scammers inc

KUALA LUMPUR

No sooner had Cindy received an email from her Lawyer in Kuala Lumpur, was she purchasing an airplane ticket.

“I’ve to get to Kuala Lumpur.” She blurted out, her mind elsewhere and not on her need for money. Before I could ask why? Cindy continued. “I have five Million dollars waiting for me. It’s my payment for commission sales. I sold eighteen million dollars worth of stones, and this is the payoff.” I went to interject, but she continued. “I have a meeting with my lawyer and an executive from Rio Tinto Mines. I need to be in Kuala Lumpur by Sunday. Oh, it’s so rushed but exciting as well.”

Cindy had booked a direct flight on Turkish Airlines, which departed Bucharest the next day at noon. It was an eleven-hour flight. I had flown enough long-haul flights to know just how boring they could be. Even if the aircraft had onboard entertainment, it was always a challenge to decide. Would it be Ziggy Stardust, Status Quo, Titanic, or The Fifth Element. I empathized with Cindy.

Although I knew I was involved in a scam, I felt elated. Having endured a constant barrage from Cindy begging for money, something positive was happening; she would now have complete financial freedom, should, of course, her story be true.

At this point, I should have waved goodbye to Cindy, turned, and walked away. I ought to have left well alone. But I was confident she was trying to scam me, and yes, I smelled a rat. But I am also a sucker for a salesman. Therefore, putting my need to learn more about this scam and possibly becoming financially involved was an acceptable risk I had to take. I just had to watch myself.’ Believe in nothing you hear, and only half of what you see.’ A motto taught by my father and held sacred.

Six weeks had been a long struggle. Deep inside, I felt the need to move on. Yet some magnetic draw kept me attracted to Cindy’s story, certainly not to her. I wished Cindy a pleasant journey and hoped to chat with her when she reached her journey’s end.

Cindy’s final email from Bucharest was bubbly, full of excitement. It could have been written by a fifteen-year-old girl talking about her first date instead of a fifty-eight-year woman collecting a paycheque. Cindy had visions of her money being invested in an American bank and having the financial freedom to carry on doing what she loved, selling uncut precious stones to world markets. If she had an ulterior motive, I wanted to know.

The following email from Cindy came from Kuala Lumpur. She was complaining that her hotel was not close to her usual five-star accommodations. There was no swimming pool, and the elevator didn’t work. But she left the most significant complaint to the last. Angrily Cindy complained she would have to travel an hour to the beach by cab. I suggested the bus to save money, forgetting she was about to get five million dollars. She quickly rejected my suggestion saying that it was far below her station to take public transport.

I couldn’t decide whether Cindy was lying to me and had money all along, or she borrowed (scammed) someone out of their savings. I suspected the latter, but to prove that would be difficult. Therefore I asked how she could afford to pay her hotel folios and her airfare.

“My Lawyer gave me an advance of ten-thousand dollars. I cleaned up all my hotel bills and bought the airline ticket. Now I’m here in Kuala Lumpur and ready to go to my lawyer to meet with Rio Tinto executives.” Then excitedly, she added, “I’m so excited, I can hardly wait.” There was a long pause before adding, “but.”

No matter the language, I hate that damn word ‘but.’ It indicates unpleasant news is about to follow. I had knowingly waltzed myself into a scam that would cover North America, including Canada. At first, It appeared to be small and fragile. Six hundred Euros is small potatoes and certainly not scams that take their victims for thousands of dollars.

THE COMMISSION SALES

Then like a sailboat caught in a sudden squall, Cindy abruptly changed tack. Gone was the subtle begging for six hundred euros. In its stead, a plead for three-thousand dollars. She said that she needed a beneficiary. She explained that someone would have to become her Beneficiary to trigger the release of her money from Rio Tinto mines.

I questioned Cindy about the Beneficiary, ensuring she understood that her money would go into that person’s account.

“Would you be my Beneficiary?” she asked, almost begging. “I trust you and believe in you.”

It took a couple of days before I answered. I needed time to think and to do research on the subject. I finally convinced myself that no matter if the five million dollars were genuine, I couldn’t see where the danger was. But knowing that there is always a trickster operating any scam, I kept my wits about me.

“You will need to open a bank account,” Cindy replied to my agreement. “To deposit the money, you understand,” she added. I thought perhaps she was joking, having a little fun with me. I was wrong.

“I have one,” I replied. “I’ll open up a new account and deposit the money in it.”

Cindy’s following email took me by surprise. “You must deposit my money in a bank my lawyers deal with; they have worked with them for many years, and there is a mutual trust.”

“What bank are we talking about, Cindy? You know I’m not comfortable moving banks. There are always problems and slipups.”

Cindy jumped in, “It’s the NatWest bank in Maryland, in the States.”

I quickly responded with, “What branch?”

Cindy followed with, “there is only one branch in the State. It’s a private bank, you know, the type with hidden accounts, safety deposit boxes, and God knows what else.”

I asked Cindy, almost demanded, to see the document. I needed to confirm not only the authenticity but also the actual amount of compensation Cindy would receive. She was happy to show me the contract (one page) only after all signatures had been affixed and authenticated.

I read and re-read the article ( I call it an article because it would be folly to call it anything but). I found it not only poorly written, but I went so far as calling it a fraud. I kept my opinion to myself, not wanting to scare Cindy away. Then I took a good look at the article in its entirety. I printed out a copy in very high resolution.

The header and footer were more blurred than the typing. To the naked eye, all looked genuine. It wasn’t till I looked at it under a magnifying glass did I spot the difference. It was dramatic. I believe Cindy’s lawyer scanned an original memo from Rio Tinto. After erasing the original text, he merely typed in his message. It was a simple idea, and it might have worked, except I didn’t trust anyone involved.

I still didn’t know what the scam was. I couldn’t believe it was the six hundred euros she hit me up in Bucharest. To get this far without concrete evidence of a scam seemed nonsensical. I decided to wait once more.

BENEFICIARY

Cindy had talked about making me her Beneficiary. I had put it in the back of my mind believing it to be a foolish ploy to get me more involved. Then a letter popped up from Cindy’d lawyer. It appeared as though she wanted me to be her Protector. (The letter is Verbatim).

wFile No: 0976FG Date /28/01/2018

LETTER OF CERTIFICATION

Sequel to correspondence received and its content, we would like to inform you that our Legal Department issue this letter to serve as a certification between Rio-Tinto Diamonds and Cinderella Williams on the terms and condition that may be agreed between us and the Beneficiary named “PETER BODWEN” at any time or time to time.

Upon the signature of Ms. Williams, it is then confirmed that her overdue payment of USD 5,000,000 (Five Million United State Dollars) which is yet to be paid by Rio-Tinto Diamonds, should be directly transferred to Ms. Williams beneficiary known as “Mr PETER BODWEN” Bank account in National West Bank Maryland, United States of America for investment purposes.

Fund release to Mr Peter Bodwen.

Cinderella Williams CLIENT

Sinatur

Senior Benjamin. A for

I could not imagine any legal office being responsible for such poor English Grammar, especially in an important document such as this. Hence I took it as nonsensical dribble, part of the scam.

I spotted too many errors in Benjamin Arnold’s identification. It now reads ‘Senior Benjamin. A Solicitors Associate.’ The word associate stood out like a sore thumb. An internet search for the existence of the legal practice turned up blank. I also checked the Malaysian legal directorate, a listing of all practicing lawyers in Malaysia. Again I could find no trace of Benjamin Arnold.

I telephoned the number given me on his letterhead, only to run out of time and into a busy signal. I attempted several times, with each phoning into a busy signal. I concluded there was no such phone number. As promoted by Cindy, the law firm was bogus.

Benjamin Arnold, a legal assistant? That would explain the Project Commission Agreement and the gibberish that was a supposed legal document. But where was it heading, and what silliness would I get into? God only knew, for this was only the beginning.

At this juncture, I looked into the National West Bank, where I was supposed to open an account. In a subsequent email, Benjamin Arnold informed me that I should contact banker Kirk at the National West bank.

“He is your contact,” Benjamin said. “Kirk will assist you in opening a deposit account. Once completed, Rio Tinto Mines will transfer Cindy Williams five million dollars to your account.

I checked on the National Westminster Bank. It was a British bank that entered the American market in nineteen-o-five. Through subsequent mergers and acquisitions, the name changed many times. However, in nineteen-ninety-five, the NatWest bank folded into a new identity. Therefore it gave up its charter. There was no longer a National Westminster Bank by that or its moniker NatWest bank in the United States of America.

The Law firm was bogus, NatWest bank was also fake. The characters Senior Benjamin Arnold and Kirk indeed were not what they promoted themselves to be. They were almost certainly fake. However, Cindy was a constant unknown. I had a hunch she was not in Kuala Lumpur. I had the notion she was in Bucharest or North America. But how on earth do I prove it.

HOTEL OYO PENDU

I am not a detective and never presume to be. However, after a night of hard work, I felt the exhilaration a police officer must feel after seeing a case through to the end and a conviction.

Through regular conversation, I asked Cindy what hotel she was staying in. I didn’t expect an answer, at least not an honest answer. However, I was wrong. She told me she was staying at the OYO Pendu hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

An exhaustive internet search led me to OYO hotels and forty-plus thousand of them. I decided to email hotel Pudu’s front desk, the hotel Cindy was purportedly staying in. The hotel itself boasts elegantly furnished, modern air-conditioned rooms that are equipped with free WiFi, a flat-screen TV, minibar, and tea/coffee-making facilities. The private bathroom includes a shower facility and complimentary toiletries (hotel advertising). And at twenty-two Canadian Dollars a night, it sounded marvelous.

The hotel appeared perfect for Cindy. She was never elegant or sophisticated. And yet she insisted the hotels she always stayed in were four-star plus. I was perplexed. Cindy had received enough allowance from Benjamin Arnold to allow her the affordability of a superior hotel.

I received an email from the hotel’s front desk. They could not help with my request. However, they sent my appeal to the OYO’s senior managers stating that the decision must come from them. I waited an hour for their reply. My email stated that I was a member of Cindy’s family, and I had an urgent message for her. Within an hour, I received a reply from upper management. (The email to me is Verbatim)

OYO PENDU HOTEL <[email protected]> Feb 5, 2018, 1:55 AM to Peter

Hi Peter,

Thank you for your support and patronage to OYO Hotel Pudu Corporation (KUR).

Could you Please provide the following information indicated below, to be able to clarify your requested as indicated in the email.

FULL NAME OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER:

HOTEL ROOM NUMBER:

AGE OF THE FAMILY MEMBER:

NATIONALITY:

If all this requested information is been provided, we will be pleased to help you inform her to get back to you as requested.

Best Regards,

The Mangement,

OYO HOTEL PUDU CORPORATION(KUR)

Several days earlier, housekeeping had accidentally dropped Cindy’s smartphone. Of course, she wanted money to pay for repair. I suggested she buy a new phone rather than repair an old one thinking that costs would be similar. Our conversation in regards to a new cell phone carried on for almost two hours. As usual, there was never a resolution.

The evening of my surreptitious message to Cindy, I raised the spectre of buying her a new phone. I needed to know her room number, and I could think of no better way than to create a plausible deception. Therefore I messaged her, feigning that I had a gift for her.

“Cindy,” I said excitedly, “I have a present for you. But I don’t know what room you are in.”

Cindy shot back, “get them to leave it at the front desk. I’ll run down and get it. Oh!! It’s so exciting.”

I thought that the game was up. I wouldn’t get Cindy’s room number. Therefore, I could not prove she was in Kuala Lumpur, which was the exercise’s entire point.

“look, Cindy, if those on the front desk know what the gift is, they will steal it, claiming it was never delivered. I have worked in a hotel, and I know what can happen,” I continued, “so I much prefer it be delivered to you in person.”

Without hesitation, Cindy gave me her room number. I had sealed the deal. Cindy was in Kuala Lumpur. However, a nasty streak came over me. Up to now, Cindy had had all the fun. Now it was my turn. For a short while, I wanted to turn the table on her. In the meantime, I despatched an email to upper management with all the information they requested.

“Cindy,” I said lightly. “What are you wearing?”

“A bikini,” she shot back, an air of anticipation in her voice.

“What colour is it,” I asked, smiling as I pressed each key on my keyboard.

“It’s bright yellow,” she said, knowing I love the glorious bikini and yellow.

“Would you be a darling,” I said, smiling at my cruelty. “Go outside on the balcony and face south. Oh! And give us a nice smile” She immediately questioned my instructions, saying that she didn’t feel comfortable with people on the street looking at her.

“It’ll only be for a moment, I promise,” trying to calm her down, I continued, “the Google earth mapping satellite will be passing overhead shortly. When it does, it will take your picture, then I can see you on my monitor.” I could not for a second believe anyone could fall for such a laughable con. But then we are talking about Cindy. She said that she would do it for me, but I had to tell her if I could see her.

“I can’t see the satellite,” Cindy said. “Can you see me?”

I couldn’t believe anyone over the age of ten would fall for such a simple ruse in our technological age.

“Beautiful,” I said, my monitor remaining void of any life form.

Even though I was confident Cindy was in Kuala Lumpur. The final piece of the puzzle was just about to be delivered. Upper management agreed to have my message delivered to Cindy. It was short and to the point.

Phone home, have tragic news.

It was a complete hoax. But I hoped it would be effective. I didn’t have to wait long before receiving a fuming message from Cindy.

“What the fuck are you doing.” She demanded an answer. I gave her one.

“Cindy! I know now you are in Kuala Lumpur and living in a cheesy three-star hotel. I am surprised your lawyer didn’t give you more support so you could at least live in relative comfort.”

I let the conversation die. I now had more questions than answers. Had Cindy been in Malaysia all along. Was this the base of her operation? Had Bucharest and her flight to Kuala Lumpur been part of the scam?

NEXT: Scammers inc. Chapter 4

NatWest bank, Kirk, and Benjamin Arnold.