Robert
Irvine,#2Consumer Comment
Tue, April 12, 2011
There is nothing really to investigate, as this is what is known as the "Advanced Loan Fee" Scam and has been around for decades.
Just about everything they told you is fake. The phone number is a "throw away" cell phone or an Internet Based phone, both of which are untraceable an probably paid for with a stolen Credit Card. The name(s) they gave you are fake. Any e-mail address was to an anonymous email address that again is basically untraceable. The address they gave you is fake, it is usually either a vacant lot, a "mail drop" location where someone can rent PO Boxes, or a business that has nothing to do with the company. When you sent them the Western Union you probably were toldd to use a certain "Account Number", that account number is like a Password. So when you sent them the Transaction ID all they need is that and that password to get the money without an ID. On top of all of this they are actually in a foreign country.
What does all of this mean? It means that tracking down who did this is impossible and you are NEVER going to see your money again..sorry.
Now, a lot of times they offer you a loan at a very good interest rate that should hint "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". If you take $60 for 60 months you get to $3600, then if you add in the $600 "deposit" you get to $4200. So please explain how you thought you were going to be able to borrow $5,000 but only pay back $4,200....or $800 LESS than you borrowed. That alone should have alerted you there was something wrong, for no other reason than the math doesn't work out.
Of course they said your money would be refunded in 10 days. They do that because in 10 Days that number will be disconnected and they will move on to another set of victims.
Anytime someone asks you to send money in advance to get a loan..it is a SCAM. It does not matter what reason they give you. Also, anytime someone you don't know sends you a check and asks you to cash it and send them money that is a SCAM as well.