Applied for a loan in hopes of saving the life of my wife's dog. Was approved for the $3000. but was told by ALLEN that I needed to send him $150.00 as "insurance." When I questioned him regarding this practice...he became somewhat aggressive. I said I would have to get back to him and that was the end of the first conversation.
The next morning, he was ringing my phone off the hook..which I chose to ignore. Out of desperartion, I did phone ALLEN on Friday, July 19, 2019 and informed him I would agree to the $150.00. He then explained to me that I needed to go to the store and buy an "ELITE" gift card and text him a picture from the back of it where he could see the code.
I did this...and approximately 20 minutes later, he phoned and tried telling me that he needed ANOTHER card for $150.00. When I told him there was no way I was going to send it because that WAS NOT what we had agreed upon, he began telling me how wrong I was and that if I wanted the loan, I would send another card. I told him to "go to hell" and hung up.
At 8:49pm that night (Friday 19) I sent him a text and informed him that it was being reported as a scam. Saturday morning he sent a message back saying he had told me 2 cards...each for $150.00 I did send another text informing him that I would not be accepting the loan and I wanted a refund on the $150.00. He became extremely hostile and told me I would not receiving a refund NO MATTER WHAT!!
Dave came into the picture a couple days later when he phoned. I told him that I was turning it over to the FBI (suggested by GOOGLE because that was the type of card I sent him), and his snarky reply was...AND I QUOTE..."You really think they are going to get your money back for you?" At this point I became so angry I hung up.
All I was hoping for was a loan to help save my wife's dog Yzma...and instead I get a couple of arrogant pricks who need to be....
Robert
Irvine,#2Consumer Comment
Thu, August 01, 2019
The elevator may go to the top floor but there is no furniture. One quite humorous aspect of this site is that very often people who don't like that people post items contrary to their line of thought very often will embellish their credentials to make themselves sound more important. But in just about every case, including this one, it has the opposite effect and destroys any creditability the poster may have had.
As an attorney, especially one for 22 years, you would have heard of and known of this exact type of scam and that it is illegal to ask for money up front to guarantee any sort of loan or ask for any sort of "insurance".
As an attorney in San Diego, you would have realized that the number you were texting/calling was NOT a San Diego number, even though you gave an address in San Diego. Again a very typical sign of a scam.
As an attorney you would know that paying someone any money by a Gift Card(regardless of type) should have raised several "red flags".
As an attorney for the City you would not be consulting Google as to what to do. You would be contacting your DA's and Prosecutors to go after them NOT the FBI.
As an attorney how exactly did you get yourself into a financial situation where you had to go with this type of loan? Why not use a Credit Card? What about Savings? Why not a Regular bank? Why not getting financing through the Vet?
I could go on but I think this pretty much confirms it is as likely that you are an attorney for the City of San Diego, as it is that the City of San Diego will break off from the State of California and sink into the Pacific tomorrow.
John
Takoma Park,#3General Comment
Tue, July 30, 2019
...who is unaware that requiring an upfront payment (titled "insurance" or anything else) is illegal.
...who doesn't know how to deal with a loan scammer harrassing (your word) you over the phone.
...who ultimately responds to the harrassment by sending the harrasser $150 and only getting angry when another $150 is demanded.
...thinks he has any recourse against the scammer and may get any of this money back. The FBI is going to be very polite when they take your report, but also very politely telling you that your money is gone.
...can't just go to the bank or whip out a credit card to pay a $3000 vet bill. Seriously. It's $3000. An attorney for 32 years? You suck at your job to have so little to show for it.
Nice tale of whimsy.
coast
United States#4Consumer Comment
Mon, July 29, 2019
The previous commenter is absolutely correct. Someone with an attorney’s income would have used a credit card for the expenses. You probably sweep the floors at city hall and you most certainly are not an attorney.
You were a sucker for falling for an obvious scam.
John
Takoma Park,#5General Comment
Sun, July 28, 2019
"As an attorney for the city of San Diego," it's inconceivable that you 1. Needed a quick $3000 loan and couldn't just go to a BANK, and 2. Could fall for such an obvious scam.
Far more likely that you're the assistant to the assistant manager at the local Burger King. Seriously, if you're an attorney for a city, that city is going to have major problems down the road!
Thomas
Santee,#6Author of original report
Sun, July 28, 2019
Your comment regarding the elevator not going to the top floor made me laugh...thank you. As an Attorney for the County of San Diego for the last 32 years...I can assure you there is no problem with the elevator reaching the top floor.
The Dog
United States#7Consumer Comment
Sat, July 27, 2019
For DECADES people have been warned about these advance fed loan scams. Requiring ANY for of a fee to acquire a loan is a DEAD GIVEAWAY of an OBVIOUS SCAM. This is COMMON KNOWLEDGE! The elevator just doesn't reach the top floor, does it???
John
Takoma Park,#8General Comment
Sat, July 27, 2019
"Out of desperation" you responded to someone harrassing you over the phone by....arranging to give him $150, then another $150. Not doing a two-minute Google Search to learn that requiring such payments is illegal (as is harrassing people over the phone.) Not telling the guy that if he calls again you will record the call and turn it over to the police. Nope, you responded to being harrassed and threatened by GIVING THE HARRASSER MONEY.
And no, you are NOT going to get your money back. Because it was a scam.
You guys are just plain sad. And btw, $3000 for a dog? Please stop. Dogs die. It's a fact of life. Go to the pound and rescue a dog your wife will be madly in love with in a month.