fake escort agency scammers

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Hi there, as you can tell I am new here. I joined primarily because my son was the victim of a fake escort agency scam in the UK. He paid almost £400 into a Barclays account on promise of £3k worth of work at the weekend. That was the last he heard from them. Any idea how to scam bait them please? (it would clearly be different to the 'usual' way keeping them going via email. Please help!

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:26 am

Hi anney_mall

Sorry to hear about your son but the local 'gurus' will be asking you to offer evidence like email headers, website dealings with them etc.

Maybe you could assemble everything ready to show them. Then if anything can be done they'll set you on the right track.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Thanks for your reply Devil Woman. He did initialise contact via a website which won't open on my pc (firewall stops it), but everything else was done over the phone. They are a registered company too.

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:13 am

Sad news and the reason we're here. Sad

You should have legal recourse as you paid for a non existant service. Your bank's records can be inspected by the UK police.
The first move should be to lodge a complaint of fraud IMHO.
A solicitor should be next.
If you would like to pm me with relevant details I'll pass them along to where they can receive the best attention.
A sad lesson to learn and an expensive one but so easy to do.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Thanks Jeff, pm sent.

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:53 pm

You could also send the details to Watchdog (of the BBC fame) they may well be interested in this, which is a kind of advance fee fraud scam. This could give the company a bit of unwanted exposure, it is really no different to the modelling advertising agencies that prey on people's dreams of fame and charge up front fees but get clients no work.

Could you provide the URL so we can take a look at the site?

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Heyyy! Thanks Smile

my son has already contacted Watchdog and given them details. The website is http://www.eveningencounters.com/register.php would be nice if everyone reading this could put a fake number in and waste their time x

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 8:25 pm

Quote:

Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
Creation Date: 23-jun-2009
Expiration Date: 23-jun-2010

Typical of a scam site. and disagrees with their claim to have been founded in 2004. No postal address, an 0845 phone number means that they might be hard to find.

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:06 pm

I've been biting my tongue, but can't any longer I'm afraid - do you realise 'Escort' is a common euphamism for 'prostitute'? You may wish to have a heart-to-heart with your son. If you don't believe me, try typing 'escort service' into any search engine, but be prepared for an overflow of pink pixels.

You may be fine with that, and I certainly agree that these guys sound like they're using a fairly common scam technique, but you may just like to consider the murky world your son would have been entering if this hadn't been a rip-off - it might even be quite a cheap lesson, all told.

Sorry, couldn't bite my tongue any longer. Elephant in the room, and all that.

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:19 pm

^^^ We can't be judgemental, can only help if we can. We are pm'ing on this but please feel free to add your views. the site is dodgy and all assets are probably overseas. Registered office holds countless companies.

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 1440

Hmmm...I recently saw a very similar case to this on People's Court.

Some guy paid an agency an advance fee and they promised him work as a Nude Housekeeper (I know, I know!) They never got him a job, so had to pay him back the fee. These types just collect fees and never get anyone a job.

I think this scam goes on all the time, but many people are understandably too embarrased to go to court and admit they wanted to houseclean while naked, or be a paid escort/prostitute.

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:04 pm

No, no judgement on my part at least, but I did want to make sure the family were aware of the nature of the business they were trying to get into, and to understand that even the "legitimate" side of it is not, shall we say, well-regulated. If they are aware, no harm in my post, if not, well I would want someone to break it to me before I wandered in expecting lawyer-level money for being wined, dined and going to the theatre.

As a scam (and we all know it is a scam) it should certainly be stopped, and I hope the family can reverse the credit card/bank payment easily. There's enough money in prostitution for "legitimate" introduction agencies not to charge upfront fees, although I gather from friends closer to that line of business that a face-to-face meeting with the agency is usual as they will want to check up on certain things before sending someone off with one of their valued clients, looks, sophistication and charm being amongst those things.

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:54 am

^^^^

Quote:

face-to-face meeting with the agency

this would include any type of agency I think.

Quote:

I gather from friends closer to that line of business

interesting friends you have!

Quote:

check up on certain things before sending someone off with one of their valued clients, looks, sophistication and charm

can think of a few more, but am DW!

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:19 am

couldn't resist. I filled out the "Find me a companion" section (using THEIR phone number and bob@[email protected]).

The whole site is lame, but the fact it doesn't match you to any of "their profiles" was a shame

It'll at least piss 'em off Rolling Eyes

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Thanks again for your help guys xx

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 7:43 am

^^^ Now that would make interesting reading. Razz

Quote:

couldn't resist. I filled out the "Find me a companion" section

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

<soap box>

Manbiteslion, thank you for your concerns. I can assure you though that my son isn't a child, he is 27 and more than big enough to make his own decisions. Lately he has hit hard times. He is a qualified electrician and never struggled for work. He relocated to the south coast on the promise of a job (real job). Two days before it started they rang to say that they hadn't yet sacked the other electrician, and put the work back one week. A week passed with him doing gardening agency work, and the company put it back another week. This was six weeks ago. Since then he has had no agency work even (and he asked to do anything). Looking in the Brighton jobs online, there appeared Escort work. It didn't sound 'seedy' or like male prostitution, and I am certain that he would never consider doing that, as hard up as he is!

His last few hundred pound was spent on this 'opportunity', and he was left with no food, no rent for next month, and a phone all out of credit. I think the 'heart to heart' needs to be issued by the mothers of the fuckers who think it is all good and fair to promise work (whatever the nature) to desperate, hard working, qualified and time served individuals who are already the victims of a recession.

</soap box> lol

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 7:22 pm

Hi Anney,

Sorry if I caused offence, it was rather that I wanted to make sure you knew what he was getting into! For all I could tell from your posts, your son could have been 16, or just going into this with his eyes closed. My main concern was that you should be able to make an informed choice in case you were unaware of the euphemism.

I am aware the adverts for these opportunities are often rather coy in their language. As it happens, the IP address for the site in question (and hence effectively the server it's located on) is shared by many less coy sites, openly offering prostitutes in both the UK and Spain, however I do not doubt your son's wish to find a legitimate, well-paid job.

Indeed you all truly have my sympathy, he's in a tough position and well done to him for trying to find work. Regardless of the nature of the company, there is no excuse for Advance Fee Fraud like this. I genuinely hope you manage to reverse the payment - I gather you have been working with the excellent and capable Jeff, I do hope he has been able to help in these sad circumstances.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Thanks for your support and kind words manbiteslion. Jeff has been a Godsend Smile

I am trying to convince my son that revenge is a dish best served cold, as he is keen to walk to Spain and bitch slap someone!

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Oh and by the way, I didn't take offence at all, I just thought it all needed explaining a little better.

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:04 pm

I couldn't let this thread slip away without saying that the help I've been to Anney_ Mall is a direct result of all the assistance given by others who have posted here. We are a community and as a community we act for the common good. My sincere thanks to all.

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:57 pm

^^

Quote:

We are a community and as a community we act for the common good. My sincere thanks to all.

So well said, Jeff. It also brought to mind, "In for one, in for all." We're a relatively tight bunch here. Hurt my friend, and you're hurting me.

Anney wrote:

Quote:

His last few hundred pound was spent on this 'opportunity', and he was left with no food, no rent for next month, and a phone all out of credit.

This b-r-e-a-k-s my heart for your son, but let not your heart be troubled. He will find legitimate employment with the perseverance that he has. Lifting you up..... Smile

Manbiteslion wrote:

Quote:

My main concern was that you should be able to make an informed choice in case you were unaware of the euphemism.

Exactly. How could one know unless we ask?

Not quite a Newb Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Posts: 26

Due to this forum I have a big list of things to do / try, and wish to thank you all greatly for the assistance I've recieved. Both my son and I have come out of this with a lot greater knowledge, and will use this knowledge to educate others in the same way as the community here has done.

If you all don't mind, I might stick around and seek catharsis, scamming the scammers Smile

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:56 pm

^^^Do we mind???

We would love to have you. Wink

Paranoia Injector Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Posts: 58

Welcome to the one and only 419eater.com I am sorry to hear about your what happened to your son hope everything turns alright and he finds a good job and that you get to get some revenge for your son or perhaps he gets his own Wink

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