SCAMPATROL

[sharon11]

hi.
i am from Malta and lately i have been a victim of a scam! i have sent 677 sterlings to this person. i have all the emails he sent and the name and address of whom he told me to send the money too.
can you help me pls? do you think i will get my money back?

[Q]

Hi sharon11 and welcome to scampatrol. I wish I could welcome you under happier circumstances.

To be able to answer your question we need some more information. How did you sent the money to to the scammer? Until you get back to us, I'll assume that it was via Western Union as this is the most common method scammers ask victims to send money to them.

Recovering the funds from Western Union is only possibly if the scammer hasn't yet got around to picking up the picking up the money. If this is the case contact Western Union immediately and get the payment reversed. They will change the receiver name to yours and you can go back to the place from where you sent the money and pick it up. You will recover around 91% of the money you sent as Western Union will still charge their commission. I take it that 677 sterlings is £677 (GBP). So you are looking to be able to recover about £615. PLEASE NOTE YOU CAN ONLY DO THIS IF THE MONEY HAS NOT BEEN PAID TO THE RECEIVER. Check online at westernunion.com by entering your MTCN and your name to see the progress of the transfer. If the funds are still waiting to be collected by the receiver call Western Union immediately and reverse the transfer. Don't hang around the scammer may collect the money at point.

Unfortunately here's the bad news. If the scammer has already picked up the funds, I'm afraid that you've lost the money. It is impossible to recover the funds as Western Union is anonymous and there is no way to trace the payment.

[eight]

sharon, sorry to hear of your loss.

Please beware of anyone who tells you they can recover your money for you. There are scammers who say they can, but actually, they will just rip you off for a fee and do nothing. One batch of these scum pose as the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) in Nigeria, so please be very cautious, even if it looks official.
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