I just got off the phone with a former client who was asking if I could help her with something incredible that just happened to her. She got a letter from this "attorney firm" in...ahem..Costa Rica. Turns out, she has $793,000.00 that has built up in an escrow account.
WOW!!!
They need to liquidate this account and get the money to her and ALL she needs to do is send 10% ($7,930.00) to that firm in order for them to get everything closed out and send her the balance. She is actually calling me to see if I would handle this for her and not go through some foreign lawyer firm she's never heard of.
She's coming in at 4:00 this afternoon.
I keed, of course. But seriously, after I told her to contact the D.A.'s office and then promptly use the letter to wipe her ass with it, I started thinking, "Damn, there are actually people who are falling for this and sending their life savings to some towel head in Bumfuckizad, India." I get that type of email from time to time. You know, the one saying, "I am Itchlachibad Rotchacockoff, Emporer of the small country of Zwamwalawat. I have $4 million in a French Bank account that I need to disburse to family in America and I am asking that we run it through your account to avoid the tax...."
With all the information available to the public on scams etc. it just blows me away that people will fall for this shit and send buttloads of money to someone they don't know. Just my rant for the day.
Thats nothin I had a lady call us at the office, our receptionist gave me the call, because she didn't have the heart to tell the woman. Call goes like this:
Lady: Hello, I am calling from the US are you a Swiss Bank.
me: Well, our company is Switzerland based, but I am here in the US.
Lady: (not really paying attention to what I just said) Ok well good, I was wondering if you could help me with something, I got a letter the other day, that I have won some money, but it is in Nigeria, they wired the money to a bank in Switzerland, but now they are asking me for $800 dollars to transfer the money to my account here.
me: Oh no maam, have you sent these people any money?
Lady: Well I sent them a check for $1,500 dollars for lawyers fees, but now they are asking me for an additional $800 for a wire? That seems high.
me: Ma'am this is a SCAM do not send them any more money.
Lady: (still not getting it) Yeah I thought it seemed kinda high for a wire transfer. So you don't think I will get the money then.
me: Ma'am you will not see any more of your money, please do not send them any more either. What is your email.
Lady: (gives me her email address)
me: I am going to send you a site that talks about these types of scams.
Lady: Ok well thank you so much for your help, I am glad I called, I knew $800 seemed high for a wire transfer.
me: ....
...uh have a nice day.
What the fuck.....I seriously thought someone was screwing with me.