This blog posts follows my blog post yesterday titled, "EMAIL SCAMS AND HOW TO HANDLE THEM". We began communicating with the scammer posing as my business assoicate who is allegedly stranded in the Ukraine.
By the way we spoke with the victim in this case and he reports that he is safe and sound in South Florida and that he has never been in the Ukraine. His account was hacked and the initial email was sent to everyone listed in his contacts. Other people who received the email responded to the scammer and the scammer replied with different methods of sending the money, i.e. paypal, implying that he is using newly opened accounts only to collect the money and then he will likely quickly close them before paypal realizes the account is fake, freezing the funds and closing the account(s) before they are used again.
Miami PSPI does not recommend that you or anyone communicate with people you know to be scammers. In fact, we recommend that you never do so.
The yellow posts are his emails. The blue posts are my emails:
12/9/2014 at 7:34 am
Hello, I Hope you get this on time, I made a trip to Melitopol(Ukraine).i got mugged and all my belongings cash,cellphone and credit cards were all stolen at "gun point".It's such a traumatic experience for me.i need your help flying back home as I am trying to raise some money.i have made contact with my bank but the best they can do is to mail me a new card which will take 2-3 days to arrive here.I need you to lend me some money to sort my self out of this predicament, I promise to make the refund once I get back home, you are my last resort and hope.
12/9/2014 at 1:37 pm
This is horrible! How can I help?
12/9/2014 at 5:30 pm
Glad you replied back, I'm still stranded out here in Melitopol(Ukraine). A friend was willing to help with his credit card earlier, but the hotel credit card facility is down, I need about £1,350 to sort out the bills and have my tickets straightened out, but any amount you send will go a long way for me, you can have it wired to me through Money Gram or Western Union Transfer so that I can receive it in minutes, below are the details you need to make the transfer.
RECEIVER'S NAME: XXXXXXX (omited the name of the person who was hacked)
Address: Dorogozhitska St 1 Kiev, 02002
Country: UKRAINE
Once it is done kindly send me the confirmation details for the pickup of funds, please let me know how soon you can have it done. I promise to refund the money back including the TRANSFER CHARGES.
12/10/2014 at 12:16 pm
I sent you $500.00 US. I hope this helps. Please reply to confirm you got it and please call me. We are very worried.
12/10/2014 at 2:33 pm
Oh! sorry for the late reply, can i have the western union (MTCN#) or the Money Gram reference number and including the scan receipt copy as soon as you have it done.
Hanging here
I owe you BIG
12/10/2014 at 3:09 pm
I hope this helps. Did you get it?
(I attached a fake Money Gram slip)
12/10/2014 at 11:50 pm
Good Morning Steve, I cant see the 8 digit reference number on the scan receipt you gave to me. Because every thing on scan receipt was just blink, just please send me the 8 digit number on the scan receipt as soon as possible.
Hanging here
I owe you BIG
12/11/2014 at 10:57 am (He is getting desperate.)
Hello Steve, what's going on ? Hope you got my last message i sent to you all i need right now is the (8 digit reference number) because i cant see on the scan receipt you sent to me.
Hanging here
I owe you BIG
12/11/2014 at 11:41 am
Victor, we are all so worried about you that I flew there to see you. I am in the air now. I will arrived Kiev Zhuliany International Airport on flight WU6153 on airline Wizz Air Ukraine at 12:40pm. I have a reservation at Oberig Hotel. I hear it is difficult to get to where you are but I have a guide meeting me so I can pick you up. Give me a phone number where I can call you and I will call you when I check in and get a car.
12/11/2014 at 11:46 am
All i need is the 8 digit number so that i can cash up the money as soon as possible.
12/11/2014 at 11:52 am
I am in the air right now. I can’t be online much longer because we will land soon. Just send me your phone number so I can get to you when I land. I will call you when I get to the hotel room.