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John Kelly fleeced me for $500 claiming he had a package with $300,000 to deliver to me. San Diego, California
Yesterday (9/28/11) I received a phone call from someone who said he was John Kelly with UPS in San Diego. He said he had a package containing $300,000 to deliver to me. On request, he told me it was from Winners Circle in Las Vegas. Since I regularly enter PCH sweepstakes, I assumed this was something legitimate from PCH.
Mr. Kelly told me it would be necessary for me to send $190 to someone named Manuel Rendon in Corona, CA via Western Union. This was explained to be for delivery and related charges. I was to do that and then call Mr. Kelly with the MTCN number from the receipt. I did those things and he told me he would visit me at my home today (9/29/11) to complete the delivery.
This morning Mr. Kelly called me to say he was en route to my house and had been stopped in Wellington, CO by the IRS, who demanded payment of $1,500 in order for them to put an IRS stamp on the shipment. He said I needed to go to Western Union again and send $1,500 to Manuel Rendon in Temecula, CA, then call Mr. Kelly and give him the MTCN number from the receipt. I told him this was smelling very bad to me and I would not do it. He subsequently called me back and said he had polled the guys who were traveling with him and collectively they came up with $1,200. He told me he needed me to send the additional $300 to Manuel Rendon via Western Union. I reluctantly agreed and did that.
Mr. Kelly then called me again and explained there had been a delay in getting the IRS to provide their stamp, but that was now done and he would be coming soon. It's now about 4 hours later and he has not appeared. Later he called and said he had been stopped by government people who insisted they had to apply their own stamp to the package, and that would cost $5,000, but not to worry because he would pay that by getting the money from his credit card. He was to call me again when that was completed.
I did not hear again from Mr. Kelly for a while, so I called him for a status report. He said he was just then getting the government stamp applied and he would be at my home soon. I still have not seen him.
When he called yesterday, Mr. Kelly gave me the following phone numbers:
Office 707-343-1511
Cell 876-412-7849
I now know the office number is from the Eureka, or extreme northern area of California, and the cell number is from Jamaica. Obviously, neither is very close to San Diego. I also called UPS in San Diego to inquire if John Kelly worked there, but I was told that's classified information and could not be shared.
I checked with Western Union and learned that both the $190 and the $300 have been delivered to someone. So it is now obvious to me I have been scammed for a total of $522 (sum of the face amounts plus Western Union charges). I am angry about this. I do not fault PCH for any of this, just myself for falling for the scam. I've tried just now to call Mr. Kelly and he is not responding.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Buffalo,New York,
USA
I'd laugh if this wasn't so sad...
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, September 30, 2011
He said he had a package containing $300,000 to deliver to me.
What was the denomination of the bills? Was this package full of 20, 50, 100, or 10000 dollar bills? Instead of mailing you a check they were sending someone to deliver a package with $300,000 CASH???
Are you for real? Please tell us you don't plan on producing any children!
Good lord. We are truly becoming a nation of flaming idiots!
Julie
sa diego,California,
USA
JOHN KELLY
#7General Comment
Fri, September 30, 2011
The 707 # is listed for JODI AZEVEDO IN SONOMA CALIFORNIA
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Really?
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, September 30, 2011
You get called up by someone you don't know who says they are with UPS and have a check from a company in Las Vegas and because you enter PCH you figure that is what it is about. So I guess that when someone calls you from W**M*** since you shop at T****t you figure they must be the same as well?
I guess you figured that because UPS was so busy it was totally logical that even though there are probably 1-2 UPS trucks that pass your house daily they needed to send a personal UPS driver to your house.
Then I guess you heard about the roving band of IRS agents that stop people holding checks in order to get a stamp, so this made perfect sense to send money to them. Then even though the driver was in Colorado sending money to someone in California was totally logical as well.
Of course they needed $1500 but you couldn't pay it, so he was amazingly able to get $1,200 together from the people traveling to them. Well weren't they nice. I wonder why you didn't say for them to just put together another $300 and you will pay them back with interest when you get the check to cash. I bet if you said you would pay them $2,000 for the $300 borrowed they would have found a way to get that money.
I do not fault PCH for any of this
-I'm sure they will be glad to hear this.
I've tried just now to call Mr. Kelly and he is not responding.
- And you are surprised? I guess when you call him up you are going to ask him if this is a scam right? Well let me help you out he will say they are not a scam.
You let your greed get the best of you, and yes it is greed thinking you can get $300,000 by just paying a few hundred dollars. This is exactly what these people pray on. Your money is gone and I really hope you take this as a lesson learned, and just be thankful that you didn't get taken for more.
I really hope that you are not this stupid in real life
Inspector
Tobyhanna,Pennsylvania,
USA
If I were you..
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, September 30, 2011
I would go to a spellcaster or witch and put a very nasty spell on them and then inform them it would cost $490 to lift the spell. You can probably get a quick and cheap spell for about $500.
IamGood
Galveston,Texas,
USA
A Fool and his Money!!!!!
#7General Comment
Fri, September 30, 2011
This was a scam. I cannot believe you fell for this. I cannot believe that any body would fall for something like this.
Listen, I own some land in San Diego, it is next to the beach, and you won it in a lottery. Send me 1000.00 to western union to Ima Crook, and I will send someone by with the deed.
HA HA HA HA Ha
coast
USAToo funny
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, September 30, 2011
So it never occurred to you that PCH would mail you a check?