I am a widow who communicated with this fraudster mid-June to October starting with match.com dating site. Never met the man. He called morning and night for 3 months and was always about to return home to North York (where he had just relocated from New York City after living there for 16 years) but something would happen to prevent his return.
Said he was a chemical and environmental engineer retired 3 years ago from Mobil Oil after 28 years and did a couple of independent consulting contracts each year. Had just been awarded a large contract ($3.2M USD) ith Caltex Oil Malaysia and Australia. Said he was a widower for 5 years and wife died of cancer, had a son Mark (20) at Columbia University in New York City and a daughter Michelle (18) about to start at University of Toronto (reason he relocated to North York). Said he was an American citizen (US Passport # 913923051, DOB Oct 30,1952) who was born in U.S.A. But raised in Norway by his Norwegian father and had an accent that I assumed was Norwegian. Very smooth operator — he "fell in love with me" said he said things like he was my "now and forever man", "miss you more", and, against my better judgment, I fell in love with the idea of him. Said he had purchased a home in the spring in North York, Ontario at 199 Willowdale Avenue. Sent me a copy of the contract with Caltex Oil Malaysia and Australia.
After 3 weeks of communication, he advised his wallet was stolen including ID except for passport and credit cards so froze his bank account and cards until he could get home and deal with bank in person. He needed cash to complete studies/purchase materials/pay workers/cover expenses and get home and would repay me in full. Signed a promissory note with me using his Caltex Oil contract as security. I knew better, but was convinced to send money by Western Union - in various names including his.
In mid-August, he advised me he had received a first payment of $966,600 USD on his contract it had been bank transferred by client to Alliance & Leicester Bank Berhad Malaysia (doesn't exist I now know) to be put in an account in my name as his fiancee (because he couldn't set up an account due to the ID theft and his bank account frozen, etc.)! Said the bank's Director of Foreign Operations would contact me with instructions how to transfer the monies owed to me (along with the balance to Stephen) to my bank account.
Heard almost daily by phone, text and email, from Mohd' Isa Ismail the purported Director of Foreign Operations about how to get access to the funds. Required to make a minimum deposit, then had to pay an activation fee, then purchase an insurance bond — all fully refundable when I was issued access codes to transfer the monies. An additional $1.2M USD was deposited to the on-line bank account as payment against Stephen A. Sass contract with Caltex. Paid all of the required advance fees by wires transfers to various individuals against my better judgment and it amounted to just under $220,000 USD including the Western Union transfers.
When the "bank" required an additional $371,000 USD to purchase an anti-money laundering/anti-terrorist/drug clearance certificate, I finally listened to my head over my heart. Once I told him there was no more money coming from me and confronted him about his fraud, he denied it and indicated he too was a victim of some fraud, however he had been assured his monies were safe and would make sure I was repaid. He slowly stopped contacting me. He was using a different phone number and blocking it so I couldn't see the number or return misssed calls. Finally stopped contacting me - last contact Oct 10. The phone numbers (both mobile) I had for him: New York: (646) 434-5738, Malaysia: 60 10 299 4167. I have reported to IC3, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, local police, bank, match.com, Western Union, etc. The photos I have are of a dark-haired tall man with a very friendly smile. Do not be fooled and listen to your intuitions - wish I had.
0 comments