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belawan
Forum Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2005, 4:49
Posts: 32
Location: South East Asia
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 Posted: Tue 16 Aug 2005 02:37 Post subject: |
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| jez wrote: | Point taken Frazzle, but Ladywolf IS being responsible and accepting the consequences here. She needn't have gone to the bank nor the police - she could have just accepted she lost the money, felt stupid and kept quiet like some victims do - and waited until the police came looking for her.
And as yet no-one knows Bryan's full story - he could be a (albeit unwitting) money launderer for the lads, paying in their fake cheques and drawing on them for these payments. If so, he's likely to be in even more trouble than Ladywolf here!
@Ladywolf: being a trusting and caring person is NOT a crime - the only criminal here is your "friend" Sydney. Scammers are professionals - they are very good at what they do. There's no need to feel stupid - just treat it as tough learning process, and if you can talk about your experience to others then you might just stop this from happening to someone else. |
jez,
You sound like a very wise man. At least fair analysis, not one sided. Here in the forum like any forum, the members or modertors are just giving their own views (collecting datas from past or current victims). Any one would know how go to the local police (automatically and with common sense). The reason why scampatrol is very special I would think is more specialize than the police or International police. All the advises given are "STOP contacting the scammers. Nothing much could be done". What is the point of coming here any way if that is the straight answer and very blunt. At least gradually scampatrol could trace and find ways to catch the scammers as well (their email addresses, phone/telex/fax contacts, companies names etc). Not just simply say Stop contacting them. Just asking, any one of you the moderators or the victim support have been victims before? Any experience apart from learning from the past and current vicitms? Scampatrol should find ways to go foraward to combat and trace the scammers easily. That is your task and target.
Sorry if I have offended any one (not intend to). Just share the facts realistically.
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belawan |
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frazzle
**BANNED**
Joined: 21 Jun 2005, 22:05
Posts: 27
Location: Enn Zedd
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug 2005 07:04 Post subject: |
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Belawan,
I wish there was some other answer but we have to be honest. I'm sorry to say that there is no way to trace most of these fraudsters.
They use free, anonymous email addresses, which they change often.
They use anonymous cellphones, which they change often.
They persuade victims to pay money via an anonymous service like Western Union.
The companies they claim are fake.
The addresses they give are false.
Where money is transferred to a specific bank account, it is sometimes possible to recover the money.
Very occasionally, the Police catch some of the scammers. Arrests do seem to be on the increase. But there are many many scammers.
There are many organisations who try to combat the scammers (for example, 419legal.org). Scampatrol's focus is on helping victims. |
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jez
Victim Support
Joined: 10 Nov 2004, 15:39
Posts: 201
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug 2005 07:26 Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | jez, You sound like a very wise man. |
That's probably the nicest thing anyone's going to say to me all day - even though I'm female! 
Belawan, all the forum members here see cases like this over and over again, and the best advice we can give someone who's being scammed is to stop contact with the scammer. These views aren't one-sided or personal.
As far as tracing these scammers - we're a voluntary group, we have no law enforcement powers so even if we could trace them (which is impossible because of all the reasons Frazzle listed above), we wouldn't be able to do anything.
Getting law enforcement to do something about 419 fraud is an uphill struggle that Scamfighters have been involved in for some time now! But as Frazzle said, this is not our remit - we're here to provide what help and advice we can to victims - or potential victims - and this goes a long way to stopping the scammers doing what they do.
You should take a look at www.419legal.org if you're interested in that law enforcement side of things. |
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belawan
Forum Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2005, 4:49
Posts: 32
Location: South East Asia
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug 2005 07:53 Post subject: |
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jez,
My apology for addressing you as man or male. No wonder you give allowances and gentle feedbacks to any subject to the forum members. I am impressed and touched.
Thanks for the suggestions but I don't have much time out side besides my own work in the company. I still could not believe I have been coned with such huge amount of money to scammers. Never in my life. I used to be or still careful or vigilant in most things. Bad people know their way to con good people. They sound or appear godly and sincere and genuine human beings. They are good at under cover really.
I am not satisfied and relaxed because I have been coned by these people. There must be some ways to track them down. Criminals normally could be tracked and brought to justice. I am sure we can trace these scammers sooner or later. They cannot just get away just like that.
What do you think jez? Hi do you have any private email address? I have a lot more to share.
Thanks.
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belawan |
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Old Coaster
Forum Admin
Joined: 10 Nov 2004, 9:50
Posts: 123
Location: Usually Europe
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug 2005 09:31 Post subject: |
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Belawan, I think you should edit out your last comment. Jez is a serious professional person and your sleazy attempt at a pick up is not welcome here!
Also, if you really want to "do something" about these fraudsters, go and start a political campaign in your own country to get your politicians to do something.
OC
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la terre n'est qu'un seul pays |
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jez
Victim Support
Joined: 10 Nov 2004, 15:39
Posts: 201
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug 2005 09:38 Post subject: |
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Belawan, I'm sorry to hear you've been scammed by these people and I understand how frustrating it must be to be told that nothing can be done. But you've been given good advice on this forum by experienced members, and I can add nothing to it. The scammers cannot be traced, and law enforcement in Burkina Faso are not about to launch a nationwide operation because you lost $15,000.
Now, this thread was originally started by Ladywolf who asked for help with her specific problem, so please don't continue to hijack it with yours - I see you have several threads discussing that already!
Talking of Ladywolf, I'm curious to know if there's any news. |
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mirakl
Moderator
Joined: 19 May 2005, 21:48
Posts: 842
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| Posted: Tue 16 Aug 2005 10:06 Post subject: |
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| I've split this from continuing to hijack Ladywolf's thread. |
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belawan
Forum Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2005, 4:49
Posts: 32
Location: South East Asia
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| Posted: Wed 17 Aug 2005 04:53 Post subject: |
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Dear all,
Points taken and noted. Thanks.
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belawan |
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