Watch out for "Team" Scammers

Hi everyone...

I just joined this forum today. I never dreamed I would be on the receiving end of a scam, let alone TWO scams. I met both [email protected] and [email protected] from the Cupid.com website around the same time toward the end of October 2010. sgtpatt123 was allegedly Sgt. Michael Patterson of the U.S. Army and he was stationed in Iraq. He sent emails to me to get my attention and we began corresponding through yahoo instant messaging...within just a few days, I had some photos of he and his young daughter and his life story of growing up in the country in Kentucky. He said he had an ex-wife who had cheated on him and was trying to move forward with his life. He also said all of the things a young woman wants to hear and asked me if I would be interested in pursuing a serious relationship with him and he asked me to remove my profile from the Cupid site and not communicate with any other guys from there. I agreed because, silly me, I thought this could be the guy I've searched for my whole life. In the meantime, irwitim73 from Coventry, Rhode Island asked if we could still correspond and just be friends....I thought, what harm could that do?

Within a few short weeks, sgtpatt123 was professing his love for me and referring to me as "his wife"...being a skeptic by nature, I started doing some research - digging for information. Whenever I would confront Michael with what I was learning, he would turn the tables on me - he'd tell me I had to learn to trust and forget pain from the past and move forward...he said I was only hurting myself by not trusting him. He almost had me convinced to believe everything he said - until he asked me to e-mail his general and request info on him granting Michael leave to start a new life with me - his fiancee. I am by no means an expert on military protocol, but PLEASE....I'm a civilian - what civilian could just e-mail a high ranking military official?! I played along so he would give me the "general's" email address...it was a mail2soldier.com address. When I asked why the "general" didn't have a military address, Michael claimed due to some security risk. Then I googled the "general's" email address and hit on numerous romance scam links. When I confronted Michael with this info, I never heard from him again.

Out of the blue irwitim73, who had been randomly emailing me to say hi and to ask about my relationship with Michael, appeared and when I told him what had happened with Michael scamming me, he encouraged me to report Michael. Then he confessed he had feelings for me all along. The "Michael" information was turned over to the US Army Criminal Investigations Division and I walked away from it. Tim, of course, was happy to hear I had put it behind me so that he and I could get to know one another and begin to build a relationship.

Tim was allegedly a resident of Rhode Island, but had grown up in Cuba - his Mom was originally from the US and his father (deceased) was from Cuba. He had a very thick accent and had originally protested when I asked for his phone number so I could call him and actually talk to him on the phone - something Michael would never do. I did a reverse directory check and the number did trace to a landline phone in Rhode Island. I thought, so far so good. Within a short amount of time, Tim informed me he was traveling to Scotland to do a contract on a telecommunications project that he had bid on through ebay...he said it was a great opportunity and he thought, if it was okay with me, he would take a little detour on his way home after the two week contract and finally meet me in person...I was very excited about the prospect of meeting this incredible guy face to face. He called me prior to his flight taking off and once the flight landed safely in Scotland, he emailed me at work to give me his cell phone number which he claimed was issued by the company he was working for. We kept in touch constantly, him calling me at least twice a day and adjusting his sleeping hours so we could chat online. Within a couple of days, his contract started hitting snags - he was having difficulty getting computer components through customs. He said he only had $2000 with him and customs needed at least $3500 in order to allow his parts to be delivered. After some convincing on his part, I finally agreed to send him money to use as an application fee for a loan. The whole time I was sending the Western Union, I felt like I was going to throw up...I should have trusted my gut. Of course, he wasn't able to get the loan anyway because he was not a citizen of the UK. Over the course of the next week he called repeatedly, sometimes crying, to ask if there was anything I could do to help him. (He even spoke with my Mom on Christmas Day and wished her a Merry Christmas.) He said he needed money to actually cancel the contract and change the dates on his plane ticket. I assured him that there was nothing I could do...I'm not someone who has a surplus of cash laying around. Finally, this all came to a head last night. He got all upset and said he just wanted to be done with all of this business in Scotland, so he was going to commit suicide because I wouldn't help him. I told him repeatedly that I never said I wouldn't help him, but just that I couldn't help him because I had no resources. I was physically ill on the phone as I tried to convince him NOT to hurt himself...the guilt pouring over me...my head was saying "walk away" but my heart was saying, "save him, if he dies it is YOUR fault!"

To "calm him down" I made up a story about having a banker friend who said he would maybe help. That was the last time I talked to him, although he has called here today three times and emailed me. I have not answered the phone and have changed my IM status to "offline" so he doesn't know when I am on the Internet.

This has been a nightmare!! I am a complete basket case and feel like the most ignorant person on the planet. I'm a little afraid too because Tim knows EVERYTHING about me, including where I work and my contact info there. He also has photos of me - and I would almost bet all of my info will be used to perpetrate another scam on another innocent victim.

Welcome here dragonfly1970.

That's quite a story you tell here, and i'm sorry you got scammed by this scammer. And yes, as you wrote in the subject line, it's very likely you have been tricked by a 'team'. Both cases you have described are the classic romance scams. The one which says he's in Scotland for business is very likely to live in west Africa. It's seems he's very theatrical, and can vein emotions. Don't worry about his health, he's not committing suicide, that was only meant to get to you, play on your feelings. Don't be afraid of him, he can't do much with your details. If you keep ignoring him, and never answer YIM, or his e mails, and calls, he will leave you alone. Does he by any chance have a +4470 phone number? That's a re-direct phone number which will direct your call to any other phone in the world. Could you please post some of his e mails here, and also from the first scammer? Then others who are searching for them can find them here.

First of all, you have to try not to beat yourself up over this. Romance scammers do what they do for one reason--because it works. Successful romance scammers are very good at "reading" their victims to learn what they are looking for--then they pretend to be it.

Obviously there is no doubt that both of these characters are scammers, but they may not be working as a team. Scammers live up to the expression "no honor among thieves." It is not uncommon for one scammer to try to steal a victim from another--the second scammer could have simply been waiting for an opening. Scammers will often encourage victims to report other scammers, and will often go as far as to warn the victim against their "competition." Baiters (people who pretend to be a victim to waste scammers' time, get information to post and warn, and generally make their lives miserable--our sister site, 419eater.com is dedicated to baiting), will often play one scammer against another--and we have watched scammers try to steal victims many times.

While I myself have done my share of baiting, I have a hard time dealing with the scammers who threaten suicide, because they make me so angry that I usually want to offer a rope to hang themselves with. Unfortunately, I've seen that tactic used many times--it just reinforces the fact that they truly have no conscience, and don't care how much they harm the victim in their goal to steal money. I wish I could be surprised that he talked to your mother on the phone--but it wasn't too long ago that I encountered a scammer who repeatedly talked to the victim's young daughter, telling him how he was coming home soon to be her new daddy--it didn't bother him in the least that he was breaking the heart of a little girl.

Don't worry about him having your address, etc--odds are he has never been anywhere near the US. The RI phone number is probably either a magicjack or a VPN number that can be accessed anywhere. There are a few scammers out there taking advantage of these technologies. In the unlikely event this scammer ever comes to the US, he is not going to be paying you a visit--these scammers are cowards who hide behind lies and fake identities. Physically visiting you would reveal his real identity and dramatically increase the odds of him being caught, and he knows this--so any threats will be idle.

There's no guarantee that your info won't be used in scamming others, but it's really not all that likely. Romance scammers' male characters are very different than their female characters. Their male characters are typically between 30 and 60 years old, single dads, and very romantic. They may use photos of someone who isn't a model. On the other hand, romance scammers' female characters are rarely over 30, and rarely have children. The scammers use sexy photos and even video to lure their victims--they usually prefer swimsuit models or porn actresses as they can get plenty of photos and video to use. In reality, he can probably find thousands of facebook and myspace pages with a more complete collection of photos than you gave him anyway.

The best thing you can do is to cut off all contact with him--do not take any calls, answer any emails, or accept contact in any way. Block his phone numbers, and even change your email address if you can do so, as he may approach you under new names and email addresses. He may try to contact you, proclaiming his innocence, or swearing his love for you. This will be nothing but more lies. One of the hardest things to understand about these scammers is how easily, and how frequently, they will lie, even when the truth is known. Sometimes they will even "confess" and claim they are sorry--this always turns into another attempt to get money from you a different way. They might send you a check or money order, or want to use a credit card to pay you back--only it will be fake or stolen, and can land you in serious legal trouble. These scammers are so low that they may even target you with a recovery scam--in this situation, they pretend to be an official or some kind of law enforcement, and they will tell you they can get your money back or can get the scammer arrested--in reality, it's a way to steal more money.

It will take time, but you will get through this.

Thank you both for your information. I feel like I have a target on my forehead! As I was just reading your replies, my phone rang again....it was the elusive "Tim." I did not answer, though I must admit it was difficult not to. I will gather some of "Tim" and "Michael's" emails and get them posted here so hopefully others won't have to go through what I have gone through. I feel like such a fool!

Dave...yes, Tim's Scotland cell phone is 44-7045779819....his Rhode Island number is (401) 466-4269.

On December 20-21, 2010, I got into a discussion with Tim and it got pretty heated - I had found some info on Accra, Ghana romance scams (Accra was where he claimed his "supplies" were being shipped from)...I got very upset with him as he scrambled for an explanation to disassociate himself from what I had read. I closed my IM and immediately the phone rang. It was him, trying to get me to calm down. I hung up - that night he called me 31 times, leaving four separate messages that he was worried about me and asking me to pick up his calls....as I erased them from my caller ID box, I wrote down the times, along with a couple odd numbers I had never seen before (23-324-820-6749) and (443) 982-0316....I have no doubt these numbers were his as well. Is there a larger pay-out for these scammers the more difficult the scam gets? I don't understand why he wouldn't just move on to the next victim on the list, rather than invest so much time and effort in trying to con me. Perhaps that just adds to the realism of the scam - I actually found myself defending him to friends and colleagues using this very reason.....I guess I just answered my own question....geesh!

As David mentioned, 44-70 phone numbers are redirect phone numbers. The owner of the number simply enters the numbers the calls will be sent to--in this case a cellphone in Ghana. These numbers are used routinely by scammers pretending to be in UK. Nobody legitimately in UK would have one of these numbers, especially since calling them costs more.

The 23 number is a Ghana number, probably one of his cellphones. He most likely tried to call you from that number hoping that you would respond since it was a different number. He desperately wants to reach you because he still thinks he can talk his way out of this and get more money from you. The 401 number, not surprisingly, traces back to YMAX corp, creator of the magicjack - exactly what you can expect from a scammer who is in Africa. I hit a dead end on the Rhode Island number, but I suspect is another forwarding situation.

If you hadn't sent any money before, he might have dropped you in December. But, once you have sent money, you are considered a more likely victim--he knows that statistically, he has a better chance of getting money from someone who has sent money before than he has with a new victim--so he's not going to give up easily.

As you have started to realize, the persistence is part of his game. Unfortunately, more than one victim has been pulled back into a scam situation by this tactic, believing that only an innocent man would continue to protest his innocence this strongly, and ultimately gone on to pay significantly more money. That's one of the reasons we tell you to cut off all contact, so he doesn't have the opportunity to use his knowledge of you to worm his way back in.

I continue to receive telephone calls and e-mails from Tim. I've received two e-mails today and three phone calls so far. The first e-mail he sent today was "thanking" me for reporting his e-mail and phone number. The second was background check information that he ran on me, with a "request" to take down his e-mail and phone number from this site because he is being bombarded with scam messages on his phone and e-mail. Of the three phone calls today, he left two messages. The first was to "check on me" and ask where I have been because he hadn't heard from me in a while and the second was a threat that he was going to post MY information (home and work details) on-line as he goes public with "his story" about how I hurt him, so that I know how disgusted he feels. The audacity of this son of a bitch!

I am a former employee of local law enforcement and think I will go ahead and file a police report just so there is a record of this. I cannot thank you guys enough for what you do! Here's some exciting reading for you; as promised I've pasted some of the emails and the IM that sealed "Tim's" fate......will post more details later.

Here are some of "Tim's" early e-mails:

Good MorningThursday, December 2, 2010 6:18 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: "My Dearest

Thank so much for your email. I love you. I love every little thing about you. I love your cute smile.I can't stop thinking about you. I need you by my side. You complete me. You mean the world to me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.When your message came to me I forgot my worries about what may be.You touched my heart and lifted my mood,until I saw the sun, behind the clouds that I rued.

Thanks!

Tim

****************
Re: I miss you!!Monday, December 6, 2010 10:23 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: "" <Dear ,

Honey my night was okay .I miss chatting with you last night .How is your day going . You are the one I desire without whom I could not be complete. I will live for you alone and I will work for you alone. I will share with you my thoughts, my heart, my mind and my body. I am waiting to receive you. I will never use force on you not even by words. In your presence, I will always be honest, transparent and sincere. I want always to be at your side...

I love you.Tim

*****************
You are my everything .!!!!Thursday, December 9, 2010 7:49 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: "" My Dearest ,


How was your night .I hope you slept well .I want to start by saying that I miss you, and you have no idea how much I love you.You melt me every time you tell me about the future that you want to spend with me and how we could show the world the real meaning of being in love with the right person. I love the way you make me laugh, how we tell each other everything.Wherever you are is where I want to be. When we are together I feel like it's just you and me, there's no one else on earth. It feel like we're the only ones here. I fall madly in love with you more and more each day. If there’s one thing in this world I know, it's that I AM SO IN LOVE WITH YOU!!

Love always,

Tim.
*******************

Re: Our loveSunday, December 12, 2010 9:24 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: "My Dearest ,

How are you night .I hope all is well with you my dear.I will work hardest to reach it. My love is only for you. I will present it just for you - just for you. When I met you, my heart shook. I haven't been able to escape you. I will hold you all my life, it's my promise. I want to show you how very big my love is for you - everyday, every night, every time, all my life. I love you!

Love always,Tim

********************
I want to thank YouTuesday, December 14, 2010 1:54 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: "Good Morning My Dearest ,


How are you this morning .I hope all is well with you.I just want to thank you for loving me no way anyone has ever tried. Thank you for knowing all the little things that mean so much to me. Thank you for understanding that you and I need to take time together for fun,talking and just spending time together. Thank you for everything you are and mean to me, and everything I am becoming, because you are in my life... thank you!

Love Always,Tim

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RE: I want to thank youWednesday, December 15, 2010 7:23 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: ,

Good Morning .I hope you slept well my angel.I know there's an ocean between us,and I wish that it weren't true,for every day when I arise,I yearn to be with you.Though a lot of distance lies between us,you'll always be in my mind and my heart,And every night beneath the stars,I pray for the day we'll never be part.Every day I will be thinking about you. When my eyes are closed, when I sing and dance to a love song, when I'm checking my email, I will be thinking about you. When I go to sleep in the loneliness of my room and give in to wonderful dreams I will definitely be thinking about you.I know soon we will meet and spend our lives with each other. I have waited for someone like you, and now that I have found you I will never let you go. I love you so much,

Love Always,Tim


Here is the last IM between me and Tim - this is when he threatened to commit suicide and we went back and forth between the phone and IM. This is the conversation where I verify just how much money he is trying to get from me.....



Tim:
honey
Me:
hi, i'm here
Tim:
am here...
Me:
you are scaring me
I don't want you to hurt yourself
Tim:
yes am going to commit ...
Me:
no - stop it....don't - do you know how much that would hurt me? and your mom?
I wrote you an e-mail....I'm going to send it - okay?
Tim:
what are you going to send
there is no reason reading your email my dear
we will meet in heaven
Me:
stop it....please just read it
Tim.....don't do this!
I'm sending it now!
Tim:
okay
am waiting for your email
Me:
it's on its way
Tim:
honey am leaving now
Me:
honey, DON'T do this......where is YOUR faith?
didn't you just lecture me for 10 minutes on the phone the other day about having faith?
does my love mean nothing to you?
Tim:
Yes i do but am leaving please
i want to sign off
i'm herre to let you know that i love you and i can;t do without you
we will meet in the other world.
Me:
I can't do without you either - so why are you doing this?
Tim:
because i can't stand all this anymore
i can;t even afford to eat a good meals
Me:
please go to a church or something....talk to the clergy
just don't do this!
honey I love you!!!
Tim:
honey i love you too
i just got back from the church
i prayed to God to forgive me
and am leaving now to commit the suicide
Me:
my heart is breaking.....please, Tim - don't do this
Tim:
i can't afford to do anything right now honey
Me:
there's got to be a way
don't give up....please - I need you
Tim:
what should i do now?
please call me and hear my voice
Tim is Available
Tim :
honey am here
what do you want us to talked about now?
Me:
I just want to be sure you're not going to do anything irrational tonight
I want you to give me some time to figure out something to help you
Tim :
maybe i don't know yet
Me:
do you not understand how you hurting yourself will just kill me? you promised never to hurt me......this WILL hurt me
you are too important to me and your Mom - there's got to be something we can do
Tim :
okay i will be patient my love
thanks so much for your support and am willing to pay you off all my debt
Me:
I need to make a couple of phone calls before close of business at 5pm....I will see what I can come up with
Tim :
okay my love
thanks
Me:
I will check back with you a little later, okay? and I LOVE YOU!!!!
Tim :
ok
honey are you still there??
Me:
yes......just looking up a couple of phone numbers
Tim :
ok
Me:
okay....I'm going to stay online, but go and make these phone calls.........hang in there......I'll check back with you in a couple of hours
Tim :
ok
Me:
I love you
Tim :
honey are you still there
any luck?
honey are you still online
Me:
Tim? are you there?
Tim :
yes am here honey
Me:
okay....here's what I've come up with
I called a friend who works for one of the smaller lending institutions just outside of Peoria.....they've agreed to talk to me tomorrow morning at 8:30
they close at 1:00 tomorrow for the New Year's holiday - he said he would help me if it was at all possible
what exactly do you need?
Tim :
honey how much can they loan you?
Me:
I'm not sure yet....that's why I meet with them in the morning
Tim :
okay my dear.
if they can loan you 3000 dollars
honey can they?
Me:
I'll try....no promises, but I will try.....would this take care of everything?
Tim :
yes i;m sure its will take care of everything my dear.
Me:
I'll see what I can do...
I need to take some medicine and lay down for a little while........we'll talk later, okay?
Tim :
honey will you be able to get that for me ????????????
thank so much and call me when you wake up.
Me:
I told you no promises, but I will try.........I'll give you a call, but if I don't my meds have medicine to help me sleep....so it may knock me out for a while....lol
Tim :
let me know what you can come up with maybe i will cancel the contract and come over to you
what do you think?
Me:
sounds wonderful!
Tim :
what do you think my dear.
Me:
I think that would be great
Tim :
okay
are you signing off now
do you have insomania?
Me:
yeah, in a second...my Dad just popped online......I've just been stressed and unable to sleep
plus my sinus infection is also making me tired
Tim :
ok

honey are you chatting with your dad?
Me:
yes
he's updating me on Grandpa
Tim :
ok
Tim is typing...

The writing style and specific types of mistakes tell me that you are in fact dealing with an African. It's not surprising, but it is additional confirmation of who you are dealing with.

I'm glad you are standing your ground and not letting this scumbag blackmail or threaten you. This is a common tactic, unfortunately, when scammers learn that they have been posted. Giving in to it only ensures that the scammer will continue to harass you. The best way to stop him from doing so is to cut off all access. If you can't reasonably change your email address and phone number, set up a filter on your email that automatically deletes anything from him, and check with your phone provider as to whether you can block his numbers completely. He will stop when he realizes he is not going to get through to you.

Hi everyone! Good news...I have not heard from scammer Tim today - at all!!! I am relieved. Your site has truly empowered me and I'm feeling better each day - I know it sounds weird, but I still feel a sense of loss in spite of all he did to me......while I'm relieved he isn't harassing me, it is as if a small part of my heart is waiting for the phone to ring - is that normal??

I have been spreading the word on this disease known as scamming that is flooding the Internet, and passing on your site as a wealth of information....friends and colleagues are blown away by what they have read here.

Just thought I'd pass along the last two e-mails I received from scammer Tim after he discovered he had been had...

Re: MilesSunday, January 2, 2011 11:26 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: >

Hi dragonfly1970,

Thank for posting my details on romance scam.You better take it off.

Thanks,

Tim
************************
FEW DETAILS ABOUT YOUR BACK GROUND CHECK .PLEASE TAKE OFF MY PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ONLINE .........Sunday, January 2, 2011 12:06 PMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Tim Irw" <[email protected]>View contact detailsTo: >


Name and Address Information for **********
Name(s): ***********
************

Phone: ( ) ***-**** (possible current phone)

Addresses: He listed every address I have ever lived (possible current address)

Date of Birth: xx/xx/xxxx, XX years old

Possible Relatives for *************
No Records Found


*******************
And this is the last voice mail (verbatim) scammer Tim left for me at home - please note his polite tone in the beginning![b][/b]

"Hello honey. Thanks so much for all you did. I just checked my e-mail - I keep getting this scam message. I didn't know you went to scamwarners to post my ID and my e-mail address. You really make me feel disgusted about what you did. I don't know why you'd have to do such a thing. Well, thanks so much and maybe I'll have to post your e-mail address and your work e-mail address on the Google so that when I tell part of my story it will be on there. I don't know why you have to do such a thing. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO POST MY E-MAIL on the Google so people send me scam messages? So maybe I will do like you do so you will know how it hurt so much. Have a great day - bye, bye. This is Tim - bye."
*****************

Touching, isn't it?! Almost makes tears come to your eyes Too bad I couldn't have added his "Cuban" accent on top of it...priceless, really.

After everything he put me through, all I could do was laugh...first time I've laughed in a long time!

Thanks again scamwarners....you are awesome

This is GREAT news dragonfly1970! It is good to hear that you are feeling stronger. Now just stick with your resolve to stay away from Tim the scammer. He will go away and your heart will heal.

It is always a bit of pleasure to hear a scammer be upset for being exposed. You are doing well!

Stay strong and we are happy to have you here.

Hi Dragonfly,

I am so relieved to see your post, as I too was dealing with this lowlife POS AKA ..SGT Michael Patterson stationed in Iraq. I met him mid december on Mate1.com, and the scenerio you described is what I have been given. Although, he hadn't gotten to the part of emailing his general. After talking with him for two days he was calling me baby, talking about dating online getting to know each other and wanting to find a wife to settle down with. He emailed me daily, and instant message as well. Then suddenly he was sent to a city in Iraq, that I was familar. I found this to be extremely odd and it being consquencidal didn't seem logical to me. He didn't message me for a whole day, then showed up telling where he was and that I could send him messages at anytime because he was on a mobile device???
Red flags went off immediately so I started to do a little online research. I found numerous sites for the dating scams with pictures but to no avail did I find his pics or name..In these sites it gave info for tracking email through IP address, I don''t know much about this stuff and must have used the wrong IP cause it showed up as coming from Sunnyville CA. I just assumed that because he was oversea's the IP thing was bouncing off different servers. Again, I am no computer expert. But something just felt off.
I had this nagging gut wrenching feeling that he wasn't being straight with me. So I did more digging.. I then found information that you could put his email addy in your browser to search for complaints, and there I found several hits with his email. A dating website scam alert, and another for Nigerian scamsters. I confronted him with this information and of course he denied it. Told me the same as with you, that I had to trust him, and that he hadn't asked me for money nor would he because he has his own money. And that I could trust him. By then I was convinced of who he was and decided to play along to see how long it would be before he asked for money.

During this time, I started asking for some evidence I could use to prove my theory. I asked him for his military email addy, and of course he told me that it was classified and he could not give it to me. Then I asked for him to call me, I never got a response on that. Haha.. I asked for him to send me pics, the city I was familar with and of course his mobil device couldn't send images. I think he knew what I was up to because he started distancing himself and being "BUSY" when I would send him a IM.... Or he would be in the middle of a" gun fight" and would get back to me later.
And the last actual conversation we had was a question and answer type discussion where he asked me about my feelings on true love and soul mate issues.. he even had the audisty to ask my beliefs on religion and holidays that were holy. But he majorally screwed up when he made reference to himself in a female stance that I questioned him on, and suddenly he had to go....
Two days ago, I got tired of the crap and finally told him I knew he was a fake and that I was forwarding all email and instant messages to DOD and homeland security. At first he tried to deny, haha told me to send them to the WH as well, but then I told him about the IP addy with MTN Nigeria reference, and email search that brought up dating scam alerts. I have not heard from him since. Thank GOD!! I have pics of him in and out of his "military " uniform along with his small child. I will post them when I get time.

This is one of the email for [email protected]

From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Michael Patterson" <[email protected]>Add sender to Contacts

I AM HAPPY TO MEET YOU AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN BUILD A LONG LASTING FRIENDSHIP. I'M THE FIRST OF THREE CHILDREN, AND I DO HAVE A FEW HALF BROTHERS THAT CAME FORWARD IN THE LAST 15 YEARS ONE AT A TIME, MY DAD WAS A RETIRED ARMY AND THE ONLY THING HE WAS SHOOTING WASN'T THE GUN. MY MOTHER IS A VERY LOVELY WOMAN WITH A GRAND HEART AND I AM A MIXTURE OF BOTH PARENTS, GENETICALLY AND THEORETICALLY. I GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY PART OF KENTUCKY AND WHAT I REMEMBER MOST ABOUT GROWING UP WAS THE SIMPLE LIFE OF THE COUNTRY, WE HAD A PINTO THAT WOULD SIT ON THE GROUND WHEN WE WOULD GET ON HIM, HE WAS SO LAZY, SOON HE WAS PUT OUT TO PASTURE AND GOT WILD, SO I GUESS HE WAS HAPPY. I HATED GOING TO GET THE EGGS FROM THE CHICKENS CAUSE I WAS SO AFRAID THEY WOULD PICK ME....LOL. AND MY GRANDMOTHER DID IT WITH SUCH EASE. I ALWAYS LOVED TO READ AS A CHILD AND MOM ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW WHY I ALWAYS HAD THIS FAR AWAY LOOK AND SHE ALWAYS SAID TO ME, I'D GIVE A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHT CHILD. I LOVED WORKING IN THE GARDEN WITH MY GRANDMOTHER AND FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON I HAVE A BLACK THUMB WHEN IT COMES TO PLANTS, I COULD PICK OR PRESERVE ANYTHING. DAD WOULD COME HOME WITH A TRUCK LOAD OF CORN AND I WAS HAPPY TO SIT AND SHUCK CORN ALL DAY FIGHTING WITH THE LONG HAIRS ON THE COBBS, GRANDMOTHER HAD THIS NEAT MACHINE THAT WE PUT THE HARD CORN INTO GET THE KERNELS FOR THE CHICKENS AND I CAN REMEMBER HER RINGING THE NECKS OF THOSE CHICKEN AND PLUCKING THE FEATHERS FOR PILLOWS, NOTHING TASTED BETTER THAN A GOOD CHICKEN STEW FROM A YARD CHICKEN. THAT SEEM LIKE SUCH A LONG TIME AGO, AND LIFE HAS CHANGED SO MUCH. THE DAYS GO BY SO FAST AND PEOPLE JUST DON'T HAVE THE VALUES THEY HAD BACK THEN, DON'T GET ME WRONG, THEY DID THERE LITTLE DO THEN AND KEPT SECRETS THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN WHEN THEY FINALLY CAME OUT. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON MY UNCLES FARM, THE GEESE RAN OUR BUTTS AND WE PLAYED IN THE HAY AND LIFE WAS GRAND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT OPEN UP THIS MORNING TO MAKE ME GO SO FAR BACK, BUT I FIGURED YOU WOULD WANNA KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT ME, JUST STARTED A FLOW OF THOUGHTS IN MY HEA

AROUND THE TIME I WAS 12 MY PARENTS BUILT A NIGHT CLUB AND BY THE TIME I WAS A TEENAGER I WAS GETTING OFF SCHOOL TO CLEAN THE CLUB AND HELP OUT WITH THE CHORES, AND I LEARN HOW TO SEW WHEN I WAS TEN AND TO THIS VERY DAY I LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN SITTING DOWN TO MAKE A DRESS, OF COURSE I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT ANYMORE, BUT NOW I DO IT WITH SKILL AND PRIDE, IT CAME FROM PRACTICING AND LEARNING TO BE PATIENT.

MY PARENTS MARRIAGE WASN'T EASY AND THERE WERE DAYS THAT I WISH I COULD FORGET, BUT IT SHAPES WHO WE ARE AS ADULTS AND EVERY SINGLE THING WE GO THROUGH WE LEARN, MY MOM SHE IS A HELL OF A WOMAN AND SHE TAUGHT ME WHAT IT MEANT TO BE STRONG AND TO ENDURE FOR THE FAMILY, TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN AND TO JUST BE A MAN AND MY RESPECT FOR HER IS ENDLESS. THOUGH THEY WERE MARRIED FOR 50 YEARS BUT WAITING FOR ME AT THE BOSOM OF GOD.

AROUND THE TIME I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I STILL WAS PRETTY MUCH A READER AND DREAMER, I DID GOOD IN SCHOOL, BUT AS ADULTS WHEN WE LOOK BACK WE WISH WE WERE MORE FOCUS AND APPLIED OUR SELF MORE, I ENJOYED MY LIFE, I WENT OUT WITH MY FRIENDS, TO ALL THE DANCES, GOT MY DRIVING LICENSE AT 15 AND WAS A FULL FLEDGED BARTENDER ON THE WEEKENDS AT MY DADS CLUB. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT I WAS ALWAYS SO MATURE AND MORE ON THE SERIOUS SIDE AND I HAD TO HELP MY PARENTS MUCH AS I COULD AND YOUNG MEN WERE SO MUCH MORE MATURE THAN THE YOUNG MEN TODAY.

I LOVE TO COOK AND I DID A LOT MORE OF THAT WHEN I WAS LIVING WITH MY PARENTS AND WHEN I FIRST MOVED, BUT AFTER HAVING MORE LEFT OVERS THEN I CARE TO EAT, I STARTED EATING MORE AT MY GIRLFRIENDS STORE, SHE COOK GREAT HOME COOKED MEALS AND MY GREAT GIRLFRIENDS SEE ABOUT ME. SOMETIMES WOMEN CAN BE SO CATTY, BUT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE GREAT GIRLFRIENDS.

AFTER I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, I WENT TO BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR 2 SEMESTERS AND THEN DROP OUT BORED TO DEATH TO GET A JOB WITH A ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AND I WAS BLESSED TO ALWAYS FIND GOOD JOBS, OF COURSE I SPENT MOST OF MY YEARS IN CONVINCE FOOD STORE BUSINESS IN ACCOUNTING, INVENTORY CONTROL, MANAGEMENT, AND I DID THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. NOW I PROUD TO SERVE MY COUNTRY CAUSE I LOVE HER.

I'VE RECENTLY GOT OUT OF ONE SIDED COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS BEEN ON THE ROCKS FOR YEARS AND I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT I DESERVE SO MUCH MORE. ITS HARD GETTING OUT OF A RELATIONSHIP EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW ITS DONE, BUT OH WHAT A LOVING GOD WE HAVE, WITHOUT HIS STRENGTH TO CARRY ME THROUGH SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE I COULD RELY ON. I SPENT TIMES VISITING A FRIEND IN DALLAS BEEN ABOUT 5 YEARS SINCE I HAD A VACATION AND DIVORCE AND I REALLY NEEDED IT. A NEW MAN READY TO START ANEW. I SIGN UP ON THIS SITE AND STARTED MEETING SOME NEW PEOPLE AND THEN I FOUND YOU....... OR SHOULD I SAY YOU FOUND ME, DOES IT REALLY MATTER.
I WILL LIKE TO READ FROM YOU SOON AS I WILL LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU

PATTERSON

OMG Teri66....

That is the first email I received from [email protected] - verbatim!!! Now I KNOW this is the same guy! I was so attracted to him BECAUSE he was a country boy from Kentucky...I have NO DOUBT the background that the scammer is describing is the ACTUAL Michael. The ironic thing for me was, after I exposed my knowledge of his scam, I went on Facebook to see if I could find the REAL Michael Patterson - low and behold there was the photo of Michael holding his daughter (the scammer had said that photo was from about 9 years ago). I found additional info that included the name of his high school and college. I sent a cryptic "friend request" to let REAL Michael know what was happening...perhaps it was too cryptic because he never responded or if it was actually the scammer, he removed the info. I am almost positive that was the actual profile of the actual Michael...I confirmed a class roster at the high school that was listed and it had a Michael Patterson listed who would have been the right age. Shortly after scammer Michael ceased contact with me, the Facebook profile disappeared. I am hoping the REAL Michael was alerted and removed his info.

I'm guessing another photo you received of him was one in his uniform from his Regimental Color Casing Ceremony and one was of him with his Crew that was in his Gun Truck, along with the photo of Amelia looking at Dad's Hat......unbelievable!

I am so glad I spoke up and posted this info......if something good has come of this horrible chapter in my life, it has been doing something to at least try to derail these lowlifes!!!

Thanks Teri for reaching out to me......I look forward to talking with you again!

Scroll about halfway down the page to a post dated May 19th: http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&p=149708
Look familiar?

There is no doubt this is an African scammer.

The English is not American and contains the typical mistakes and phrasing of an African. The storyline sounds like the plot of a bad movie. Wherever he got the story (I have no doubt this history is various pieces of a story he took from somewhere), I suspect the key character was a female--but like many scammers, he didn't realize or was too lazy to change it to something appropriate for the sex of the character he is playing (perfect examples are the part about sewing dresses, and the part about enduring for the family--both of those examples are much more consistent with female).

Edit to add: As you can see, this exact same script was being used under a different name before the scammer contacted you under the name Michael Patterson. While the scammer may have stolen the name of a real person, there is no connection between the story and the real person either.