by Dulcinea
Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:43 pm
Shane Brandauer contacted me on March 23, 2014 on Badoo. We had nice conversations that were continued on Facebook from April 9th. There wasn't a lot to see and read on his page: a link to his company, two pictures, no friends, some things he liked: books, music, films. He only used it to chat (with me).
He told me that he was an American engeener who owned of a small construction company in Chicago (USA). He staid in South-Africa to build the basement of an oil platform near Port-Elisabeth, as a subcontractor for a Chinese company.
Little by little he gain my confidence and I became very fond of him. He was funny, charming and serious. We had long chats, every day.
Shane wanted to invest in a house in Europe, and it seemed a good idea do this is Belgium, where I live. He decided to deposit the yield from his previous job on my account so I could look for a house. It should have a lot of rooms and space and a swimming pool was also a must. I had mixed feelings about it, wished he would do this on his own account. He asked if he could trust me. I had to check if my bank was able to receive a large amount from abroad . He wanted my bank details so he could do a transfer. From then on I felt some doubts. I asked a policeman from my acquaintances if this information could be abused, but he reassured me. I felt very thankfully that finally Shane left the idea of buying a house.
Some day he didn't come online at the appointed time. Afterwards hHe told me that in the dark and without his glasses, he stumbled against a sharp object and he was hurt. I could hear on the phone, he was in pain. And I was worried.
A few days later he was robbed and beated when he drove home from his work. That evening we had a phone conversation when he was still on his job and he said we would continue by chat when he came home. But he didn't. Next day I heard that they took his ID card, watch, mobile phone, documents, wallet and briefcase. He was extremely worried about the lost contracts. He needed 400€ in order to pay the police to do research, if not, they wouldn't undertake action. I didn't want to do, but he begged and was desesperate and finally I sent him on 17th of April that money. Obviously this was not enough, he also had to pay his hotel and needed a new mobile phone, and therefore he needed 900€. He could not convince me immediately, but his complaint that I was able to help him and I didn't , meant that I could not love him. So on 22nd of April I sent him 900€.
To my surprise and happiness the problem was solved soon, he recovered everything except his cell phone. He forgave the thieves, because it was better to return good for evel, which for me was a very nobel attitude.
After a week, a bigger problem popped up. Taxes had to be paid before he could collect his check. Those fees should be paid to a company in Hong Kong. Since he was only a subcontractor, it was that company that would transfer his fees to the South African Government. At first he negociated if those fees could be paid after he got his check. But this was not possible. He had to pay a hugh amount, $375.000, 15% of the prospected income. A large part of it he could get through acquaintances in the United States, like his lawyer, but he still needed 90.000€.
He had to insist a long time to conquer my resistance, he promised that he needed the money only for a while and that he would pay me immediately because within one week he would be in Belgium, long before the moment I would have to start to pay back the loan.
So, I took the loan and on May 8th I made a transfer of 40.000€ to a company in Hong Kong . Something went wrong, there was a delay so Shane asked me to call back the money. He would give me another account number that was more safe. I called my bank, the transmission bank and also the bank in Hong Kong. I paid fees to my bank to do the call back. A transaction from Belgium to Hong Kong could only be made by a intermediary bank. In Hong Kong they answered me friendly, but they didn't tell me anything: not that the money was transferred succesfully, not that that the money was touched by the recipient, because they wanted to protect their client.
This meant a delay for the payment of Shanes check. Before it was clear that the money was at the right destination, Shane confessed he didn't have enough funds to pay the fees. I cleaned my savings account and sent him another 4000€...
Hotel bills had to be paid, which resulted in sending another 200€ and another 300€ extra.
When the moment was there he could touch the check, he had to pay 100.000 Rand for a document that proved that there were no drugs or acts of terrorism sponsored by this money.
On June 16th, we sent over 3.800€, 3.200€ from my daughter and the last 600€ of my saving book.
The situation was hopeless. When I stopped to send money, I would never get back my money. That was my feeling.
At the end Shane got his check! He was so happy. I was so happy and releaved! But then he had to pay another tax: a labor tax of $2.000. My sister helped me with 1500€, but I had to give it back within a week.
This was not the end of the story. At the moment he would take the plane, Shane discovered that the friend who would deliver the ticket, only made the reservation. He needed another 1.800€ and after some hesitation, my daughter provided me of that amount that she took from her saving book...
A noose around my neck...
.... I continue tomorrow...
He told me that he was an American engeener who owned of a small construction company in Chicago (USA). He staid in South-Africa to build the basement of an oil platform near Port-Elisabeth, as a subcontractor for a Chinese company.
Little by little he gain my confidence and I became very fond of him. He was funny, charming and serious. We had long chats, every day.
Shane wanted to invest in a house in Europe, and it seemed a good idea do this is Belgium, where I live. He decided to deposit the yield from his previous job on my account so I could look for a house. It should have a lot of rooms and space and a swimming pool was also a must. I had mixed feelings about it, wished he would do this on his own account. He asked if he could trust me. I had to check if my bank was able to receive a large amount from abroad . He wanted my bank details so he could do a transfer. From then on I felt some doubts. I asked a policeman from my acquaintances if this information could be abused, but he reassured me. I felt very thankfully that finally Shane left the idea of buying a house.
Some day he didn't come online at the appointed time. Afterwards hHe told me that in the dark and without his glasses, he stumbled against a sharp object and he was hurt. I could hear on the phone, he was in pain. And I was worried.
A few days later he was robbed and beated when he drove home from his work. That evening we had a phone conversation when he was still on his job and he said we would continue by chat when he came home. But he didn't. Next day I heard that they took his ID card, watch, mobile phone, documents, wallet and briefcase. He was extremely worried about the lost contracts. He needed 400€ in order to pay the police to do research, if not, they wouldn't undertake action. I didn't want to do, but he begged and was desesperate and finally I sent him on 17th of April that money. Obviously this was not enough, he also had to pay his hotel and needed a new mobile phone, and therefore he needed 900€. He could not convince me immediately, but his complaint that I was able to help him and I didn't , meant that I could not love him. So on 22nd of April I sent him 900€.
To my surprise and happiness the problem was solved soon, he recovered everything except his cell phone. He forgave the thieves, because it was better to return good for evel, which for me was a very nobel attitude.
After a week, a bigger problem popped up. Taxes had to be paid before he could collect his check. Those fees should be paid to a company in Hong Kong. Since he was only a subcontractor, it was that company that would transfer his fees to the South African Government. At first he negociated if those fees could be paid after he got his check. But this was not possible. He had to pay a hugh amount, $375.000, 15% of the prospected income. A large part of it he could get through acquaintances in the United States, like his lawyer, but he still needed 90.000€.
He had to insist a long time to conquer my resistance, he promised that he needed the money only for a while and that he would pay me immediately because within one week he would be in Belgium, long before the moment I would have to start to pay back the loan.
So, I took the loan and on May 8th I made a transfer of 40.000€ to a company in Hong Kong . Something went wrong, there was a delay so Shane asked me to call back the money. He would give me another account number that was more safe. I called my bank, the transmission bank and also the bank in Hong Kong. I paid fees to my bank to do the call back. A transaction from Belgium to Hong Kong could only be made by a intermediary bank. In Hong Kong they answered me friendly, but they didn't tell me anything: not that the money was transferred succesfully, not that that the money was touched by the recipient, because they wanted to protect their client.
This meant a delay for the payment of Shanes check. Before it was clear that the money was at the right destination, Shane confessed he didn't have enough funds to pay the fees. I cleaned my savings account and sent him another 4000€...
Hotel bills had to be paid, which resulted in sending another 200€ and another 300€ extra.
When the moment was there he could touch the check, he had to pay 100.000 Rand for a document that proved that there were no drugs or acts of terrorism sponsored by this money.
On June 16th, we sent over 3.800€, 3.200€ from my daughter and the last 600€ of my saving book.
The situation was hopeless. When I stopped to send money, I would never get back my money. That was my feeling.
At the end Shane got his check! He was so happy. I was so happy and releaved! But then he had to pay another tax: a labor tax of $2.000. My sister helped me with 1500€, but I had to give it back within a week.
This was not the end of the story. At the moment he would take the plane, Shane discovered that the friend who would deliver the ticket, only made the reservation. He needed another 1.800€ and after some hesitation, my daughter provided me of that amount that she took from her saving book...
A noose around my neck...
.... I continue tomorrow...
