Help is this a scam

[DavidB2008]

I met someone on a singles site. We exchanged emails and became friends on the web. Not long after she tells me that she is ill with possible fatal illness and needs to come the the US as she lives in Europe. She is in the art business and involved with trading Nigeria art. She tells me that she needs a couple of hundred dollars to get to the US and it should be sent to an agent acting on her behalf in the Mid southwestern US. Backtracking emails from this account have popped up the origins as being in the UK, France, Nigeria, and the US.Was told that i would be repaid many times over with Nigerian art that is valuable. Was given a cell phone number in Lagos but would not call or speak with anyone as it seemed too good to be true. As it turns out, the agent in US has a legit address but no phone. Emails sent to speak with agent on phone are to no avail. Phone was disconnected intentionally and agent will not speak on phone. Less that a week later agent sends email that more money is needed almost 1000 dollars to get ill lady to US. This time mail cannot be sent to agent but to a colleague of agent as mail was being stolen. New address is in another state over 200 miles away. This person too has a legit address but no phone as it was disconnected because agent uses it for internet (makes no sense right). Requests to speak with new person acting for agent result in angry email from agent that this person should not be contacted as knowledge of my involvement would make new party upset and not help. Not sure what is going on. Have not sent funds as this thing is so bizarre that it would either make a great movie of the week or a good trial for fraud and playing on peoples feelings to help out someone. Any thoughts??

[wendypuerto]

I am almost certain 100% it sounds to me like a classic !!!!

[emmawood]

totally a scam - avoid at all costs!!!

[DavidB2008]

Thanks. Also the emails have come from Amsterdam. I am trying to figure out how is it possible for one person in the UK to send emails from a yahoo account and the origin IP address is in for another country. I did not think it was possible unless you are spoofing the address? Any tech savvy people care to comment. How can a yahoo account bounce email so much? Also why isn't a UK server involved? Could someone actually go to a cybershop in the UK and be using an address for another country? Seems a little weird even if the shop was owned by people from Nigeria, right?

[DavidB2008]

I forgot to mention that I would have to pay some money for the art to be sent to the US. I did not ask as when I ran a cell phone trace on the number and it came up in Nigeria I did not pursue spending money to have a shipment of anything arrive anywhere. I only wish people were not so inclined as to pray on the kindness of others. It makes the world a darker place.

[lornastorey]

Yes it's a scam, the person you have been communicating with is probably a male and Nigerian.

Check these out:
http://www.internet-love-scams.org/
http://forum.aa419.org/

There are thousands of scam forums.

[leylamurr]

David you have to be careful these days, I get at least four a day in my spam e mail . The sad thing is that nobody is able to stop this kind of scam and they seem to be growing in strength.
They chose the route least suspect to you, very cunning.
Just forget about it and move on and be careful next time!

Best wishes
Leyla


http://www.leylamurr.com

[DavidB2008]

Thanks Leyla. The only person I spoke with on the phone had a weird accent that I could not identify. I imagine it is not too hard for Nigerian men to sound like women and fake a high sounding voice. Too bad for them! Ought to be shot for what they are doing!

[alexanderjohnson]

Anyone you don't know asking for money by email (regardless of what they promise in return) is a scammer. Mark as SPAM and delete all emails that begin 'from the desk of' or 'Hello, my name is' or of course the timeless classics 'FREE!' or 'YOU HAVE WON/WINNER' or 'HELP'... This may seem extreme but I defy anyone to cite me a case where any good has come out of the reply! These are skillful con-artists who are often clever at dragging you into their fabricated sob-stories, think Derren Brown but BAD!

While we're here, never open a web link emailed from a 'bank' however realistic it looks, banks will NEVER ask you to 'update security profiles' etc by email.

Hold onto your hats, it's a jungle out there...

[jeanniezelos]

spot on alexander. life's too short to waste time on these nerds. just ignore everything that your gut says isn't geniune. if it seems to good to be true it probably is