HELP please anyone !!!!

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 18

To whoever may be reading this I DESPERATELY need your help. I have a christian sister dear to my heart who is a VICTIM of 419 scam. The scam has been on for 2years plus now and is still on going.

I have researched the details of the scam and have confronted her, showed her proof that she's a victim of a scam but she wont bulge. I showed her several cases both in video and print of this particular type of scam -one of the oldest in the book. She promised me she wont send any more money to the scammers but goes behind me to send them even more money and even told them what I told her !! I have come to the conclusion that the only way to help her is if these scammers are arrested and their operation is smashed.

The scammers started with the VICTIM's brother who met a "christian" girl from a Christian singles dating network around late 2005 early 2006. The girl says she's from Sierra Leone and her dead father left an inheritance of US$22million for her in a bank in Ivory Coast. Due to war she's now living in a refugee camp in Ghana. She promised to marry the brother and ask him to help her as she's a novice in finance and have no international passport/connection to move around. The brother obliged and has spent his life savings and borrowed huge amount of money for chemicals to clean the alleged INHERITANCE and security storage payments/bogus documents. Cut the story short the brother who is diabetic died in a hotel room in Germany in April '07when he went to conclude the business. Only God knows what happened in that hotel room -because the police did not find any document relating to the inheritance in the man's luggage.

Few weeks after the burial the scammer contacted the sister and gave her the details of the inheritance scheme and how far she and her dead brother had gone, pleading that she help conclude the scheme. She took over and has spent fortune on documents and certificates -she's massively in debt right now and there's no end in sight. As I am writing this she's due to send even more money by tomorrow Monday 13th July '09.

The VICTIM and the scammers do not know that I have all the details I have now. I have details (phone, email, names, western union and moneygram numbers etc) to help any law enforcement agents track the scammers and arrest them. The scammers are so relaxed because the VICTIM is so naive. They keep using Christian language and bible words in their correspondent and conversation with her. The most painful thing is the VICTIM sincerely believe she's dealing with fellow Christian and keeps praying and fasting with them.

I have no idea how to go about contacting the police because the scam is wide -the VICTIM lives in Canada, the scammer (the girl who started it all) and a male accomplice live in Accra, Ghana, the bogus US$22million inheritance was allegedly transferred from a bank in Ivory coast to a security company in Germany, a bank account was opened in Spain. These are places where the victim has visited and sent money. I will highly appreciate any solid and effective advise and links to law enforcement that anyone can render.

I hesitate to release names and details on because I have learnt that even the scammers visit sites such as this.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 20

Currently it would be very hard to convince your sister that she has fallen victim to a scammer. The reason for this is that she really wants to believe that she is not that gullible and would never fall for a scam. What you have to do is tell her that it's OK to admit that she has fallen victim to a scam. Only after she has admitted that will she be able to receive help.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 18

You don't need to fully quote the post above yours. Use this^^instead to make reading easier-ghost

Thanks for your response. I can tell you it's impossible to convince her she's a victim. However I have to do something before she looses more money !!
Like I said she's going to be sending more money tomorrow July 13th !!! My immediate aim now is to cut off the scammers and smash their scheme. I need links to law enforcement resources for this kind of scheme. Thanks.

Trophy Videos · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:04 pm

@foolonce - I'm sorry to hear that your sister fell victim to this scammer, and is still being hurt by them. The best thing you can do is go to our sistersite, Scamwarners.com and tell your story there. There are people specially trained to help your sister cope with the situation and convince her that they are criminals. At Eater, we bait scammers, but arrests of scammers is very rare. She needs to break off communication with them immediately and seek help to cope with the aftermath.

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:08 pm

Quote:

However I have to do something before she looses more money !!

No you don't. Is she of legal age? Of sound mind?

It sounds like you are worrying yourself sick over this, but it's not on you, it's on her.

You already tried several times to warn her. Evidently she thinks you are a liar. Otherwise she would listen. It sounds to me like she is spitting in your face for you trying to warn her.

What more can you do? She is responsible for her own actions.

Either that, or talk to an attorney and maybe he can direct you, if you want that burden on your shoulders.

** Retired ** Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 750 Location: Air

Sign up over at www.scamwarners.com and please post up everything you have about this scam. There are dozens of specialist scam support staff that have heaps of experience in dealing with these matters.

With deep regret, I have to tell you straight, that your hopes of having this operation smashed is very optimistic. I have little first hand experience in dealing with Law Enforcement directly relating to 419 but my time here has taught me that its a hard job indeed to pin down these people and arrest them.

I imagine this thread will grow to be huge, and each post will be of value. Read what everyone has to say, and direct your christian sister to this very page and let her read it all for herself.

Im so sorry to hear about this.

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:11 pm

I take it you don't live in Canada with the victim - otherwise I'd suggest you get her to do the old "look if you do this with me I won't say another word" and take her over to the cops for a chat.

Laying out everything you have and them hearing it from an authority figure like a Canadian cop will be about as powerful a presentation as you can make. If that doesn't convince the victim, I would say just about nothing, short of completely running out of money to send will do it.

As said above by others, the cops themselves can't do much about lost money into Africa but at least if they said "Big BIG SCAM ma'am" to her then there's a chance it might penetrate. Folks that are that believing in other "Christians" have a hard time allowing that it was used only as a front for liars and the worst kinds of crooks.

Very very sorry to hear your story.

Regards,

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:13 pm

@Kent - This is his sister we're talking about here, not a distant person, i certainly woudn't want to see this happen to anyone in my family, and if it did, i'd do all i could to help them

@ OP - I agree with slaphappy and smartbomb, go over to scamwarners. Hope you can help your sister through this quickly

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:18 pm

^^ As above, please go to Scamwarners

http://www.scamwarners.com/

And post as much detail as you can. We can then direct your or your friend to specific agencies, and web pages to verify your suspicions.

It is as you realise, a scam, and in our experience, if it has been going this long, your friend will take a long time to be convinced she is being scammed.

Your chances of having the scammers found and arrested is honestly zero. They are behind false logins, false names, false details.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 20

You will have a very hard time arresting this person because they never use their real name and 99% of the time they will use cyber cafes for their scamming activities. I am curious to know how much money your sister has lost as of this date.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 18

Thanks everyone, I'll join the scamwarners at once. I appreciate all the responses.

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:38 pm

El Nombre wrote:

@Kent - This is his sister we're talking about here, not a distant person, i certainly woudn't want to see this happen to anyone in my family, and if it did, i'd do all i could to help them

@ OP - I agree with slaphappy and smartbomb, go over to scamwarners. Hope you can help your sister through this quickly

The original post referred to the victim as a "Christian sister," which normally would mean not a blood relative at all, but a woman who is close in the Christian church--either the same church, the same diocese, the same denomination, or the same something else, but not the same biological parents.

I wish Foolonce would clarify this point, though. Even so, if Foolonce is close to the victim in any sense, it's much harder to turn away as we might with other people whom we judge responsible for their own actions. I do agree that a referral to scamwarners.com is the best that we the 419eater community can do. More may be needed, but it's not anything we can get involved with directly, alas.

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:41 pm

^^ ok, my bad, i'm not religious, and didn't realise that, so obviously i saw it as meaning blood related Embarassed

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:03 am

This makes me think we have the destination for a useful, and skilled baiter.

With Fool providing all the necessary details to say a mod such that they're satisfied, this one's probably a particularly satisfying target to get off script and distracted.

At the least there is a tangible example of what you can be helping prevent in one little part of the scamming world.

Regards,

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 18

MikeH wrote:

El Nombre wrote:

@Kent - This is his sister we're talking about here, not a distant person, i certainly woudn't want to see this happen to anyone in my family, and if it did, i'd do all i could to help them

@ OP - I agree with slaphappy and smartbomb, go over to scamwarners. Hope you can help your sister through this quickly

The original post referred to the victim as a "Christian sister," which normally would mean not a blood relative at all, but a woman who is close in the Christian church--either the same church, the same diocese, the same denomination, or the same something else, but not the same biological parents.

I wish Foolonce would clarify this point, though. Even so, if Foolonce is close to the victim in any sense, it's much harder to turn away as we might with other people whom we judge responsible for their own actions. I do agree that a referral to scamwarners.com is the best that we the 419eater community can do. More may be needed, but it's not anything we can get involved with directly, alas.

The VICTIM and I are related and very close -she confides in me. It's really hard for anyone to feel my pain right now. I see her working hard everyday and praying hard believing God is going to bring the scheme to a conclusion soon. I hesitate to go the church pastor because of the shame -she's a very shy person . She actually begged me not to talk to anyone about it and promised me she wont send anymore money. I'm so heartbroken to see her send these people money behind my back 2ce -I have seen receipts. I just stumbled on another mail yesterday from these people requesting for more money and her reply that she'll send it tomorrow. I feel so helpless but can't sit idly by while she's been bled to death financially.
I don't want to disclose how much she's spent so far but I can hint that it's over US$100K added to what the brother has spent it's over US$200K !!
Thanks everyone, I have sent the same sketch to SCAMWARNERS.

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:45 am

If shame will stop her from sending these vile thieves any more money then use it! Use any means necessary to stop this. If she wont listen to you and she has obviously broken her promise to you about not sending them any more money, get the Pastor involved immediately. She will definitely need his help in reconstructing her life once this is all over, but it has to end first.

Anyone here feeling sorry for these "poor and deprived" scammers now? Evil or Very Mad

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

jose_cuervo wrote:

Anyone here feeling sorry for these "poor and deprived" scammers now? Evil or Very Mad

Amen, lets save this thread for the next ethics debate.

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:36 am

^^ This is in the process of being dealt with in Scamwarners, positive comments only please.

@ JC, PF, fully agree, once this gets resolved it will be worth keeping.

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:08 am

Foolone, This is truly sad.

Quote:

Cut the story short the brother who is diabetic died in a hotel room in Germany in April '07when he went to conclude the business. Only God knows what happened in that hotel room -because the police did not find any document relating to the inheritance in the man's luggage.

What does she think happened to her brother? Or, what have you been able to find out about cause of death? It's obviously more than a coincidence that he died while meeting one of them or their associates. Is she not at all suspicious about that?

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:23 am

Sadly, it is very possible that he went into a diabetic coma in the hotel room while the scammers were present. Given that he probably collapsed in front of them, they may have just cleared the room of all evidence of themselves and left him without telling anyone of his condition.

Another reason to save this thread. Evil or Very Mad

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:07 am

Hi there,

i am german(south) and perhaps i can be of some assistance.
Any details about the incident in Germany would be helpful, perhaps i can gather some information. You can pm me on that. I have a friend at the police here in my town, might be a very little chance he can find out something. If your sister would come over here for a meeting with them, there might also be a chance to do something about it. But please, don't expect too much out of it, as these people are criminals and i think those we are dealing with in this case are dangerous and might be very smart ones.

greetings

BOFH

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 18

Titania wrote:

Sadly, it is very possible that he went into a diabetic coma in the hotel room while the scammers were present. Given that he probably collapsed in front of them, they may have just cleared the room of all evidence of themselves and left him without telling anyone of his condition.

Another reason to save this thread. Evil or Very Mad

Exactly what I suspect, but the victim doesn't think so. They kept consoling her using Christian flowery words. I pointed out to the victim that it is highly suspicious that the police did not find any document or money on her brother when they searched his hotel room.

** Retired ** Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 750 Location: Air

Foolonce, you really need to take a more active role in this. I am following both this thread and the one at scamwarners, and you are letting negligible factors restrict your assistance to the victim.

Its clear to me that this has went way too far for her to just admit that she has been scamed of her own free will. Whilst you are to be commended for your efforts so far to help her, if I may be forthright with you, its not nearly enough.

You are in the unique position of being able to take this further than any of us can. Think seriously about alerting the pastor or any other figure of authority within your circles to take a stand. I understand that she may be ashamed and you think you may not be doing the right thing in doing so, but she has left you little choice.

Failing this, you need to consult a figure of law enforcement. Police are able to come to you, so its not like you are dragging her kicking and screaming to be put infront of the law.

Support and counsel has to come after the scam has ended to be effectual.

Knowing what you know and how you know it, recognising that she is unable to resist them, and yet refusing to take the matter to someone in a position to save your sister from sending any further funds to me is unthinkable.

I choose my words carefully here, and you may not like this. I believe in free will, and that your sister is accountable for her own actions, but when someone in your position can see it has went too far but refuses to stop the ongoing scam on moral grounds is a terrible lack of judgment, for which I hope you can forgive yourself for when this is all over.

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:40 am

Foolonce wrote:

the bogus US$22million inheritance was allegedly transferred from a bank in Ivory coast to a security company in Germany, a bank account was opened in Spain. These are places where the victim has visited and sent money.

With "visited" do you mean she flew over from CA to Germany and Spain? If she did: can you tell what happened during these visits?
If you mean she visited the websites of the security company and bank they would be fakes. Please post them up, so we will be able to kill the fake websites.

As for the bank account: If this is a real bank account Alan would be more than interested to get the details of that one and inform the proper authorities to get it investigated. Link

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 18

She flew to Germany and met with the fraudsters -this was last year June when the fraudsters claim the inheritance is with a diplomatic company in Cologne.

She flew to Spain, Valencia this year to open a bank account where they claim the "washed money" transferred from Germany will be lodged. I don't have details of the account number but I know the bank the account is with.