Firstly the lady I had been referring to who sent me the scam about an alleged box of treasures..... Well I did write back saying I did have questions but was willing to help her out. Two days later I received a msg from her giving the classic "I'm suffering trust me"! You know, the usual spiel claiming she understands my skepticism, and she is stuck alone with no one to help her, that I am the only man whom she can trust, she depends on me, and if I just trust her I would be rewarded, ra ra ra..... Of course I saw through all that like a pane of clear glass. However I played along and asked her to just send me the details of what I need to do to help her with the box. The next day she sent me the details, including the obviously bogus consignment numbers, the name of the company, the contact person, and his email addy. It was at this point that she said for me to pay the delivery fee for the boxes, without specifying an amount, and she promised she would pay me back when assumedly the box is opened up upon arrival. She asked me to contact him directly with certain personal details. So first thing I did was to check out the company. Google is a wonderful tool. If it exists, Google will find it. Conversely, if Google can't find it, it doesn't exist. And so consequently, I have established that there was no such creature as this particular company, it simply does not exist. So I sat on it for a couple of days, she hadn't msg me back. Then after a couple of days I msg her back saying I was fixing to contact the company, but before I send any money, I will need to check out the company, saying, any company worth its salt will have an online presence - either a website, or independent reports on the company. This was nearly a week ago, and I haven't heard back from her since. Of course I have already proven that the company doesn't exist so no way I was going to send them a single penny!! So looks like one scammer caught out.
Meanwhile I have had no more of the three or four ladies I was currently "dating" online attempting to entice me into this same kind of scam. But there has been different responses.
One lady who declared her undying love for me by the 3rd msg (like the others) chose to carry on the "relationship" for another several emails. Of course I felt nothing for her, I just played along. Remember that Mother did send me to Drama classes back in my childhood, and I do know how to act, indeed if not for fate, I'd probably be in Hollywood ;) hehe!! So I played along, and she said it was her birthday coming up, and that she wanted a gift from me so she could "feel it" as being from me, so I said I would send her a gift if she can send me her contact details in Nigeria (where she claimed she was living). The next email however, she said for me to send her money instead, so she could purchase the gift with the money, she claimed this would be easier. So she sent me some contact details from Western Union (WU), she assumedly had an account with them. Now WU is a reputable company, I have dealt with them during my trip to America, it was often how my friends in America sent me money to help me on the trip, also Sally and I dealt with the company. But I also know the scammers often uses reputable company for their schemes, and as long as she doesn't do anything illegal directly with the company, there is not a thing the company can do about it. So anyway, she didn't specify the amount of money, so I said I would send her a small amount of money, and I got onto the WU website. After she wrote back to me, I told her that I had contacted WU and that before I could send her money, I would need my Passport for their ID checks, and that since it's been so long since traveling overseas, I would have to search through my house for the Passport.
Well this was part truth and part lie. I did indeed get on the WU website, and indeed they do require ID, but in reality a Driver's License is sufficient - furthermore I know where my Passport is anyway!! It was just delaying tactics to see what other information I can get out of this lady. Well the delaying tactic worked. In her last email, she claimed that she was stuck in Nigeria, she needed some document to allow her to leave, and that it would cost several hundreds of dollars. So she said to me that when I do find the Passport and send her the "birthday" money, that it needed to be a specified amount - $500 to be exact. Needless to say, I've nabbed another scammer. I will not be contacting her again.
So two down, and another two or three to go......
The third lady.... this one used a different tact. This one stated that she was actually in America, but gave the story that her father was in Malaysia on a contract, and her ex-boyfriend who apparently worked with him stole some money, which the father blamed on the lady, so not talking to her any more..... ra ra ra..... Anyway, after she declared her undying love for me on the 3rd email, she asked for my cell phone number. Well this is another thing to be careful of. Criminal organisations can upload software onto the phone so they can track you using the GPS. It is what parents uses to track their teens so to see what they're up to. Reputable apps companies does ask for permission to install the app on the phone, however, it is quite easy to circumvent this requirement, so such software can be uploaded to your phone without you even knowing it. It's a popular way of spouses catching out their partners having affairs!!It is also a popular way for criminal organisations to track you, determining your home address, and knowing when you are not home so they could conduct a burglary. So the warning is, never give your cell phone number to strangers - including online dates whose trust and identity has not been proven!!!!
Fortunately however, legacy of Sally's death, I do have some surplus cell phones. So I reactivated one of them, and I switch it on ONLY when I am out of the house, such as, at work, or out for my walks, and even then for only a few minutes at a time. A phone can't be tracked when it is switched off. Such software is good but it is not THAT good, it has to have power for it to work. So I did send the lady the cell phone number. She claimed she couldn't reach me on the number, I told her that it was an international number so needed to use the codes, which she claimed she did so, and so concluded that her cell phone contract did not include international calls. However I am no fool. I do not under ANY circumstances whatsoever switch on the phone at home, only for short periods of time away from home. Anyway after she claimed she couldn't reach me on the phone, she started to ask for my home address. Of course I didn't give it to her, I am not that stupid. I NEVER give my home address online except to reputable companies through secure sites such as banks, Coles, Woolies, etc, where I have things home delivered. I simply ignored her request for my home address and continued on with the "relationship". But she insisted, and this time, she said she would come and visit me. That was her most recent email. So I said, that's great.... but also I would love to chat with her on the webcam, and that perhaps she could send me a selfie with both our names written on herself or a sign.
That was today, and I am yet to hear back from her, but give it time, it is usually later in the evening that I hear from her. You see, in regards to dating scams, it is very likely we are NOT corresponding with the person portrayed in the photos sent. Interestingly they in 90% of cases does not display any profile pics on the dating site, she only sends the pixs when we go to private email. The pixs are often stolen from social networking sites, modelling sites, and other such sites with pixs. Indeed in many cases, you are actually corresponding with a man. So asking for a webcam chat and a selfie with our identifying details is usually enough to weed out the scammers. However of course, passing this ID tests is still no guarantee that one is dealing with a genuine dating prospect, but it does weed out 90% of the scammers. It is likely I will hear back from her with an excuse as to why she can't comply with these requests - nevermind that every cell phone has a cam, and it is real easy to do a selfie with the ID verifications, plus everyone has a webcam, it is built into laptops and tablets these days - Sally had a webcam built into her laptop, and most tablets has them now. So she will make some excuse, and I won't be surprised if she asked for money to help cover for the air ticket to allegedly come and see me. My 3rd catch is in sight.
There are about two other ladies.... so far they haven't taken the scam bait.
However I am cultivating a few genuine friendships on this dating site, those whom we maintain contact through the dating site, and all are on friendship basis only, indeed akin to penfriends or email buddies, and are such a breath of fresh air compared to the scammers who insists on private email contact. History may perhaps repeat itself in good time - going back to America to pick up another wife!!! Well as I said I am not actually looking for another wife, I just want soul mates and someone to go out with here in Perth (the latter WON'T happen but where there's breath however feeble there's hope), but a few more overseas contacts are nice.
In other news..... Less than a week to the end of the lease, and still not a boo from the landlord. Hopefully it means he is in no hurry for me to move out. If I can get a few more months out of him, then I will be in a far better position to move out.
Looks like summer has arrived at long last. It has been hot this past week. As the days get longer, I will start going for my walks after work. Us Luddites in the west doesn't have daylight savings, so have to rely on nature for the days to get sufficiently long enough for me to enjoy my walks after work and still get home before dark. Today was Beltane, the Pagan start of the summer, about the half way point between the Equinox and the Solstice. So we now enter an approx three months phase of summer, the best opportunity for going for walks after work without coming home in darkness.
My job is still safe..... just a whole department next door is no longer existing. They threw a big party yesterday, the last day of their existence, which we were invited and we went to..... now today it is all nearly empty.... But for our dept it is business as usual as we get ready for the busy enrolments period before Xmas - even if it is just me now in my particular area, I no longer have a sidekick to help me..
Hmmmm..... I think that is about all for now.......
The song for today..... since this is Beltane the Pagan start of summer, let's have a summer song..... some Summer Love... I don't think it will ever happen to me.... *sigh*.... but nice to dream..... great oldie anyway.....
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