Benjamin Bastian - 214-736-5958

I started a relationship with someone on Facebook. He found me and I did the dumb thing on friending him. He seemed like a nice guy and we talked and talked on FB messenger. We exchanged phone numbers

I then saw his FB account was deleted and all his messages had this “removed as identified as abusive or spam” but I thought it was an error.

He was in Malaysia for business for the last 6 Weeks for some project. He’s been in Malaysia longer than planned. While we talked he knew I’ve been selling my house (I gave information) and am moving. Right when I go to closing and receive the sale proceeds, and relocate, I get this text message from him:

sweetheart, how are you doing and how was your night?? I made a transfer on Friday to pay the balance for the pipes and i also paid engineers and laborers for their work. to my surprise today as I was about transfering money to the custom account i couldnt access my account and when i called my bank customer careline and asked why i cant make transfer from my account they said multiple transfer has been made in my account and my account has been accessing from an unidentified terrain and hence, they have to put a hold on my account for my own safety.
I told them to lift the hold because i am the one making the transfers and i m in need of money to finance my project but the customer care provider argued that it was the bank's regulation that my account cant be unlocked until i get back to the State in person and sign some documents proving that i was the one who was accessing the account from the location.The bank said they have had such encounters too many times and the banks ends up paying compensation in some cases when the original account holders claim that their accounts has been compromised.So the only means i could get the money transferred to pay for custom duty and claim my pipes has been blocked and i m so confused right now honey. I do not want to lose the contract, the means of my livelihood and my money and my effort are all on the line honey and i really need you now to stand for me.
I am afraid I’ll need the sum 25,000USD, to add to the one I have to complete the payment but I were able to raise 46,000USD here and the wife of the surveyor will be sending 32,000USD. what I was charge as import tariff is $103,000. sincerely I really need your assistance in this, and I certainly assure reimbursement of the funds as soon as i get work done and get my payment. I hope this will not upset you or make you feel disregard for me ,as at present i have tried a few things and I was able to raise $78,000 something deep inside of me has moved me to ask you as I never wanted to and i want you to help me out of this whole shit I am currently hanging. I dont want to lose the millions of dollars I have put on this project so far.
Love you sweetheart

Interesting how this happens right when I sell my house.

While we were talking before the home sale, he’s been telling me how the project has been “dragging on”

I’m telling myself “are you crazy”? No way am I sending the money. No matter how much he tugs at my heart strings.

I am upset because he seemolike a very nice guy and I enjoyed talking to him. Coming to this was one thing I never expected.

How can I report him, or should I block off all communications without any notice?

Hello,
I am happy to hear the you discovered the scam before losing money to this criminal. The first this is to block and ignore all telephone calls and messages. If you have an email address and or telephone number used in this scam please post them in this thread so others can be alerted to the scam.
If you have any additional questions please ask.

Hello,
I am happy to hear the you discovered the scam before losing money to this criminal. The first this is to block and ignore all telephone calls and messages. If you have an email address and or telephone number used in this scam please post them in this thread so others can be alerted to the scam.
If you have any additional questions please ask.

On Facebook he went by the name Benjamin Bastian, and has a phone number based in Dallas, TX of 214-736-5958. He spoke with a foreign accent, saying he is from Chile. He sent me pictures but he looks European.

What he says about his bank account frozen is not adding up. It’s a long story but I read it and something sounds fishy. And the timing - when I receive the sale proceeds from my home-raises more red flags.

(214) 736-5958
Type: Non-Fixed VoIP (e.g. Skype or Google Voice)

Hmm a VoIP number

When he called me from Malaysia, on my cell phone, the number on my caller ID would appear sometimes as the Dallas TX number or as a Malaysia number

or as a Malaysia number

Scammers are also spoofing numbers.

214 is an area code for Dallas, Tx. You can pick your area code when you sign up for google voice, skype or any other app for VoIP.

I wonder when he called from Malaysia, if he spoofed his caller ID to make me think he really is in Malaysia

Too hard to tell

The Malaysia number is ‭+60 11 6062 1495‬

He called me again and I recorded the phone conversation. He’s still trying to get the money from me. Who can I send the sound file to, to see if his voice can be recognized

We will not be able to recognize the voice. I'm betting he is a Malaysian or W. African.

Stop all contact and block the scammer.

Do you have any of his email addresses??

Or could anyone tell by the accent where he may be from?

No I do not have an email address. We never corresponded by email

Where is the sound file hosted?

Send it to me by PM.

It’s stored in my phone. It’s with an iPhone app called CallRecorder

Ok I will send it by PM

The recorded conversation is a male with an African accent.

He’s back again. He created a new Facebook profile to contact me

This is his FB profile link

[Removed - AJ]

He also included one of my pics in his photo album

[AlanJones]

I've removed the link to the Facebook profile as it includes pictures of children (and you).

The best thing for you to do is ignore his friend request and don't add anyone as a friend that you don't know in person.

Stolen image used by the scammer



ETA: There should be an option to report the photo of you to Facebook for review.