Scammed for a lot of money.

I dont know really where to begin this story, but ill start from the day i met Maureen, i was contacted in November 2007 by a lady to give a quote for modifications to her house, the quote was accepted so work began, this job is a long project and work is still ongoing.

During the course of the work i got talking to Maureen and we became very friendly, Maureen was a nurse all her life untill she retired at age 60 eight years ago, her husband died three years ago so she is living on her own, during a conversation in November she told me about a gentleman she was in daily contact with through the internet (msn), she has been in daily contact with this gentleman since February 2007, this man claimed to be a U.S army officer currently serving in Iraq, i did not think much about it really but she admitted that she had fallen in love with him and that he had proposed to her.

Fast forward to Saturday 9th February 2008, i was busy when Maureen asked if i would do her a favour and run her into the local town so that she could go to the bank, at this point in time me and Maureen had become quite good friends, she told me thst this man wanted to fly from Iraq to the U.K to visit her but had problems with his bank in the USA, he asked Maureen if she would lend him 10.000 British pounds?, i begged Maureen to reconsider this because i believed he was a conman, after some persuasion she decided to reconsider, now at this point i contacted a friend who is in the U.S army and is in Iraq, this friend being fellow F-Chatter Drstrangelove, after exchanging a few PMs i was back at Maureens yesterday morning and armed with some info that Drstrangelove had provided me with i presented it to her, she then showed me another message from this man in which he asked for a further 50.000 british pounds, he claimed that the U.S Military had forwarded his belongings to a safe vault in a bank at Ghana and that he would need her to send the money there so that his possesions would be forwarded to her, now she believed what i was saying and agrreed that he was a conman i persuaded her to contact the police, Maureen was so upset that i contacted the police on her behalf, i was told that because no money was sent a crime had not been committed but they would send an officer to speak to her, when hearing this Maureen became very upset and cried terribly, she went upstairs and returned with an envelope that she handed to me, i opened it and inside were four money transfers to a bank in Ghana totalling 20.500 british pounds, i couldnt believe what i was seeing and contacted the police with this new information, they are currently investigating this case.

Maureen is a lovely old lady who has worked hard all her life, it makes me mad, sad and feeling totally useless that this person could do this to her, anyway i will keep you updated on any future developments.

Steve.

 

Yes mate Maureen lost 20.500 pounds to this scum, he groomed her all this time with promises of a better life in Miami and dream weddings, it is really sad how these people can do this

 

This crime should be taken more seriously, DrS pointed out to me that most of this money could be used to profit terrorist orginisations.

 

You are right mate Maureen could have lost a lot more money to this scum.

 

He told her that he had a beach front property in Miami, of course this was a deam come true for a 68 year old lady.

Mate you are right, she now feels so foolish and keeps insisting how stupid she is, and i can confirm that Maureen is far from stupid, anyway i just came off the phone to a friend of Maureens and she will be staying the night with here, i cant think of a way you can help her, but out of temper this afternoon i did go on Maureens PC and obtained three e-mail addys that he as been using to contact her, also a mobile phone number that he uses to talk to her.

 

No mate she did not send money after i got involved, all money that was sent was sent before i had any knowledge of what was happening, you must understand that this lady is 68 years of age and very lonely, and was groomed over a period of 11 to 12 months.

 

Can these services be of help as Maureen is a UK citizen?

 

What he told Maureen was, he could not get a direct flight but that the flight would have to go via Ghana and that he would also need the money for accomodation, but as DrS pointed out to me the US military would have provided the flight free of charge via rented 747s.

 

Thank you mate much appreciated

Yes the police are going to recieve this information, but i do feel like giving them out so that this man? can have a taste of his own medicine.

 

Good advice, i will make sure Maureen gets it, thanks mate.

Its a sad world when we cant trust anybody, but safer i bet.