So does the push for a paperless society
equate to the death knell for the cheque
in the near future? Abagnale shakes his
head and emits a wry smile.
“I’ve been asked that exact same
question for the last 25 years,” he says.
“I think we’re at least another 20–30 years
away from going completely paperless.
There are still countless people and
companies who are more comfortable
writing cheques than transferring money
by wire or electronically.”
Time’s up. Walking out of the
restaurant area where we have been
sitting, I ask whether Abagnale ever
gets tired of recounting his life story,
firmly a part of trickster folklore. He
freely admits that it’s a reputation he’ll
most probably never shake off.
“It’s strange – a lot of people don’t
know my face, but they know my
name,” he says. “I was at the filling
station not long ago and handed over
my credit card to pay. The attendant’s
eyes lit up and he said: ‘Hey, you’ve
got the same name as that guy from
that DiCaprio film!”
But for the banks and many financial
institutions he continues to counsel,
his reputation carries an altogether
different, and invaluable, tenor.
Frank Abagnale
One of the world’s most respected authorities on forgery, embezzlement
and secure documents, Frank Abagnale has been associated with the
FBI for over 35 years. Aside from his US Governmental duties, he also
lectures and consults with financial institutions across the world.
