Please tell me if I was scammed

Dear scamwarners,

I've found out about you on my search in google abt ANTI MONEY LAUNDRY CERTIFICATE and found out Machi's money story. I could see much of my story in it.
I also met on tagged HENRY LORENCE, from Scotland and we've developed a strong relationship thru messenger and phone voice. Sometimes by cellphone: His number starts with +4477 He told me he's a marketing manager for Hess Corporation in Glasgow and he's shown great affection to me since the second day we chatted. I was a bit suspicious of his feelings being so fast and he also told abt marrying me as soon as possible. Also strange but I decided to go on with the contact.
He told me of a property his father had in Malaysia and that he planned to sell it to buy one here in my country.
I decided to help by visiting some properties and send him the pics and prices. He wanted to send me the money from the sale to my account, which I refused. He's mad but after sometime he decided to put that money on a security account. He even sent the receipt of the deposit certificate. The place is called Skyblue Remittance and Finance Security - Jalan 24, ground floor, Wong Kwong commercial center 89300 Penang Malaysia phone: +60-166309915

He said he'd travel to Malaysia, get the money and open up a domiciliary account there to deposit that amount.
He called when he was there and told that in order to withdraw the money he needed to pay a "clearance charge" of US$3,800 and asked for help. I was really caught by surprise by the charge and by the fact that he didn't take a credit card with him, but only US$ 1,000 for all his expenses while there.

I really did a stupid thing. Sent him US$1,700 by Western Union. In fact the money was sent in the name of an employee of the security company: SHAWN PAUL KHUMALO

After that Mr Khumalo called me telling about this Anti money laundry certificate. By which they're charging US $12,500. This time i didn't help with any money.
Henry called and we chatted again but I told him abt what I suspected . Now I fear that I did that as I sent the document with the money transfer and there's personal information there (bank account and address) and now? What should I do? Help me please.

Unfortunately, you are right. You have been scammed. The money that you have given to this scammer (and I can tell you for certain that Mr. Khumalo is either your scammer himself or an accomplice) is gone forever. Your scammer is not Scottish or even in Scotland. He is most likely an African man and it is possible he has been in Malaysia the entire time (we do see the occasional African scammer operating out of UK). We have seen a huge increase in African scammers operating out of Malaysia--generally they are young men who are there on student visas, which are pretty easy for them to obtain these days. 44-77 numbers are cellphone numbers, so if he has the right contacts, your scammer could certainly have gotten hold of a UK cell phone. If he was not hiding behind a proxy or using gmail, the full headers of his early emails will likely tell you whether he was in Malaysia all along.

Since you have given out your bank information, it is important that you contact your bank ASAP and report that the account has been compromised. If they have a 24 hour customer service number, call it now!

You need to cut ties with this scammer immediately. Do not confront him or try to argue with him. Change your email address and phone numbers, or at least block his number and any malaysian numbers, and block him from your email and messenger.

Also be on the lookout for recovery scams. In a recovery scam, you will be approached by someone else who claims to be an official--law enforcement, FBI, government, etc.--- This official will claim that he/she can get your scammer arrested, or your money back, or both. In reality, this too will be your scammer or someone from his gang, and it will be nothing more than a setup to collect more money from you.

Do not try to demand, threaten, or beg to get your money back from him, as no matter what he says, he has no intention of giving it back to you. If you remain in contact with him, he will continue to manipulate you. If he believes you know you were scammed, he might promise to return some or all of it. He may even "come clean" and claim that he started out by scamming you, but now he has truly fallen in love with you. All of this will be more lies. These scammers are without conscience, and they will use any means to get you to send more money. They do not care if they ruin your life--they will gladly do it if it means getting a few more dollars from you.

Could you please post the email address he is using, as well as the phone number, so that Google will pick them up?

Thank you for all the information. I'll do what you recommended.

Do you believe it would be possible to trace him with google? Because I've already tried with his email e phone numbers and nothing came out.

Malu,

We most likely won't be able to get an address and real name for him, as all of the information he has given you will be fake. However, we may be able to determine what area he was scamming from by checking the email headers. We will need you post the full headers from one or more of his early emails. If you don't know how to view the full headers, let us know what you are using to check your email (e.g. outlook, thunderbird, etc.)

Also please post the email address he is using and the phone numbers, to alert other victims that these are being used in scams.

I dont know how to get the full headers. I have yahoo email and all I do is to enter directly in the yahoo account not using outlook, web mail or any other system.

His email is [email protected] and his phone numbers: 447031826985 (I said it was 4477, so sorry I made a mistake) and 60172351434 The other guy, Mr Khumalo is [email protected] He has just sent me an email saying that the government will seek for legal actions to get the money from the ANTI MONEY LAUNDRY CERTIFICATE.

Please reply. Thank you.

Malu - please cease all contact and ignore these scammers - everything is a lie.

The telephone used +4470 is a UK redirect service to any cellphone worldwide and favoured by scammers.

Dotti has given excellent advice above - please follow her instuctions.

Thank You for posting these details. This will alert and save others from being scammed.

Could you please post the mails - this will also enable us to warn others,

If you have any questions or concerns please post - we will help you all we can.

Hi and welcome here. You have received great advice from Dotti and The Enchantress.

I dont know how to get the full headers. I have yahoo email and all I do is to enter directly in the yahoo account not using outlook, web mail or any other system.

To find the headers in yahoo: When you're reading the email message, look on the bottom right of your screen. You'll see an option for "view full email" or something similar. If you click on it a new window will open with the entire email, including the header, which looks like a lot of code. Select and copy/paste that code.

He has just sent me an email saying that the government will seek for legal actions to get the money from the ANTI MONEY LAUNDRY CERTIFICATE.

As The Enchantress has said, everything is a lie. Every person involved in this is also a scammer or the same scammer using different names. There will not be any government action. If you receive an email supposedly from the government, that will also be from the scammer playing another fake character. It is all a lie, please stop all contact with them and ignore all threats. We are glad to continue answering your questions.
Please also read this thread titled "What a scammer will do to try to get you back": viewtopic.php?f=3&t=617 Understanding these ahead of time will help you to stay one step ahead of some tactics he may try. Please know that he may attempt other tactics as well, remember that it is all lies.

Malu--you have a pm to me in answer to your question.

I just wanted to make one thing a little more clear, though. There is no such thing as an official ANTI MONEY LAUNDRY CERTIFICATE. It is a document that has been made up by scammers. You can't get into trouble with any government or any agency for not sending money for a fake piece of paper!