SCAMPATROL

[maddy]

my son who's a whizz on computers started acting really strange last year and after looking into his e mails i found he was in contact with a man. my son i found had given his bank details, date of birth, home address, home telephone and mobile numbers out. this man told him he wasn't happy at home and wanted to come here to collect the money he would put in my son'e account. i went to the bank and got his account closed down and a new one set up. i informed the police. they weren't interested! they took away our computer and 4 months later they returned it. they said they didn't have the time or resources to check it but were pretty sure it was a nigerian money scam. after that i received phone calls from america for my son and when i received a £300 phone bill i did a run down on the numbers. they were taxi cab firms! i found a name in my sons mobile and it matched the firm so i rang it. all they did was laugh. i told the police. again they weren', bothered. my son kept asking where i kept his passport which put me on high alert. his behaviour got worse and when i restricted the internet usage he went mad. i found he was using the one at our local library. when i alerted them they stopped him and his behaviour got worse. still the police didn't want to know. that was last year. my son is now in a secure unit after he set fire to my house after i took all the phonelines out. i know as a parent there is something or someone who got to him and is scaring him and guess what the police still do not want to know. they say at least he is safe where he is. they told me to hang on to my computer for when he returns in case anything happens again so they can check it!!!!!!!!!!

[Witch]

Hi maddy,this sounds like a typical nigerian scam except for the cab phone number thing.Can you tell us what country the taxi cab number was for?Or even post the number?
Unfortunately the police do not get involved in these types of scams.
There are too many,and the scammers cannot be found.
I would strongly suggest that you find a counsellor for your son,so that he can discuss the whole thing with that person.
As a mother also,my children were willing to tell other adults their problems but not so forthcoming with me.
Please let us know what is happening.

[Jezabelle]

Sound advice from witch.

This sounds like quite a complicated story but it may help others who have been targeted if you can post any indentifying info on the scammers.

[maddy]

thanks for both your replies. all i've got is the following........ johnolowu@yahoo.co.uk but i've tried to e mail him since and it's no longer in use. the phone number given to my son for him was 234-8023594998 . he also asks my son in the e mail 'are you still the one they call 'newis loogie'? before he takes any further step???????? the americen 'contact' is RON (checkers taxi cabs) Tel number 15163521600
(FROM ENGLAND UK) although i've got 3 more on my phone bill. i've got all the e mail correspondanse and all the phone print outs. i know the police may think i'm an idiot but i KNOW that this isn't the end of it. whatever my son got into, he REALLY believes it because he has a facination with america (since around the same time this bloke got in touch with him). and i know that when he comes home to me he'll be back trying on the computer. the thing is he's a real whizz and can (sorry to say) hack, solve, build whatever anyone wants. i don't know where he got this gift from but he can do it.
like i said at the minute he's in a secure unit 200 miles away from me. he'll stay there for the next 3 years ( although i'm hoping he'll come home sooner), i never thought that the internet could be so dangerous but it obviously can, and before anyone thinks 'oh, she's got a loony for a son', he is VERY well looked after, spoilt, in fact, gets lots of emotionel support ect. i really cannot understand WHY he went the way he did, but he did and i've got to live with it. all i know is, when i speak to him on the phone is, he says he feels safer there than he has done ever before and that is REALLY sad because he is only 14.

[noxy]

The phone number is for:

L I Checker Cab Of Elmont,
1305 Hempstead Tpke,
Elmont,
NY 11003
(516) 352-1600

I think that given that your son is safe and receiving help you should stop worrying about the scammers. I am not a psychologist but I suspect that your son contacted the scammers after he began to experience the problems that led to him going to the unit. You are probably best discussing your concerns with whoever is responsible for your son's welfare in the unit.

[Witch]

234-8023594998 Nigerian cell phone.

[frodo]

A quick search turned up:

[maddy]

Did you get anything positive Frodo?