Indian "Lend Me Money, Rich American" Scam

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 26 Jan 2009 Posts: 6

This wasn't exactly a "bait" so much, but seemed worthy of displaying here.

To start off, I need tell you I have several penpals in India. I'm interested in learning Hindi, and lots of people in India want to improve their English, so we just hook up and chat and Email about dumb things, as a way to practice.
One of these penpals has the unfortunate habit of sending out annoying chain letters to everyone he knows. On a particular evening, shortly after he'd sent one of these out, I got a random chat-message on Gmail from someone whose name showed on Gmail as Mohammed Safiulla, with the Gmail address [email protected]. Looked to be another Indian Muslim wanting to chat, so I answerd back and he had a pretty typical lame-conversation-with-creepy-foreigner which I won't bother to repost here. I figured he probably got my name/contact off that stupid chain letter. Interestingly he told me in coversation that his name was "Rehan" even though obviously all his Email info showed otherwise, but again, I didn't think much of it at this point.

I then start finding, every time that I log onto Gmail, he's been trying to message me again (apparently the concept of logged off was not a known thing to him.) I found it odd that he wanted to talk again so badly, saying he "missed me" etc. but mostly didn't think of it (other than it was a mote creepy, but who cares the guy is in India.) Until --

Quote:

mohammed: Hello (Kalighat) how do you do? Then how is life going on? I need one favour from you? That is i need sum amount of money coverted to indian rupees it's very ungent. Next month i will be coming to US So i will return back your money over there. If you really could lend me i will provide my bank account number you just deposit.

I like how it never seems to occur to him that "US" covers about 3.5 million miles. He never says what city he's going to, never asks what city I'm in, just says he'll give the money back to me when he's in the country.

Anyway, I blocked his Email at this point. But, either I did something wrong or he knew a way around the filter, as I kept gettig stuff from him!

Quote:

Hi (Kalighat) how do you do? After long back i am sending msg to you. Well, how is life going on? what happen nowdays you are not online. ok fine i need one help from you. I got the job in US so next month i will be coming over there. so could you please provide me your full residency address so that i can meet you there. And also one more help i need some amount of money convert to indian rupees for air ticket. So would you lend me please it's really very urgent for me. If you could lend me i will provide you my bank account number. Please don't say no............................... plz plz plz plz plz plz plz plz help me.

Thankfull
Rehan

At this point I Emailed my penpal, the one from whom I suspected Rehan/Mohammed got my Email. Turns out this dude is my friend's roommate! And -- not that I ever considered actually giving any money to him -- it was easily confirmable that the guy had no plans to come to the US.

Anyway, Rehan/Mohammed sent me a message again after this, even though I never responded to the first. I've barely even taked to the guy, and God knows why he thought I would even have so much money (I told him in our very first chat that, by profession, I'm an unsuccessful fortune teller living with my parents -- he seems to be one of those foreigners who can't believe that Americans are ever poor.) I wrote back to him, and told him "No" in hopes he'd quit Emailing me now (I was still unable to get his Emails properly blocked.)

He responded:

Quote:

Why! Sweet heart belive me trust me dear............ I swear, while i coming to US i will return back your money seriously. And another thing, please don't feel bad about me. You know i am in trouble because of money. If i cannot arrange money i will lose my job over there. So plz help me (Kalighat) this is my humble request for you.

I told him, "Get a loan from your employer or maybe even someone you actually know in person."

He responded:

Quote:

No.... i have already taken the loan from bank that i am still repaying to bank. Nobody is there who is ready to give money. i am alone here. That's why i asked you to help me. If you help me God will really help you from other side. I don't have any other option (Kalighat)......... Plz help me. if you really not help me my last option is suicide. That's it.....(Kalighat) from my side. Bye bye bye take care have a enjoy in life.

It's too bad he's not coming to the US -- ! I'd have had him jailed on that suicide threat alone out here. I wrote him back, pointing out if he's got loans he can't repay already I should hardly be able to trust him to repay me, and also drew attention to the hole in the story about getting a job in the US and not being able to afford to come out -- that is illegal, to hire foreigners to come to the country without adequate provisions and arrangements.

He replied:

Quote:

No (Kalighat) it's my personal. I don't say that they have not done any thing. They have done as much they can do. But this no i have to afford. Please try to understand my problem dear. I did not say you that i am not paying loan amount to the bank i am still paying. I am having due around 1,00,000 indian rupees. So that's why i asked you dear. I thought you would have help me. I need only 50,000 indian rupees converted to US dollor's. Plz help (Kalighat) it's my life question. This is my mobile no 9986730846 you can call me at any time. Belive me i will return back your money.

I responded, hoping he'd go away still, that I definitely did not have that much money -- that's equivelent to my entire yearly income, and I couldn't give it to him even if I wanted (and I made clear I did not want to.)

He replied:

Quote:

Ok (Kalighat). Can't you arrange atleast $1000 dollars or $500 dollors it's very urgent ya plz make it arrange sweet heart. Please take down my account number-1360378 and bank name is ABN-AMRO. Please deposit as much as you can dear. I will be getting flight on 24th by this month. So within that i have to arrange money. Please sweet heart help me........................

Arrogant! My God! "Why don't you send me only 10 months of income?" I finally just quit answering him altogether, he kept Emailing me every other day for about a month before finally realizing he wasn't going to get any more replies from me. At one point he sent me an apology, still keeping up the pretense that he was about to come to the US.

Ah, but I did right by him, don't you forget it! Some while later, I opened my Email and found one of these classic pieces waiting for me:

Quote:

fromVazquez, Pedro (MDT) <[email protected]>
toundisclosed-recipients

dateWed, Jan 21, 2009 at 3:57 AM
subjectGod Bless You As You Help Out !

hide details Jan 21 Reply

Attention.
Business Proposal,Please contact me on my priavte email {[email protected] }
My name is Sgt DAVID DOVER, I am an American soldier with Swiss background,serving in the military with the army's 3rd infantry division based in Iraq/Baghdad. With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to move the sum of($ 25 Million U.S. Dollars ) Twenty Five Million United State Dollars to you, as far as I can be assured that my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here, this is no stolen money, and there are no danger involved. Source Of Money:

Some money in various currencies was discovered in barrels at a farmhouse near one of Saddam's old palaces in Ticket-Iraq during a rescue operation, and it was agreed by staff Sgt Kenneth buff and I that some part of this money be shared among both of us before informing anybody about it since both of us saw the money first. No Compensation can make up for the risk we have taken with our lives in this hell hole. Of which my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here, this is no stolen money, and there are no danger involved.kindly indicate your interest in assisting me as well as Providing the following information to facilitate the smooth conclusion of the consignment fund delivery to your door step.

1) Your Full Name:
2) Your Address:
3) Your Age And Occupation:
4) Your Mobile Telephone Number:
5) Your Direct Email Address:
6) Your Fax Number:
7) The Name of the Closest Airport to your City of Residence:
Cool

Your country and your present location:

One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this misinformation to facilitate the smooth conclusion of the consignment fund delivery to your door step. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter with anybody, should you have reasons to reject this offer, please and please destroy this message as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us soldier? here in Iraq. I do not know how long we will remain here, and I have been shot, wounded and survived two suicide bomb attacks by the special grace of God, this and other reasons I will mention later has prompted me to reach out for help, I honestly want this matter to be resolved immediately, please contact me as soon as possible my only way of communication email. I Also want you to tell me how much you will take from this money for the assistance you will give to me. I wait for your reply via my private email address as soon as possible {[email protected] }
God Bless You As You Help Out In This Transaction.
Sgt.David Doover.
Please contact me on my priavte email {[email protected] }

This sounded like a perfect opportunity for poor Mohammed/Rehan! I wrote back:

Quote:

Dear Mr. Vazquez/Dover/Doover,

I love your suggestion! My name is Mohammed Safiulla though I sometimes go by Rehan, so I understand your predicament not knowing which name to use throughout your emails. Please take down my account number-1360378 and bank name is ABN-AMRO.

Also, this is my work Email and I'm not supposed to conduct personal business here. Please only write to me from now on at [email protected]

Love,
Rehan/Mohammed

*bows*

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