I received an email from Florida One regarding available positions as a virtual assistant.
I proceeded to check out the web site and checked physical address on Google maps. A valid address was returned, so far so good. Position was for a virtual assistant, so I decided to apply.
A few days later I received first email from Daniel Long indicating I was hired for the virtual assistant position. I received my first task to compile a list of diets available for people with hypertension. This task was completed on 6/1 and I was congratulated on completing it quickly.
6/4/12: The same day I received my second task from Daniel Long: To contact an artist in Russia (Slobodeniuk Vladimir) and see if a copy of a painting could be created since original copy purchased by client had been damaged. I did and on 6/4 I finished the second task with contact information for the artist.
6/5/12: I received email from Daniel Long indicating that client wanted to proceed with copy of artwork and to have artist/gallery send paperwork and invoice for copy of artwork.
6/6/12: Per email received from Daniel Long, information was sent to client and client would be paying artist/gallery.
6/7/12: Received first email from Daniel Long indicating that client was unable to complete payment and they requested my assistance in helping to pay for the artwork. The client would be willing to pay me first, and then I would, in turn pay the artist.
6/11/12: Daniel Long requested bank account information (account number, ABA/routing number) in an attachment for direct deposit of my compensation and for client to direct deposit funds into account for art project.
6/13/12: In an email received form Daniel Long, was told that payment for art project was waiting to be deposited into my account.
6/20/12: Per email received from Daniel Long, funds ($9850) were deposited into my bank account. I verified this online with my bank. Once I verified funds were in the account and cleared, I travelled to my bank, withdrew $9550 per instructions received from Daniel Long in email, keeping $300 as a bonus for handling this transaction in a timely manner. I then travelled to Wal Mart where I sent a Money gram to Aleksey Eremin, in Kiev, Ukraine, totaling $5000 ($100 Money gram fee), reference #47168817. I then went to another Money gram location, since I was informed that the maximum amount to send was $5000, and sent another $4300 ($86 Money gram fee) to an Anzhela Demina, in Kiev, Ukraine, reference #87411327.
They were said to be representatives of the artist/gallery. The artist previously stated to me in an email that he was going to Kiev for the Euro 2012 Soccer matches, which, when I checked it out was valid. Ukraine was playing Sweden.
Once these transactions were completed, I emailed Daniel Long with the necessary information (reference numbers, recipient name, etc.)
On the afternoon of 6/20, I returned home in the afternoon to find a message on my answering machine from my bank requesting I call them. I returned the call to the bank and left a voice message. At 3:58 pm EDT I received a call from my bank indicating that the direct deposit made into my account was fraudulent and that the depositing institution wanted the
money back, my account had been frozen, and if they didnt get the money back, the bank would prosecute. Since I had already sent the money, with the exception of $300, via Money gram to the artist representatives, I no longer had the money.
When I got off the phone with my bank, to say the least, I was very upset about what I had just found out. I proceeded to call Money gram to see what the status of these transactions was. I was informed by Trini (Operator #208) at Money gram that these transactions were received and completed. Trini also told me that I had no recourse in getting this money back.
She had informed me to go to looks togoodtobetrue to make out a report and contact the local authorities. Which I did.
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