How Do You Know When You are Being Professionally Scammed?

Hi all, l almost didn't write this, as it is still a bit painful to think through, and l am still getting over this nasty virus, bought on by this event this week!

But the Mods, will hopefully make this a sticky, since newbies and more seasoned marketers alike should know about this, and especially some of the very clever tricks they use to gain your confidence!

Ok, to start l have posts on two dating sides, one, for over two years, (nothing much to show for that one) and one on a second more dodgy site, (since a friend is better than nothing).

The dodgy one said, (in their TOS) don't read unsolicited emails from individuals from our site, so l thought fair enough, but 6 months later l plum forgot about that rule!

Then the trash surfaced!


First lady, wanted the next best thing to a relationship, but also wanted me to invest almost $1000 into some weird leather gear, as well.

Through her friend of course, with seriously over inflated prices. The warning bells went off, and l thought it sounds like she has her hand out somewhere, or her address was fictious? She said her friend will offer a bulk discount, but it still sounded dodgy to me.

Either way l declined the supposed offer!


Being online for more than 6 years l thought, has my BS antenna finely tuned, l thought, but apparently not yet!


A few days later another email, this time from a supposedly young attractive woman, that lives about 45 minutes from me, and wanted to meet someone nice!

So l thought why not, and started talking to her!


At this stage she started sending in photos of herself, by the truckload at least 6 to 12 at a time, and eventhough we had some pretty big differences, l started to develop some feelings for her!

Over this time l rang her apartment in Preston, Vic, AU, (l am in Ringwood). And someone who seemed to fit her friends description answered the phone.

She discussed her days working in the hospitals, and her friends, (as l said this woman was a pro) and of course that she was vulnerable!

When she had to go overseas because her family was going to be evicted because, the original owner, only made a verbal agreement and passed on, and the new owner wanted to sell the place.

That was when the hook was set.

Then plenty of emails saying how tired she, was and stressed. And how the deadline was approaching for her to come back to AU, and start work, (she had a week's leave).

Then the deadline came up, she basically pleaded with me over the phone, (the phone was always one way, l could never ring her).

And l made the mistake of sending some money over to her, l won't say how much, but certainly more than a few hundred.

She wanted it through Western Union, to Chez Republic, which should have rung some more bells, but l still had the blinders on, and there was another trick she was using, that to this day, l can't figure out how?

As most know l am into spiritual stuff, she when she said, she loved me, and l was falling for her, l felt this connected between us!

This is a bit like metaphysical silken threat, which did feel stretched, when she went overseas. She mentioned it a few days after l noticed it.


To, this day l can't figure out how she could have staged it? Odd's on the images she showed me were from a previous victim. So how could a feel a connection with a womans voice and different image?

Maybe it was just a fluke, or the universes way of saying, this is what you are missing out on, or the love of money has its limits?

But either way, l thought that it was confirmation that she was genuine! Dumb mistake, that l will never make again!


After screwing me out of the initial payment, then she said that she wasn't allowed to leave the country, on the grounds that she has tax to pay on her Mothers Apartment, which supposedly thanks to my assistance, she now owned.


So, after that we went through more emails, more of her getting more and more stressed to make the new AU, flight, etc.

And saying to me that she was still $700 short.


This was when the cracks started to show!


She contacted me with a story that her boss in AU, will give her an advanced payment, just as long as l can help her of course!

Help, as in, supplying this....

This email wasn't changed in any way, the last one got so personal l couldn't post it here.

But as you can see, the last part was too big a bell to ignore!

I was thinking, why do l need to give her my drivers licence??? For a transfer of money in AU???? A PayPal email should be enough? And then asked for the same details, before commencing with that one. Because you can check Licence details online to confirm it is genuine, although confirming her work address, so l could check up on her would have been enough!

After this, l asked her to confirm the DUBAI/UKRAINE flight she was supposed to be on, to Melbourne airport. Which she confirmed that she would be on earlier. NO, reply, so since l could never get an answer out of her, regarding whether she drove there or not, l had to assume that l was going to drive her home instead?

2 Hours before arrival, no reply, (which there wouldn't be, the flight takes about 18 hours give or take, with one stopover). Although as airport security told me, she should have contacted me mid way!

So, l get there, with the airport parking ticking away at about $20 per hour, (convenient parking in Melb, Airport is expensive) waiting at the international departure area.

Three hours later, and very few passengers from any plane left, departing, l asked a staff member wouldn't flight 1050 blah, have departed by now?

To make a long story short l went to security, they figured it was an elaborate scam, and just told me they could do little and to go home.

I asked about a pub, but ended up with a coffee, and l seriously big chip on my shoulder.

But over three hours l also noticed a breach in security and a few women around me showing some interest, so that softened the blow slightly. Well the women part!


I drive home on the freeways, flawing it at time's, thinking how could l have been so dumb? But l understood at that point.

After that the second last email was about a new flight time, more supportive evidence, that l was being led.

I wrote back that l would love to also do things to her that l couldn't say here. Namely l wanted to tear off her head, and spit down it, (obviously l didn't say that). And also tried to get some of my money back so she could get more, which was a crock, on my part but worth a shot!

Understandably she didn't bite, send one more borderline pornographic email, and that was it!

Well, after l used some well phrased capital letters, that was it!


After that the Police, and after 45 minutes of them trying to figure out the dumb new wording of old scam rules, they said it wasn't significant enough an amount for them to investigate further!

Great if l gave her 100k, then they could have tracked this creature down?????

Next Western Union, (waste of time), alerting the dating site, that her profile is a front, (they have hopefully removed it). And my bank, still need to see them, haven't been able to with this damn virus, but there is a good chance l will get a big reduction with the interest, and other stuff?

So there you go, pretty much the worst week of my life!

But it is making me put serious effort into an online idea, that is or should be showing great promise.


And for the record l did try to figure out where she worked from a park she mentioned, but no, too crafty for that. There were at least 6 hospitals around this park, and all with similar names.

This creature might be warped, but still covers her tracks brilliantly.


Just image if instead of scamming people, she used her brilliant mind to help instead, or write a book about it?

Honest ways to make a lot online, are difficult to find, but they are there, and certainly better than stealing from the poor!


And there have been online scams involving up to 250k, a wealthy investor, invested this through a dodgy African charity company to help a struggling village for example.

Then he realizes, later on, the village ain't getting a cent, and the company which is probably a temp, rented space, is a front, and the organizer,s are counting his money, on a beach in Long Beach California!


I also tried to contact her supposed AU friend, which was on Holiday's of course? The whole &*(^% thing was well thought through, even scripted, but the wheels fell off, after the first pinch.


As l said the sooner people learn that real, honest money can be made online, but you have to keep at it til you find it, the less of this sort of crap will occur.

What l went through will probably save me a lot, long term, and l hope that this submission will help other new and more seasoned marketers, not to be fooled, or at least, do what l should have done, is ask for verifiable data first!

Thankyou!

Shane