my 1st Safari - how can I prove it?

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 54

hi there,

my lad (from Victoria Island, Nigeria) just called me from Benin, Cotonou with desperate voice ( Twisted Evil

), saying that the MTCN is not corect, he is tired from long journey and have almost no money to go back... poor lad Very Happy

I was asking him where he is, he said he is in Benin and I can see it on my display that the number is different. However, I couldn't see the number as I'm using YAC Personal Nr and it doesn't forward the caller ID.

Any idea how could I prove the safari was legit? I don't have and e-mail from him from Benin, so no IP address check is possible.

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:22 pm

Make him email. WU payment support wants to hear from him before they'll unlock the MTCN, but the call got cut off before you got the whole phone number, but you have an email address for them. Smile

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:49 pm

You could ask him for a local number that you can call him back at, like say a phone booth or similar.

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:11 pm

Have him fill out a standard Western Union claim form and email it back to you so you can take it to your Western Union office and submit it.

I just happen to have one handy. Twisted Evil

PM me an email address, and I'll send you the PDF. Very Happy

Not quite a Newb Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 54

just tried to call him on his Nigerian number, the line is dead, so I guess he's still in Benin. Unfortunatelly, I didn't ask him for the number first time :-/

But this is my e-mail from yesterday about the money transfer to Benin:

Quote:

I just have returned from Moneygram office. It looks like the agent was more competent that one before. I was asking for prerequisities for money transfer to Nigeria and Benin before I made the payment (I didn't want to lose another fee, you know). They confirmed the both countries have certain restrictions in terms of security mechanisms, but they also said the Secure Shield protection (remember, the online tool) is not a must, but can be used as an additional security measure at customer's wish.

I have decided to not to use this as I know it caused troubles to you. So I created the standard transfer and I'm also attaching the scanned slip (apologies that the slip is somehow crumpled, but it is quite windy here and I almost lost the slip on the street).

Mr. Victor, although almost everything went fine I have to confess I've made two minor mistakes. The first one is that despite the fact we have agreed on $500 I have sent you $525 (the original amount). I completely forgot on it in todays hectic atmosphere. So it is only plus for you.

The other mistake I've made is that I have used your name to address the payment (Victor Samuel), but I stated Benin, Cotonou as the city. I'm sorry for this but it looks you will have to travel there. I have checked it on the map, it shouldn't be more than 80 km, right? I believe the extra $25 will cover your travel costs at least.

Mr. Victor, tomorrow morning I'll be flying to London for business meeting and will stay there for the rest of long weekend. It may happen my phone will not be reachable for certain time. Should this happen please leave a message in my voicemail or send me an e-mail with the update.

What would you say? Can I put the Safari icon in my siggy?

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:32 pm

If you got him to travel, it's an excellent achievement, but you may have fallen a little short:

The Sig Icons Explained sticky wrote:

Hats are for safaris. I believe the general rules for safaris is 200 miles distance travelled (which is 321.86800 kilometres) OR an International border crossing. Getting a lad to travel this distance is the goal. In order to legitimately claim a pith helmet the journey would also have to be IP verified, OR verified by the lad's change of country code of his mobile phone number.

From here.

You might want to try the form, it's a nice one. Very Happy

Edit: oops, Victoria Island to Cotonou would require a border crossing, so it does qualify. We use the honor system for awarding piths, but given how lads very often tell lies, it would be best to confirm this with an IP.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 54

Unfortunatelly, the IP check is not possible Crying or Very sad

His NG number is still unreachable, I guess he's still in Benin...

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:42 pm

Is he still there? If so, tell him to go to an internet cafe and check his email.

If he's using an IP stripping provider, sign up for a free 30 day trial of readnotify.com and send him something. If he checks his email, you'll probably get an IP, even if he doesn't respond, especially if you attach something.

Edit: clarified.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 54

does anyone have MoneyGram compliant form available?

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:44 pm

I can change the logo on mine and send it to you. Just PM me your email address. I can send you a PDF, or the original word file if you want to make tweaks.

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:16 pm

@Kokot - How is your lad currently communicating with you...??

If it by Email, then you can check his IP to confirm his location, and a safari. Don't worry if he is masking his IP or is having it stripped.
Just tell him that whatever Email provider he is using is incompatible with yours and his messages appear like gobbledegook....
Suggest that he switches to a free Email provider like Yahoo, and then you have your IP verification.

Alternatively, if he is phoning you, either record his number or ask for a number where you can call him.
I believe that a prefix of 0229 is what you are looking for to confirm that mugu is now in Benin.
His previous number would have began with 0234 as this is the Nigerian code.. Thumbs up

Not quite a Newb Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 54

This is what I've got from hime this morning:

Quote:

Hello Mr Pojebany,

I just returned from Benin Republic. That is about 4hrs after I spoke with you on phone. The journey to and from Cotonou took about 7hrs. It has been a very hectic day without actualising anything. I even lost my second phone in the process.

As I explained to you on phone, We got to the moneygram outlet in Cotonou and filled the information as required and waited for the agents response. The agent checked the system and found out that the Reference Number was incorrect. From the scanned copy you sent to me the number we have there is 23854112 which I filled, but the agent found out it was incorrect. Since I noticed that the third digit wasnt clear enough, I had to try 9 on the third digit and it still didnt work. Since the agent said if we made a third trial there would be problems, I had to call you when I did.

I felt it was best to Try sending the money from London, then when you get back home you can go and retrieve your money soas not to keep wasting time. Please do try and lay a stiff complaint. I have never been this stressed since I started this job. I was stranded in the process. I do all these things for you because of the believe I have in you. I have never gone this lenght for anyone.

Please do try and understand my plight and see how best you can get this done so one can get over this once and for all.

I felt the best should have been Western Union so the payment could be tracked to confirm if the money is available since the moneygram doesnt have such facilities.

I await your immediate response.

Samuel Victor

I already tried to use WU before, but "the agent insisted on filling out the Anti Fraud Form 419" to release the payment. The lad refused to fill out the "silly forms" so I sent the money via MG to Benin. Looks like I will have to repeat the WU form story - or convince him for bank transfer (i.e. new studying material for Alan) Twisted Evil

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