by Atira
Sat Nov 02, 2019 4:53 am
Beware of DANIEL SMITH, email: [email protected] / [email protected]
It all started on 15th October 2019 with a LinkedIn invitation from a guy called Daniel Smith. I accepted. Shortly later, I got an email. The guy said that he is a Sergeant at the US Army, currently in Libya to fight against terrorism, and he wanted to know more about me. After that, we exchanged emails almost every day. He told me that he is 46, that his parents died in an accident and his wife after the birth of his (now) 9 years old son, and that a nanny was taking care of the boy. He told me details about his mission abroad, his hobbies and much more.
Daniel was always very friendly and polite, but what was very strange: he used some highly sophisticated language when talking about "philosophical" issues or making compliments regarding my character and personality (without even knowing me!!!), but very basic language, with numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes, when recounting what he had been doing during the day. Whenever I received an email, it seemed to me as if two different people had been writing it - a native and a non-native speaker of English...However, I didn't yet have any doubts on Daniel's integrity and believed everything he was writing.
I was quite puzzled when, after a few days, he said that he would like to build up a relationship with me. I thought that he might feel lonely in Libya and therefore not be very choosy, but I answered in a clear manner that I wasn't interested in a relationship, and that after all at his age he could (theoretically) be my son!
Some days later, he pretended that he had to move to the North of the country with his troop due to a terroristic suicide attack, and asked me to pray to God for a safe return.
After three days, he wrote that the mission had been completed successfully, and that each soldier involved was rewarded 850'000 USD (cash!) by the Libyan government, but that unfortunately he was injured and staying in a hospital, and couldn't store such a huge sum in these premises . He explained that he wanted to send someone to me with a diplomatic box containing the money. I should store it in a safe place until he would be able to come and pick it up. He asked me for my full name, address and phone number. That's when my alarm bells began to ring - eventually! I wrote back that I wouldn't want to assume the responsibility for such a huge sum which I could never replace if lost or stolen. He wrote back that I shall help him, as he doesn't trust anybody else... I replied that he shouldn't insist, as I wouldn't change my mind, and that he should look for a different solution. After that, I informed the Fedpol of ,my country about all this. They replied that these were typical steps towards the preparation of a criminal act, and that the next step would then be to ask money from me for charges/transfer of the diplomatic box. They advised me not to give any personal data, i.e. name, address,phone number or bank account detail to that person, and to ignore any possible menaces if I didn't do what he wanted me to do...
PS: The "story" is going on. Today morning I received another email. Daniel wrote that I could deposit the money at my bank to avoid any risk of losing it, and that all documents which I would need to present to my bank are available. He is assuring that there is absolutely no risk for me and is asking me again to accept ... Obviously I won't - and if he insists, I'll know how to behave...
Fortunately I haven't experienced any financial damage, but hopefully my report will be helpful anyway and serve as an example for "scam procedures" to prepare advanced fee fraud (or more!)... Cheers, Atira
It all started on 15th October 2019 with a LinkedIn invitation from a guy called Daniel Smith. I accepted. Shortly later, I got an email. The guy said that he is a Sergeant at the US Army, currently in Libya to fight against terrorism, and he wanted to know more about me. After that, we exchanged emails almost every day. He told me that he is 46, that his parents died in an accident and his wife after the birth of his (now) 9 years old son, and that a nanny was taking care of the boy. He told me details about his mission abroad, his hobbies and much more.
Daniel was always very friendly and polite, but what was very strange: he used some highly sophisticated language when talking about "philosophical" issues or making compliments regarding my character and personality (without even knowing me!!!), but very basic language, with numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes, when recounting what he had been doing during the day. Whenever I received an email, it seemed to me as if two different people had been writing it - a native and a non-native speaker of English...However, I didn't yet have any doubts on Daniel's integrity and believed everything he was writing.
I was quite puzzled when, after a few days, he said that he would like to build up a relationship with me. I thought that he might feel lonely in Libya and therefore not be very choosy, but I answered in a clear manner that I wasn't interested in a relationship, and that after all at his age he could (theoretically) be my son!
Some days later, he pretended that he had to move to the North of the country with his troop due to a terroristic suicide attack, and asked me to pray to God for a safe return.
After three days, he wrote that the mission had been completed successfully, and that each soldier involved was rewarded 850'000 USD (cash!) by the Libyan government, but that unfortunately he was injured and staying in a hospital, and couldn't store such a huge sum in these premises . He explained that he wanted to send someone to me with a diplomatic box containing the money. I should store it in a safe place until he would be able to come and pick it up. He asked me for my full name, address and phone number. That's when my alarm bells began to ring - eventually! I wrote back that I wouldn't want to assume the responsibility for such a huge sum which I could never replace if lost or stolen. He wrote back that I shall help him, as he doesn't trust anybody else... I replied that he shouldn't insist, as I wouldn't change my mind, and that he should look for a different solution. After that, I informed the Fedpol of ,my country about all this. They replied that these were typical steps towards the preparation of a criminal act, and that the next step would then be to ask money from me for charges/transfer of the diplomatic box. They advised me not to give any personal data, i.e. name, address,phone number or bank account detail to that person, and to ignore any possible menaces if I didn't do what he wanted me to do...
PS: The "story" is going on. Today morning I received another email. Daniel wrote that I could deposit the money at my bank to avoid any risk of losing it, and that all documents which I would need to present to my bank are available. He is assuring that there is absolutely no risk for me and is asking me again to accept ... Obviously I won't - and if he insists, I'll know how to behave...
Fortunately I haven't experienced any financial damage, but hopefully my report will be helpful anyway and serve as an example for "scam procedures" to prepare advanced fee fraud (or more!)... Cheers, Atira