Forums Forums Wirral Information Law And Your Rights Emergency Scam

Got an email yesterday from a good mate, got mugged in a car park in Spain, everything stolen including cards and money. Embassy unable to help etc. Hotel demanding payment before letting them go, threatening with police and flight due. Replied saying I was not in a position to help but got a probable electronic response asking for the money I'd kindly offered via Western Union - blah, blah. Got in touch with others who my mate knows and it's a scam, someone has got hold of address book. Just be aware of this one if it has started up again. I was alerted by the mention of Western Union because it's been used in other scams. Be aware folks.

Western unioun should be shut down.

Eh don't say that, WU is awesome. Virtual accounts/cc's, anon payments.. invaulable when you need to send/receive payments online.

Paypal accounts are way too much trouble to set up and have way too many restrictions attached.

Each to their own myfriend

FFS, it's a scam alert not a post to start a nark.

Didn't start any nark, I was merely expressing my reasons for liking WU. I'll let you get back to advising stupid people not to part with their money because some random person on the internet asks them to do so. What would we do without these scam alerts?!

Doh! When I got the first email it looked like a genuine plea from a buddy of long standing. Unfortunately I was not in a position to help him and replied to that effect, it was only then that the electronic reply came back with info about Western Union and I was able to find out what the score was. There are gullible people out there who are compassionate enough to fall for things like this so a warning is a reasonable reaction. Being compassionate and wanting to help is not being stupid, far from. Anyway, that's my last on this one.

Do you mind if we discuss it then?

Fill yer boots Ste.

I'd rather be alerted to a potential scam, be it genuine or "not that old one again".

It`s "not that old chestnut".

Wasn't there a similar case where the parents of a young lad backpacking supposedly emailed them asking to be sent money via a friend he'd "met" over there?

Glad you didn't get fleeced by it Bandy

Sorry Ste. It IS that old chestnut again. The same sketch, dressed up in various forms, has appeared a few times in the past. It pops up time after time on other forums too.

A highly reliable Nigerian Prince that has befriended me has told me this is a Grade A scam! Whilst exchanging bank details, he told me to be very careful.

Gee, it's great to have real friends eh ????????