I was contacted by Mr. Robert Smith regarding a loan for $3,000 after applying online (I do not know the website as it was ghosted). He offered me a loan for $3000 with an acceptable interest rate.
To have the funds transferred via Western Union I would have to pay $290.00. I sent the money and was then told I had to pay an additional $635 as a tax. Then he told me that the lender would only do loans over $10,000. I admit I was very wary and skeptical but I was (and still am) in a very bad financial situation.
I tried to send the money but Western Union would not allow the transfer. Again a red flag but was desperate by this time as I had creditors and my landlord breathing down my neck. I contacted Mr. Smith and he told me to send it in the name of his assistant, Bob Harrison. After sending it I believed my loan would be transferred. Mr. Smith informed me due to "UK restrictions" large sums of money could not be sent out of the country. He would transfer the money to a bank for transfer.
I was sent an email from John Sergio from La Caxia bank (or so he claimed). I was sent a link to complete the transfer. I received a message asking for a COT code but had to pay $750 for the code. I sent the money and attempted to complete the transfer again. I was asked for a tax code which Mr. Sergio supplied. Then I was asked for a Money Laundering code. When I contacted Mr. Sergio, he sent me the following message:
I hereby inform you that the UNITED KINGDOM DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (UKDLEA) are placing a holding on your funds. They said that for them to be sure that this funds are not going to be used for Drug Trafficking overseas that a Receipt need to be obtain from their Office.
"The UNITED KINGDOM DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (UKDLEA) said that the sum of $10,000 usd is a huge sum of money that can be use for Drug Trafficking overseas. For this funds to be able to go out of this country the UNITED KINGDOM DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (NDLEA) clearance receipt need to be obtained with the sum of $1690 no more no less."
I informed him and Mr. Smith I would send no more money and I will be reporting them to federal and international authorities.
These people are scammers and liars. Mr. Smith professes to be a Christian man but in fact is a liar and a thief.
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