A scary lesson in social engineering

Posted by Jim Stroud

April 26, 2006

I have worked with some really good phone sourcers who are absolute wizards in getting intelligence out of whomever answers the other end of their call. But I wonder if anyone I have worked with could talk themselves out of this situation.

Consider this:

Murderer Richard McNair just escaped from a federal penitentiary by hiding in a prison warehouse and sneaking out in a mail van.
Officer Carl Bordelon is on the lookout for Richard McNair.
Officer Bordelon discovers McNair running along some railroad tracks in tattered clothes.
McNair matches the description PERFECTLY of the fugitive Bordelon is tracking but get this, McNair is able to talk his way out of the situation.
Officer Bordelon bids the fugitive a “Be careful buddy.” McNair is still on the lose.

Click here to view an 8-minute video taken directly from Officer Bordelon’s police cam.