Yes, more than one safety mechanism failed. Coinbase actually flagged the transaction, but I was so desperate to get it to go through, I went through their facial validation process to expedite the transaction. If I hadn't for just a couple more minutes, I'd have realized it was a scam.

Scams usually have an element of urgency so you don't stop to think.

Why did you and your graduate friends think an insanely rich man with a huge number of staff needed your financial help in testing transactions? This reminds me of those people that fall for celebrity love scams, where a rich celebrity needs their money - just baffling.