Four months ago I sold a video game using Craiglist. I had sold a few things on the site before and they all went well. However, when Collins email me saying that she wants to buy the video game for her friend, and was around the area, I couldn't help it but offer to sell it to her. I was naive from the start and did not know much about internet scam. Once, I email her back giving her my contact info., she responded telling me that she was out of the country and was in England for a rugby coaching program and was not able to pick it up. She would send me the money through paypal. She gave an address to mail it to her friend and told me to mail it to Nigeria. I was wondering why nigeria and not england where she was at? I did not send the video game and did not respond for a few days.
However, she kept emailing me if I had sent the package almost everyday. It seems that she was serious and so I sent the package through the address she gave me which cost me about $30. From there paypal wanted proof and I scanned the receipt to them. Several days later, paypal email me that they will not pay me the money because the receipt is not valid. They told me to go to the post office to verify that it is valid and so I did. Later on, they finally accepted the receipt. However, as I check my email a few days later I have an email from Collins and paypal saying that the package was received by the Nigeria's Custom Office and they will not release it because a clearance should be paid ($500). Collins tells me that if I don't pay the clearance fast the item will be destroy and I will not get my money. So, I paid for the clearance through Western Union as told by paypal and Collins. After that I got an email from Collins and paypal saying that her friend has gotten into an accident while going to the custom's office and is in the hospital. They both ask me to pay for the start of the operation which was $100. If I don't pay this, the item will not be pick up and I will lose my money. I decline to pay this saying that her friend was responsible and that it was her friend's fault for getting into an accident. I told her you are her friend and you should pay for the operation. Collins decline saying that she was not allow to go outside of the coaching program and that it was strict. I told her I didn't have any more money, but she kept emailing me everyday that she was worried for her friend and feels sorry for me.
Again I thought this was true, I sent her the $100. The next day she emailed saying that the money I send was not enough and I need to pay an additional $400. Again, I listened and sent it believing that she would pay me all that money back as she promised in every single email. She email me again that it was not enough for the operation, I got really angry and told her I had absoultely no more money. She kept telling me that she felt sorry for me and was worry that I will not get my money back and for her friend.
Several weeks on, I suggested if she can send me the money so I can send it to her friend. She told me that she knew a friend that could help with our situation. She said that her friend will send me a check to pay for the operation. I gave out my info again. However, several days later, she emailed me saying that this friend of her got into an accident while going to his wife's place and was at the hospital. He cannot mail the check. Collins tells me to borrow money from someone else or find another way to help pay the operation. I responded telling her what type of accident he has gotten into and Collins responded saying that "oh the accident was so terrible that he was admitted in the hospital and it will took him a while to be ill and why are you asking the question when i told you that the item is still with the custom officer cos i called my the doctor in charge of my partner treatment and he told me that he will not released her until she pay for the bills. So why are not not responding well since you know that if my partner doenst clear the item ouyt of the custom office paypal customer care will not attrend to me and you."
So there, I did not want to email her again. She has scam me for sure and I just lost about $1000. All that money I had was use up for this lousy scam and for a cost of a $20 video game. I feel so stupid and naive.
0 comments