Hi
A am very upset at the moment as I fear a very good friend of mine is being scammed. For the last 2 years she has been talking to a man who is supposedly from Lancashire UK, but who has been doing work in Nigeria. Over the past 2 years he appears to have been the most unlucky man alive, being robbed of his passport, money, identity and all the usual crap I have been reading about over the last week, while researching more into these horrible scams. My friend finally came round to the idea last week that she has been scammed, after sending him money for a flight, only for him to get halfway and then get stopped for drugs in Amsterdam, which were "planted on him". Then sent back to Nigeria on the same day (Is this possible?). Then asking for money for a solicitor and another flight home. And yes my friend was stupid enough to send the money, and no he wasn't on the flight home she gave him money for. And she finally saw it for what it was, until she spoke to him again, and he got mad at her for not trusting him. Then had the cheek to ask for £500 to pay is hotel bill, as the hotel had his passport and won't give it back until he pays the bill, and of course a man with no money would go and stay in a 5 star £100 a night room rather than a cheap £5 a night b&b. Then as she asked him more questions, and asked for proof of his ID etc.. he got mad at her and said she didn't trust him etc, then threatened to sleep with another woman to get money, if she couldn't provide it.
I told my friend to call the British Embassie as they would be able to help him out, if he really is a British citizen etc.. But as of yet she won't do it. And I believe she spoke with him last night and this morning and he has somehow persuaded her to give him the money. As a friend I don't know what to do to make her see the truth. How long can this go on for, she is so desperate to believe his lies and she wants so badly for her fantasy that she has put her whole life into to come true, but sadly it's obvious to everyone around her that it won't. What can I do as a friend?
The man goes by the name David Benson ( I hear its very common in these scams) and like i said his from Lancashire, and has lost both his parents. He has a son over here, who was in hospital when he went to Nigeria, but now is staying with his grandmother, but she is a pensioner and can't send money to help him out. He has no friends he can trust as friends have taken money from him before etc... here is a picture of him, scroll down to the bottom of the page. Its the professional looking one that was apparently for his "work"
http://www.unyk.com/people-contact/unit ... ncashire/0If anyone can help me I would be really grateful.
Thanks
p.s sorry if this is long and badly written.