Sgt Steven Bobby

Dear Dotti,

I write to you to inform you of another scammer out there.

I too was taken in by this scammer. He goes by the name of Sgt. Steven Bobby, Combat Engineering Department, Weapons Repair, stationed in Kahbul, Afghanistan.

He told me he lost his wife to cancer 2 years ago, had no kids and was looking for love. His words were so sweet and his seemed so caring and sensitive.

Unfortunately as our conversations were on line, I have no record of them, I did not save them. Our conversations were on Yahoo messenger.

After 2 days of conversation, he decided he was in love we me and had to meet me right away. He asked me to apply for "special leave" and told me how to do it. Being excited at the prospect of a new life, with someone so sweet and caring, I Obliged and received an email back from "the army leave department" (which I will forward, shortly). The email requested I send a processessing fee through Western Union. (All details are int the following email.

Now Dotti, I am normally a rational, level headed and intelligent person (but far too trusting), These people are so good and play with peoples emotion on such a high level, that I actually did send they money.

He then requested I send a further $1450.00 for a maximum security flight payment and he told me that once he was paid his leave bonus he would pay me back. He again gave me instructions on how to do it and gave me 2 names, one in the US and one in Nigeria. At this point I became suspicious and called the Military Department, of the US Embassy here in Australia. They advised me it was a scam. I immediately called Western Union and was able to stop the original payment.

I confronted him with what I knew and he was still insisting he was real and his "love" for me was real. He was so convincing, I almost fell for it again, but then I found the Scamwarners site, which I thank you for. I have cut all contact with him and ask you to post his name along with Sgt Alan Donohue's.

Army emails to follow.

Kind regards

Petra
Australia

Here is the first email I received from the "army leave department"

From: ARMY LEAVE DEPARTMENT <[email protected]>
Subject: APPROVAL OF LEAVE REQUEST
To: removed - dottiReceived: Sunday, 6 March, 2011, 8:14 AM

FROM DESK OF LT COL ROBERT SHAW
LEAVE PERMIT PROCESSING DEPT.
NEW YORK,UNITED STATE.

THIS OFFICE WILL LIKE TO NOTIFY YOU THAT WE RECEIVED SGT STEVEN BOBBY'S LEAVE REQUEST AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED. WE ARE HAPPY TO TREAT YOUR MESSAGE BUT DUE TO A MILITARY PROTOCOL, A FORM WILL BE FILLED CORRECTLY AND YOU CAN FIND THE ATTACH FORM IN THIS MESSAGE.. ONCE THIS FORM HAS BEEN FILLED A PROCESSING FEE HAS TO BE PAID ALONG WITH THE FORM FILLED AND SEND TO US. PROCESSING FEE OF ($385) AND IT WILL BE SEND TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER ...YOU WILL SEND US NECESSARY INFORMATION OF THE PAYMENT.SEND TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE BELOW ADDRESS,THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WILL CONTACT THE OFFICE, AND NOTIFICATION WILL BE SEND TO THE HEAD OFFICE HERE FOR HIS LEAVE APPROVAL,AND HIS ($9,000). LEAVE BONUS WILL BE PAID IMMEDIATELY HIS LEAVE IS APPROVED.
GET TO US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITHIN 48 HOURS .

PAYMENT INFORMATION
Name : Cyndi ann hugunin
City : Milwaukee
State : Wisconsin
Country : USA
Postal code :53545

GET TO US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR PROCESSING .WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORK ON YOUR RESPONSE.
LT.COL ROBERT SHAW


and this is the second one I received asking for flight payments.

From: ARMY LEAVE DEPARTMENT <[email protected]>
Subject: GOOD DAY MADAM
To: removed
Received: Monday, 7 March, 2011, 1:11 AM

Good Day Madam ,
Thanks For getting back to us with the payment information of Sgt Steven Bobby's Leave Request. The Flight information will be send to you, But you will have to make the Payment of 1,450 Australian Dollar for his Flight Approval with Maximum Security, Send to the Flight Agent with the information Below

Name: Andrea Cardenas (Secured)
City: Logan
State: Utah
Country: USA
Zip code: 84321

Or Send 1205 Australian dollar to the Agent in Nigeria with the Information (Secured)
Name : Obrian Raymond
Address : 12 Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road
City : Ikeja
State : Lagos
Country : Nigeria
Zip code : 23401
Question ...... for
Answer : .... Steven

And the Flight Details of Sgt Steven Bobby will be send to you as soon as possible when the Payment information is received.






VERIFIED SIGNATURE

Welcome Petra!

I have separated this scammer into his own topic--in order to help more victims can you provide the email address / messenger ID he was using, and can you tell us where he first contacted you (what site)?

I'm sorry to hear you were scammed, though I am glad you were able to recall your money. Unfortunately, the scenario you describe is used frequently these days, for one reason only--because it works.

These scammers are very good at saying what you want to hear, and they have no problem telling any lie necessary to get what they want--your money. They will continue to lie when the truth has been discovered, and they will use guilt as a tool to manipulate you. They have had lots of practice, and have learned how to play the role of the man you are looking for. Many intelligent women have fallen for these scammers. You had the sense to question things and check them out for yourself, and that is a good thing. It is still difficult to have to face the fact that a relationship you thought was real was a lie, but you can at least be thankful that you caught on when you did--and these scammers will not hesitate to take every penny you have, and then demand you borrow more money, if they get the opportunity to.

He may continue to harass you for a bit. If proclaiming his innocence doesn't work, he may get nasty, and even threatening. The best thing you can do at this point is walk away. Ignore him, block him on messenger, do not answer any emails or phone calls (if he calls you.) Don't waste your time trying to get him to admit the truth--in reality, even if he "confesses" he will simply tell you new lies. Don't point out mistakes he made, things he did wrong--you don't want to teach him how to scam better next time.

Be aware that it is very possible he will try to approach you under a new identity, maybe another romance character (adjusting his approach based on what he has learned about you), or he may even pose as law enforcement or the FBI, claiming you are in trouble, or your help is needed to convict the scammer. This will all be more lies. Stay alert, listen to any warnings in the back of your mind, and in the end everything will be fine.

Thank you Dotti, for you response,

Below is a link from facebook which will I think show some profile pictures of the identity he is using. Not sure if it will work.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 2072850790


On messenger he uses the id of [email protected]
I believe his facebook email is [email protected]

And yes he did use guilt to push the point even more and when it was clear I was not going to oblige he got nasty.

I have deleted him and blocked him now and hope I never here from him again. I would imagine that by now he will have moved on to his next poor unsuspecting victim. I only hope she is alert and has the good sense to check things out properly.

Thank you again. This site is an absolute godsent.

Cheers

Petra

Sorry, I forgot to mention, I met him on an internet dating site, Are you Interested?

Cheers

Petra

i to was scammed by this person but unfortnetly i dont think i will be able to recover my moey as i didnt know i lost nearly 300 dollars

Welcome to ScamWarners nanofone. We are sorry you found us after you were scammed. If you have any other information that will add to what has already been posted, please post that information up for others to find. We are glad you are here.