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From:******* ******* Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2018 6:41 AM To: Rod Hobbs Subject: Hello I hope bad people stop using you in their profiles and Ido appreciate so much for saving my life for one of those people.your a goodman.may lord bless you and your family Regards ****Victim’s story
From: **** Sent: Monday, January 08, 2018 11:36 AM To: Rod Hobbs <rod@rodhobbs.com> Subject: MY STORY I have never told my story anywhere else, It started in 2014 and lasted for two and a half years. I was originally contacted on Facebook. The person had a profile with your photos (who went around the world thanks to the scammers). I did not know anything about this type of scam. I thought Facebook profiles were strictly personal. The man who contacted me had an ideal profile to catch lonely hearts … a widower, an independent contractor and businessman who travels a lot and an adorable son named Perry. The person said that he lived in Cardiff and called me with a phone number that matched. A month of pleasant and very courteous exchange, then a trip to India and here is the tragedy that happens: an assault and stolen documents and all of his money. He needed help and sent an SOS for to help. This time they called me from India with a number matching India. At first, I am asked for small amounts of money and as I decide to help, I am thanked warmly. The contact is very nice, Nelson promises to pay me back upon his return to Cardiff. I have very courteous messages with soft words every day, phone calls, pictures (always of you) and your son. Then, I am contacted to announce that I must have a package with beautiful gifts of value to thank me. There is a Fedex messenger who seeks to come and deliver this famous package. I was on vacation in my home country and the messenger calls me very stressed that it is blocked at the customs in my country. He is very polite, introduces himself with a foreign name and speaks in English. In the meantime, I get full messages from my FB correspondent with the request to pay the customs fee via FedEx. I call Customs, which confirms they need to pay a tax on valuable parcels. The messenger calls me more and more stressed several times a day, I have calls and messages from my FB friend who is waiting for the delivery of this package with impatience and I am under significant pressure. I forget that I’m on vacation because I would like to solve the problem … I’m looking for savings and I send the requested fee. Except that my vacation ends and I return without parcels. Finally, it is my “benefactor” (according to his message) which is delivered. He sends me a paper on which he tells me he will make a transfer from his account in India. He asks me to calculate the amount he owes me. Shortly after, a new person calls me by posing as bank branch manager of The Bank of India. He had the message to proceed with the creation of an account in my name and make a transfer. I am sent a certificate with the logo of the Bank. I am given numbers of my account and when I go on the site of the Bank with the coordinates received, I see my account to be displayed with a nice sum on it. And there I walked, everything seemed “correct”. I have sent sums whose amount I did not calculate, I do not want to know the amount. Does trust come at a price? “Nelson” called me by making promises to come see me, I had to book a hotel (5 stars!). Then he missed the plane (I had the scanned plane ticket) with the schedules and the necessary information. I waited with hope to finally see the Mystery Man who knew how to reassure me, who gives me the feeling to understand me … Everything seemed to stick but it was me who was under a sentimental grip, I saw the facts quite convincing. He sent me songs that I loved, sweet words … comforting messages when I went wrong: all the ingredients of a beautiful story of a romantic crook! But each time there are complications, new scenarios with documents to provide, taxes to pay. I even received a key by a registered letter from London. She had to open a safe with precious objects and papers … I was in a tale of Thousand and One Nights! I could give a lot more details that brought me on the way to a slow and safe descent to the gates of hell…To the point that I did not know how to stop because I was under a mental manipulation and I lived between the dream and the reality. It was a very difficult time for me and as if the presence of this person brought me sentimental comfort. Paid at the price of my trust, naïveté, illusions … Call it what you want. I find it too sad to live in a world based on money, false appearances, false feelings, and words! An easy victim! It lasted more than two years. I was under emotional pressure, I needed comfort so much and curiously I felt I was understood, it was a form of contact that had become so important to me in a time of great loneliness. I was trapped and I fell into the trap … After a long silence, the person (Nelson) called me. He wrote me again a year ago to confess that he was in fact still in love with me and to tell me about his feelings towards me. He said he felt guilty and he also had accomplices and that he would repair the financial damage as soon as he could. Except that I never had a single cent in return. I am so sorry that your site did not exist yet !!! I lost a lot of time, energy, emotions and I had unprecedented financial difficulties. But the worst part is taking a part of my soul and burning my heart with a hot iron. If I contact you it is also that I am happy to know that you are one real person and that all your pictures reflect one real personality, not one imagined man. I know that you are also a victim in one way or another because it has hurt your personal and public relations. I know that it is emotional wear to justify you constantly in front of the victims of this type of scam, it takes time to answer all the people who write to you. I see that the network of crooks is very powerful, it’s like the dragon of seven heads that repel as soon as they are cut. This story marked me deeply and has made me suffer. I wrote all this now because I watched your video (one very good idea!), I read new stories from several people from different continents. It was very important for me to share my story on your site, because tell its story and get “under the eye of the Internet” it’s not so easy, but it’s important to talk about it … if at least it could help someone avoid being trapped. Thank you for reading!Fake profiles sent to me
From: *** Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2018 9:53 AM To: Rod Hobbs *** Subject: fake profils and crazy profils too/ For info/ Some profiles are very “resistant” despite the reports to the authorities FB One crazy profil ! https://www.facebook.com/tracywysebrennan31978 Fake profils I reported him any times… ! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100018713442733 « John Hatkinson » x4 – reported too https://www.facebook.com/khaba.drie https://www.facebook.com/nokulindalinda.qulu https://www.facebook.com/jacques.arends.716 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008413956031 Fodor douglas is alaways on line FB https://www.facebook.com/fodor.douglas?ref=br_rsOur Time Scam
From: [redacted]
Date: 12/28/17 9:37 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Rod Hobbs <rod@rodhobbs.com>
Subject: I was contacted on OurTime
Hello- I have been trying to report this scammer and i’m very happy that I found the websites to reported to the FTC in the FBI. I was contacted by a profile on our time.com using your pictures. We texted and emailed back-and-forth for 3 to 4 weeks. I had no idea it was not real, Until the business problem occurred while he was in the Philippines and had a customs issue. Recognizing then that was a scam I did not give the $3000 they were asking me for and unfortunately realized it had all been lies at that point. I have notified our time that this was a scam but the profile still up there. I did notify the FTC and FBI that is connected profile. So hopefully if you can put it up on your website also we can prevent someone else from being a victim. The profile is focuswidep34 on OurTime and going by the name Barkley Pedersen with email address barkley_19@yahoo.com and I think I have more pictures that aren’t on here.
I’m so happy you were aware of this because I was concerned for the person who’s pictures they were using. As a single mom I understand you don’t want your children’s pictures out there.
I can send you any further for mission or pictures that he sent me if it will help. I’m happy to help fight against this happening to anyone else. I didn’t lose money but I did lose emotionally. I think it’s horrible that there’s people out there who would do this to other people With no conscience. They will answer in the end for having ham so many people this way.
Feel free to let me know if you need anything information I have. By the way I used to live on the Eastern shore of Virginia – such a beautiful area. All the best to you & Your family-
[redacted]
Sent from my iPhone
“I have been scammed”
From: [redacted] Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2017 4:55 AM To: [redacted] Subject: FW: I have been scammed!! Dear Mr Hobbs Im not sure whether this email will reach your desk. Im from South Africa and I have been scammed by someone in Nigeria, he used your profile pictures and used the name Stelios Manolas. This carried on for 2 years and I finally came to my senses, R4 million rands (thousands of USD’s) down the drain and only myself to blame for my current situation. I really wish you well –by looking at your pictures, my heart breaks in two. For 2 years I associate your profile with Stelios Manolas and I really start caring for him and his son (called Michael) – in the mean time, it was someone else (with the help of so many other people) that scammed me out of thousands of dollars. Me and my whole family are suffering due to this ordeal. I wish there was a way to put a stop to the activities of criminals like these and to avoid them from stealing other people’s money. I just hope that you and your family are safe Kind regards [redacted]Fake nigerian documents
From: [redacted] Sent: Monday, April 03, 2017 4:02 AM To: Rod Hobbs <rod@rodhobbs.com> Subject: Re: Fake FB Profiles Hi Rod! I forgot to send you this police report that he said you lost your baggage with your ID’s, passport and some documents during the trip to Nigeria, Africa which he is now there.
I look forward to hearing from you soon so I can tell you all about it!
Thanks!
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> On Apr 2, 2017, at 3:09 PM, [redacted] wrote:
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> Hello Rod!
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> This is [redacted] and I found a fake account of yours on FB as Alex Godson. I accepted his request because he’s using your photos and you look so decent to chat with. He also asked for money too. I also sent you this info on your messenger too but not sure if your account is active so I decided to email to you as well!
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> Please advise how I should handle this situation!
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> Thank you!
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