Romance scammer is targeting a friend

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** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 11

Hi,
A romance scammer is targeting a friend. She has already sent him some money (about 100 dollars) and is "in love" with him. I am afraid he may get more. I am wondering if you guys have any good suggestions on what to do save her (and likely others) from the fate of having their money depleted for "love." I can provide links to their profiles if anyone wants to take a crack at them and prove they are a scammer. I have never tried this so I'm not sure really how to go about it, even after reading the information on this website.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1659222077

[email protected]

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:06 am

it's a tough one - we need to find a way for your friend to start to doubt him, which is tough as she wants to believe in him so badly

Firstly, just convince her not to send any more cash until both of you have confirmed he is who he says he is. If he's claiming to be an American/Brit, likely he has a photo of a white, middle-aged attractive wealthy model on his site/profile. Try talking with him - get a phone number (post it here if you want to check if it's a real or virtual forwarding number) and talk with him - does he sound like his photo, or sound like a guy in West Africa? What are the background sounds you hear? Does he even offer a phone number?

Another useful test is to get him to hand write a message to her and hold it up in a photo with a copy of that days newspaper - that's hard to fake and you may hear pitiful excuses before he just vanishes. Pick a newspaper suitable for where he claims to be (in the UK you can easily use The Sun with easily identifiable front pages for instance, but stand next to no chance if you're not in the UK)

Now you need to be a good friend. tell her you just want to help her check he's for real because you know she has such a beautiful, trusting and open heart and you want to make sure she gets the man she deserves - you mustn't spook her, be her ally and be ready to be there when it all falls apart.

Can you between you visit our friends at romancescam.com who will have other ideas, and maybe check out our sister site scamwarners.com too?

Good luck, I'm glad your friend has such excellent taste in friends!

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:11 am

Welcome all of you Joe's, that is a familiar story for us.
Best thing to do, go to our site scamwarners.com (link just under the menu here) and report it there, specialized people there will tell you what to do and how to help. On this side/site Wink

we just bait them, but that's not enough to convince a victim that's in love with him. If it is something we can do with baiting him, the the staff there knows who to contact here to have it done. Get as much info as you can, emails + headers, although they will be on Yim most of the time and drop that at the scamwarners site.
You're doing the right thing.
Thanks, good luck and we will help you.

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 11

manbiteslion, thank you so much for your quick response. The number she is calling is 0112207018675 which I guess is in Gambia? Your tips are great, he is using a black person's pictures, I am not sure if they are his or not. She has seen him on webcam but only briefly which could mean it is one of those camera loops?

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:19 am

Information on phone number range +220 70XXXXX
Number billable as mobile number
Country or destination Gambia
City or exchange location
Original network provider* Africell

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:19 am

Looks like a West African phone number (with the US international code) - is he pretending to be in the US, or is he claiming to be Gambian? The fewer lies he's telling, the harder this will be Sad

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 11

manbiteslion wrote:

Looks like a West African phone number (with the US international code) - is he pretending to be in the US, or is he claiming to be Gambian? The fewer lies he's telling, the harder this will be Sad

He is claiming to be Gambian, I just find it hard to believe someone fell "in love" with someone after two days of talking to them. She really wants to settle down and start a family so I think she is vulnerable to people taking her for a ride.

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 11

Wow you guys are so responsive and helpful. Thank you so much!

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:31 am

Can you get the text of his original email to her? If so, can you find a distinctive phrase in it and search online for it? If it comes up elsewhere and she sees there are dozens of copies of her special email, whilst it may break her heart, it could make it clear. Rent "Shirley Valentine" if you want to bring the subject up. The Gambia though, has an industry in lovers for lonely middle aged white women. It's thinly veiled prostitution in reality, but common enough - you see unlikely couples walking hand in hand down the beach often. This is just a slightly removed version I guess. Romancescam.com will give you more ideas I'm sure.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:38 am

ed4life admits to being from Gambia in
these search results

This exchange shows George trying to pull in another victim, I dont know how the dates compare to when your friend was contacting him

I will keep looking and see if I can dig anything else up

Meanwhile you could direct your friend to Scamwarners where we have many stories from other victims of romance scammers

Trophy Videos · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:30 am

^^the ed4life link has "Hey Watsup G Welcome To The Boy Of Da Moment"
Very laddish talk.

I'm glad you decided to post. Follow the good advice above, and good luck convincing your friend. Let us know if there is anything else we can do.

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 11

I don't know if this helps but it seems like the emails I have discovered from him are all from the IP 212.60.65.173.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:09 am

212.60.65.173 = Gambia (Banjul)

The problem with identifying Romance Scammers is that they can spend weeks or months grooming their victims.

I read that your friend has already sent money ...I am guessing that this would have been for something like a replacement cell phone for the one he has had stolen .... so that they can still keep in contact ?

The amounts may start to get greater and the requests will become more frequent.

When they ask for money, it is usually for one of these reasons:

*They need to pay for a visa, plane tickets, marriage license etc to
come be with you.

*A close relative suddenly becomes very ill and needs money for medicine
and doctors.

*They are rich, but they can't get their money right now and need your
help

*They are somehow stuck without funds in a foreign country (usually
somewhere in Africa or Europe) and need you to wire funds so they can
get home.

*They need you to cash a check or checks and send them cash via Western
Union. The check or money order they will send you is fake, even if your
bank cashes the check or tells you that it "cleared"!!!! The bank will
find out in a few days or weeks that the check is fake, and will make
you pay all of the money back, even the money you sent to the scammer.
The bank might even have you arrested for cashing a bad check.

*They need you to receive packages that cannot be sent directly to them,
and send them on. The packages will contain goods paid for with stolen
credit card numbers, and the person the police will come after for theft
is you!

The bottom line is $MONEY$ ....They tend to start small and then get bigger after each "wallet extraction "

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:27 pm

@ joeyjoejoe

I admire and respect what you are doing for your friend.

I hope that enough evidence can quickly be found to prevent her sending more money and that you can open her eyes to the truth.

It may be too little and too late, but I have a character attempting to bait the lad. He may not respond, but anything I can quickly discover I will share with you.

Many here, if not victims of love scammers themselves, know others that have been. It is a nasty and heartbreaking experience.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:33 pm

Thanks for the attempt Kate,

I dont mean to ruin anybodies fun or sound like a headmaster here but..

just as a warning to others, a sudden influx of willing magas can be damaging to what we are trying to do, so if anybody else is having a go, please coordinate your efforts to avoid spooking the lad Wink

Once we have proof he is a scammer then piling on gradually would be advised

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:43 pm

Understood.

My heart rules my head sometimes.

ps Shall I wait outside the headmaster's door?

Embarassed

Seriously, you are quite correct, you are always correct and not in an annoying way.

Wink

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 12:43 pm

joeyjoejoe, I hope you convince your friend.

Murry, you are right on about spooking the lad. Wink

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:25 pm

Kate, I dont know what others are doing but I do know the natural tendency of baiters when a lad who has scammed somebody comes along. Very Happy

The headmaster will be away for a few days so please dont wait outside the door Wink

@All

If anybody has thrown the line in could you please discuss what you have done in a new thread hiding the details from any prying eyes, I am sure there is room for everybody to have their fun but coordinating your fun will ensure that everybody gets a turn Wink

Please also consider the first objective, proof that he is the scamming, thieving piece of crap that we all know he is, then you can rip him a new asshole Twisted Evil

Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:28 am

^^^

I got a reply. How best should I post it? I know our sister site could use it too, but not sure how to get it there either.

Maybe a PM to a mod? Any suggestions?

The basics

Me = I saw your profile on AcePal. I am femail 19 years old and live in the UK

Lad 212.60.65.174 = Banjul in Gambia and claims to be 19 years old. So why are u so interested in me.

Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:13 pm

Try a little more innocent chatter if he seems inclined, go slowly, we'll see what Murray had in mind when he gets back Smile

Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:47 pm

Guess I should have mentioned I also emailed him. Not much so far, couple of emails back and forth. He sent my character the first xxx today ... so sweet .. Wink

. This is not your 13 in a dozen type of lad, though .. no standard scripts or anything.

Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:08 pm

Bog standard reply sent.

Hi, I am doing great thanx. Hope you are too.

I like writing to interesting people that are of a similar age to myself, you look cool and interesting. Maybe we could become good friends, perhaps more, and help each other learn more about each other.

Would love to see a pic of you.

Rolling Eyes

Sort of hoping it will be enough evidence for OP to show friend that loverlad is sniffing around some other totty.

Crying or Very sad

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 11

If anyone gets any evidence, please PM me with details.

Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:26 pm

PM sent - convos to date

Edit to add - merely standard baiting - no evidence of love yet or appeals for dollars. I am rich and ditzy totty, lad cannot find genuine work.

Rolling Eyes

Continuing to PM OP additional convos.

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 11

This one has been slain, thanks all!

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