- Report: #1470797
Complaint Review: Barnes Steve -
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Barnes Steve
United States
Web:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012741882613
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Barnes Steve Lane Private Funds,LLC Paid numerous "fees" NEVER RECEIVED LOAN!!!!!!!!
I connected with Barnes through a mutual facebook group. He posted about being a private lender and I responed. We talked and ageed on a loan. He emailed me a copy of his drives license and business license. Later came the loan agreement that was backed by an insurance policy that I needed to pay for. I signed the forms and sent the money as insrtucted, and was told the money would be deposted into my account the next day.
His loan documents stated he is a member of the American Association of Private Lenders, so I contacted them to confirm this and they told me he is NOT a member.
I talked to Barnes about this and he said it was new and must still be processing.
Next came the $350 attorney fee for the documents.
Then when the money did not appear, I was told another payment for the insurance policy was now required - which I was NOT ok with, and he assured me everything was fine, the insurance company had changed their policy and needed the full payment before the loan. We negotiated and came to an agreement. I sent some more money and was told the loan would be in my account the next day.
The money is still not there. So we talk again and now apparently I need some sort of clearance to receive this large amount. I was sent a false document that he said came from his loan officer, a State Transfer Monitoring Department Stop Order Notice that said I needed to pay $1850 to get a Anti-Terrorist/Money Laudering Clearance Certificate.
I of course was livid and contacted the state department and they told me this was a scam, there is no such thing.
So again I tell him this and he apologizes and says that loan officer was just fired.
Next he tries to set the money up for me in a bank account out of the country, which turned out to be a complete fake website.
Then he says he will mail a certified check - which he sends me a photo of and looks pretty legit, but I am obviously skeptical.
Everytime there was some reason for what happened and I was clearly giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Then he says he will wire transfer the money from a different account of his into one of my other acounts but needed the transfer fee. He promised up and down this was the last thing, wrote me a guarantee letter and I thought ok - last time, if he does not come through I am beyond done.
Sure enough I sent the money and then he says they need another $200 for some tax fee or something.
Now he is promising again that after I pay this, the loan will be deposited into my account.
This has gone on for over 3 months now. I have wasted countless hours and money. He still says I will get this loan, after I pay this fee, yeah right.
I am sorry to have to write this but I hope this helps someone else from being scammed out of their hard earned money, wasting countless hours and haing an infuriating emotinal rollercoaster.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
John
Takoma Park,United States
Wow....
#2General Comment
Fri, January 04, 2019
You gave a total stranger you met on Facebook "the benefit of the doubt" AND "countless hours and money" (how much money is "countless," anyway?) Sorry, but you just paid a stupid tax.
I wish I could say that you don't have to warn us because no one else would do what you did- be so incredibly foolish with money- but I've read enough reports here to know that isn't true.
There are a lot of incredibly niave "adults" out there who think they are just a few hundred dollars- and a few hundred dollars, and a few hundred dollars more- away from a big loan from a total stranger. Unbelievable.
