed as businessman Elon Musk, as reported by local media on Thursday. Jan McGee, director of the Burns Science and Technology Charter school in Oak Hill, acknowledged that she made a judgemental error with the individual posing as Musk, despite being warned that it was a potential scam.

“I am a very intelligent and well-educated lady. I fell for a scam,” said McGee who spent four months communicating online with the fake Musk, in order to convince him to invest in the school specialising in science and technology.

The Deception

The scam artist more than succeeded in his deception. He managed to convince McGee to sign a check from the school account for $100,000. The scammer’s ruse was to ask McGee for the sum to enable him to process paperwork to place a total of $6m with the school.

McGee had reportedly been hoping that Musk would show interest in the school, and as such was keen to keep the lines of communication open with the impersonator. The school’s business manager, Brent Appy, subsequently discovered the check and stopped it before it was cashed.

Why was McGee Resigned?

McGee wrote and signed the check for $100, 000 without approval from the school board. Yet, as a director of the school, she was authorized to sign checks for up to $50,000 from the school’s account. Her resignation comes as a result of making an error in judgement in signing an unauthorized check for double the acceptable amount.

The Burns Science and Technology Charter school has a significant waiting list and a high reputation amongst its students. Elon Musk, nevertheless, presently isn’t associated with this esteemed institution.