I Saw the Red Flag but Was Still Stupid Enough to Send Money to a Stranger.

A few days back I would have been strong headed on the possibility of me being conned online or anywhere at that until it happened to me and I still can't figure out how it happened.

The last time I posted an article was last week Monday and I must say that the response I got was encouraging. I was geared to move forward here just so long I keep providing contents but that spell was short-lived because of the downturn I got from an unsuspecting fraudulent individual on the internet.

As much as I'd like to be aware of the scams that go online I was totally naive of the possibility of me being a victim. Writing this now on paper sound ridiculous, it shouldn't be something I say out but what the heck! hopefully, sharing this will put your ten toes down when dealing with anyone online.

I made a post in a facebook group requesting to sell Paypal funds for cash and a guy whose profile name is Olojo Mayowa reached out to me in response to my post.

In my facebook messenger he sent a message saying

"Hello do you still have the paypal funds available? if yes let me buy it"

Out of excitement of finally getting a buyer to pay me cash for my paypal funds I Immediately had on my business game and ready to do business. Then I responded with

Yes sir, how many do you need?

How many do you need? Jimmy is it groundnut you are selling? How do you ask a thief how many he wants?* He responds;

I need up to $200. Can I get to up to that or how many do you have? and accept my friend request.

He had sent me a friend request but I did not feel the need to accept him. You see I had the gut feeling that he was fake. I just did not like somthing about the whole thing. It could have been his looks because he sure had a face of a crook. I told him I had $150 then he asked me what my exchange rate was. Looking at the recent naira exchange rate I told him #360 knowing he will negotiate.

He then said $ has dropped that it shouldnt be that much that he will pay me #350/$

Let me pay #350/$. If you agree le's deal"

I said

$355 is the best I can go

Then I guess in other not to lose the connection he immediately agreed for that rate. This s where my sense triggered and I went to survey his profile. This guy's profile had recent post from 2016. He barely used it, had only a few freinds, and just his profile picture. I understood this was not right but silly me still felt the need to continue dealing with him.

Okay I will send $160@35 and you will have to deposit my account first with #56800 in naira

This is me asking him to send the cash to my account first before i send him the paypal funds but he refused out of him fearing I could job him off his money.

I asked him where he stayed so we can do the exchange in physical,

Akure, he said.

I stay in Lagos so there was no way the exchange would go physical. I told him there was no deal then.

He went on saying that I should not worry that his funds will be safe and that if I did not get the money I can retract my money back with paypal.

This is where he finally won me. Thinking I could get my money back using cancel payment with paypal really got me thinking I should give him all of my money. That was a very bad decision of me.

Then he wanted me to pay his supplier from singapore for some goods he wants to buy. He said he was into the mini importation business and that he will pay me as soon as I pay the money into the suppliers paypal account. As long as I send him a screen shot of the payment I am good, he will credit my bank account.

I ignored everything in me telling me not to do business with him. I trusted him, and was ready to pay him more than a few $100. I ended up sending $100 with the hope of getting cash but he went blank.

He said he will pay it but the supplier has to confirm it first. At this point I knew I had been ripped off. I begged him with everthing he holds dear but he kept saying I should wait for the so called supplier to confirm payment into his account.

Knowing this I rushed to paypal paltform to retract payment but could not find cancel payment

I felt really stupid. How could I have been so naive to the fact that anyone could be scammed. I do not kow which is more painful, me losing my money or me been played like a fool. Prior to this hapenning I would have beat my chest confidently saying I can never be jobbed online but I was with the cheapest of trick.

It is something I am not proud to say but I had to do this for the next person that may fall victim as well. I sent a complaint to paypal but I doubt anything can be done.

My money is gone and worse, my pride is as well but I am still good. I made that money legitmately online, I can make more.

Signs I Ignored

He was quick to agree to the rate I gave him.
His facebook account was obviously a catfish account because it had just a few pictures and a few post from two years ago.
He was not sure of the amount of the thing he wanted to get online.
He was unneccesary respectful.
He kept asking me if I had more than I could spare even after telling him what I wanted to exchange.

These are some of the signs that gave me a red flag but i was still stupid enough to send my money to a stranger.

See screen shots from our conversations. Feel free to troll or whatever but do not leave without learning a thing or two from it.