A question...

[Lonewolf76]

Hi Folks I have a question,

I have a "friend" that I met while on a well known gay paysite. We started communicating back and forth and we really hit it off . My current sweetie knew of this communication and actually began communicating with this new friend as well and they really hit it off as well. Things were going along great and our new friend - whom we had never met face to face yet but was also supposedly from our area (Denver) had to take a trip to do volunteer work in Africa.
Our new friend then writes to us three weeks later and asks for funds to return to the US until he can cash his check in this country and re-imburse us our funds. My sweetie and I talked about this at length and the alarm bells went off. Something just doesn't seem right to us. I have this gut suspicion that our friend has falsified his profile on the gay site and isn't really from Denver at all - but is from Africa is is looking for a "sugar daddy" to fund his trip to the states. Am I way off the mark here or what? If he is someone that legitimately is in Africa for volunteer work -I'd hate to complicate a potentially great friendship by refusing to help. But if he isn't - I would want to be involved in this. We are both very confused about what to do. Any input or suggestions??? Does this sound like a scam to you? Thanks in advance for the suggestions and comments! LW

[sdnaustin]

Alarm bells would be going off in my mind too...if you have any of the old communication saved, you might want to review it and see if there is any inconsistancies or things that seem odd.

[FalconAngel]

We almost got suckered in by a scammer with a similar story.

She claimed that she was from Tampa and was going over to Africa for her boss, a jeweler, to set up diamond purchases. Then she comes along with this story about how she has money, but cannot get it changed to local currency.

The bells went off very loudly to me, so I blocked her and moved on.

There is another a profile on the site now with the same picture and name that she(?) used, but it is a different profile because we reported the profile to the site owners and it was removed within a day. Still not going to trust something like that, ever, unless it is someone that I have known personally for many years and have met in person very early on. Never someone that I only know from the internet for a short time.

[Hephaestion]

Don't we all have a friendly Embassy that we can call on when abroad? If not that of our own country then that of an alliance partner or even a suitable organization. They will arrange suitable loans and iron out difficulties on behalf of legitimate citizens.

As your friend is on voluntary service overseas then the organization that sent him should be his first port of call. Please Don't say that he travelled to a far way land and when he had arrived said to the natives on hand "Hey, I'm here anybody want some help?"

.

[rissababynta]

Wolf please, this is bull crap. I know that you are a sweet, caring person but I don't want to see you get sucked into something like this. And I KNOW that you realize that a gut feeling can tell you a lot.

Gotta love how that universe works...

[azirish]

I agree with everyone here, sounds like a "Nigerian" scam. You have won money, but we need XX amount of money to release the money you won. Its a well know bait and switch scam via the internet.

[Lonewolf76]

Thanks everyone! You've just validated what my "gut" was telling me! This fool won't get a penny out of me. I just needed some other viewpoints & perspectives - ya know the old saying - "can't see the forest for the trees!!" So I threw it out here and as usual the great folks on this site provided support and assistance. Blessings to you all. I have also reported this to the paysite so that they are aware of him. Thanks again - you are the reason I love this site!! LW

[Cherokee_Mountaincat]

NoNoNoNo! Run Wolfie and Sweetie! This is a HUGE scam and its been pulled on Many people here in the US lately. Tell him NWF (No Fukn Way) and then turn in his screen name to yahoo for solicitation, because thats how these guys work. They reel in a couple, or older person (This happened to my girlfriend) and ask fopr money to come home, and inevitably some trusting soul will send it thinkingall is Hunky-Dorry.
Dont get fooled Sweetie.
Want I sould send EEEGie ta bite 'em??? lol
Hugs Hon.
Cat

[diB4u]

Wolf i agree with everyone here, this is a scum do not participate in this.... and even if its real (where is the evidence?) it is not your responsibility, if it is true then the individual needs to contact the american embasy in Africa or where ever he is.

Do not believe this crap.

[Realist]

Folks, especially older ones, who may be lonely, are very apt to fall for things like this. Since I revealed my age on this and a couple of other sites, I have received the same kinds of requests on 3 occasions.

However, I am lucky to have a full life, never wanting for friends and am aware of the predators.

I agree with the others, this person has found your soft underbelly and is attempting to stick a knife in it! Manipulators and parasites! If they'd put their energy to being honest and productive, they could earn money the OLD way...EARN it legitimately!

[FalconAngel]

You could also, if you are so inclined, report his information to spam@uce.gov

It is the same place that you would forward the e-mails for the "(insert country here) national lottery" winnings, the "I need someone to help me transfer money out of my country" and all of the other ones, too.

[DeShawn2]

Damn! Who knew that con wo/men put in so much effort these days?

Definite alarms!

If you have any of this person's genuine contact information (phone number or address), then you should report it.

[open2both]

Anything outta Africa is a SCAM!!

[onewhocares]

I was approached with a similar situation...a woman artist from the states living in Ireland but going to do an art show in Africa...got there and had no money to get home and needed to cash a check from one of the clients she had in the us and needed someone to cash it.

I told her to first go to the American Embassy, then contact the largest bank in the country she was in....pluse I said that I do not do business like that. She hounded me for days then got the hint I was not bitting.

BEWARD my dear friend.

Belle

[silver_wolf]

Frankly, my dear, it sounds like a load of crap.
Incidentally, I just noticed both us wolves made a thread with the same name

[chulainn2]

THERE IS A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE.

[12voltman59]

I have to be a broken record here and repeat what others have said, So I say:

WARNING!!! WARNING!!!! SCAM ALERT!!! WARNING!!!

[**Peg**]

good instincts Lonewolf. Yep it's definitely a scam.

[Lonewolf76]

Huge Thanks to all!!! I have reported him to the site Falconangel linked, to the gay paysite, to yahoo and I sent him an e-mail stating leave me alone - no funds will be forthcoming. I then forwarded all his correspondence and overseas number as well! I also have a friend in Interpol in London - so I graciously forwarded the info to my buddy as well! Sweetie and I thank everyone for your input. Ya try to think the best of everyone - but it's getting harder to do that these days!! And Cat - You can keep EEEgie on his chain - No harm done - no funds sent and I am a great deal wiser!!! Thanks again to all! Huge Wolfie Hugs! LW PS - Silverwolf - Same thread title eh? See Packs stick together!!!

[rissababynta]

Darn, I would have loved to see EEEgie at play :tong:

[Lonewolf76]

Darn, I would have loved to see EEEgie at play :tong:

Beeelieve Me --- It's NOT pretty!!! Just ask his mother - Cat's on her 4th Mailman already!!! LOL LW

[rissababynta]

Beeelieve Me --- It's NOT pretty!!! Just ask his mother - Cat's on her 4th Mailman already!!! LOL LW

OOOooo, all I have to say is that I hope Cat didn't nurse...

[darkeyes]

Wos 1ce a temporary Postie for Xmas.. only 1ce.. that big bloody heavy post sack wos jus 2 much for lil me an climbin up an down alla them stairs?? ..an the uniform?? God.. looked a rite div!!! An gettin up at screech an it bein freezin soakin wet an pitch out.. wudn let me worst enemy do it.. yea me wud... me fibs... serve the sods rite..:tong::bigrin:

[Lonewolf76]

OOOooo, all I have to say is that I hope Cat didn't nurse...

O---U---C---H!!!!! LMAO Bet that would have made HER howwwwlllll!!! LW

[toto001]

jajajaja

i never heard nothing like that before

CAN I GET SOME MONEY TO PAY MY BILLS ? GUYS ANYONE INTRESTED

JAJAJAJJA VERY FUNNY

[rissababynta]

O---U---C---H!!!!! LMAO Bet that would have made HER howwwwlllll!!! LW

OH, the HOWL! *faints as if Barry Manilow touched her hand at a concert!*

[Lonewolf76]

OH, the HOWL! *faints as if Barry Manilow touched her hand at a concert!*

I can't smile without you!!! LOL LW

[badkitty87]

I'm from Africa. You can exchange your money just fine here. And anyone who says otherwise is scamming big time. also, if by some fluke this story is legit, where are the relatives of this deserted voluteer? surely they could help out instead of their online friends?