An email prankster masquerading as a top executive of Goldman Sachs and Citigroup managed to get the chief executives of the two firms to respond to him as though his communications were genuine.
Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs and Michael Corbat of Citigroup, as well as Citigroup consumer banking head Stephen Bird were taken in by the emails send by the anonymous prankster.
A report in The Wall Street Journal said the same hoaxer had managed to dupe Barclays chief Jes Staley and Bank of England governor Mark Carney last month.
The hoaxer deceived Blankfein by sending him an email purportedly from his the company's president and chief operating officer, Harvey Schwartz
{loadposition sam08}The email offered Blankfein congratulations for a tweet that he sent last week during a visit to China, about the country’s impressive infrastructure.
HOT OFF THE INBOX: Harvey Schwartz chatting to Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs.
— EMAIL PRANKSTER. (@SINON_REBORN) 11 June 2017
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/9DvV4AcDJs
The prankster, who goes by the Twitter handle @SINON_REBORN, posted the exchanges on his Twitter account.
None of the executives revealed any information that could be considered sensitive.
Corbat and Bird received emails appearing to come from Citigroup chairman Michael O’Neill. While Corbat sent a brief response, Bird exchanged emails with the prankster which were personal in nature.
No Stephen Bird of Citibank, it's not actually the real Chairman Michael O'Neill ...follow on from Goldman Sachs prank. pic.twitter.com/GiwSNTxIGD
— EMAIL PRANKSTER. (@SINON_REBORN) 12 June 2017