I Just Won 2.5 Million Dollars

You hear of these scams all the time, but have you ever actually known someone who was part of a scam. Let me start from the beginning.

So about a week ago, I get this phone call, on the caller ID it reads, Jamaica 876-596-0368.
Sometimes when they called, the ID would say Intl' Gateway with a local number. I'm thinking VoIP.

Anyway, I answer the phone, and the guy at the other end tells me I just won 2.5 million dollars. I asked him how I was entered into this 'awesome' drawing. He said that I was part of a random drawing with a company called Global Consumer Prize. I asked again, how did you get my information for the drawing. He then told me that the information they got was from a recent credit card purchase. I told him I didn't have a credit card so that was impossible. (I do, but he didn't need to know that, besides, I hadn't used the credit card since our vacation). He asked if I paid bills, I told him that of course I do. He then said they got my information from one of our bills. I asked him which one, and frustrated he told me he didn't really know, that he just was told from his manager to call me and let me know that I won.

So... I listened.

I said great, I'm glad I won. Now how do I get my money. He said that I needed to send money through Western Union to Jamaica to get the check of 2.5 millions dollars to be secured. I told him that I wasn't going to pay money to get money, and that after I got my 2.5 millions dollars I would be more than willing to give him a check. He said that I only needed to give them $300.00. I laughed at said I didn't have $300.00. He then said, that's fine, that they only needed $150.00. I told him that I would have to talk to my husband when he got home, and that we could wait until the weekend. He asked why I wanted to wait until Saturday to get my 2.5 million dollars. I told him that if I won 2.5 million dollars, that waiting a few days wouldn't make a difference, that I still get the money right. He said, right.

The very next day (Wednesday), he called again, I told him that I said Saturday to call back. He went through the entire speech of just needing $150.00. I told him that I'd make him a deal. That if he went to pay that 'small' fee $150.00 for me, I would give him a 1/2 million dollars. He said he wasn't allowed to do that.

Seriously folks, if there was real money involved, you would do it! :D
Ok, there is a lot more to this story, but I'm going to jump ahead a few days.

After several days of 'Jamaica' calling me trying to get me to give them money through Western Union. I had my husband talk to him. Devin asked him why we had to pay money to get money. He explained to Devin that it was to secure the carrier delivering the check in case it got lost. Devin asked why it would get lost, if they expected their carrier to get mugged or something.

Skipping ahead some more.

We were told that they had their carrier coming from Jamaica to our house and they would be here at 3:30pm. Devin asked how they were going to get here that quick from Jamaica. The man on the other end said one second, he needed to ask his manager. He got back on and said that he forgot they were already on the plane and the plane would land in California and they would take another flight to our house. Devin asked him if he knew our address, that we had moved and now lived across from the city police station... the man told us yes, and gave us a completely wrong address, one in a different state too. Devin said, yep, that's it.

Continuing...

Devin told him that instead of paying for the "security" fee of $150.00. His brother would meet him at the airport in California, since he lived there, and asked him what airport that was. He also asked him what type of ID he should bring. The man said said he would find out what airport and asked what Devin meant by ID type. Devin continued saying his brother could show either his drivers license ID or his work ID. That he worked for the FBI. LOL. I'm not kidding, we told him this. The man said one second again, that he needed to talk to his manager.

Later...

The manager got on the phone with Devin and asked him if we had sent the money. Devin said of course we did, and wanted to know where we could meet the carrier in California. The manager said he would call us back.

10 minutes later...

We get a call back, the manager called us a lier. Devin then said that his FBI brother talked to his friend in the Treasury and they didn't have any documentation of that amount of money coming into the states from Jamaica. The Manager then told Devin to "shut up" and that we lied about sending money. Devin laughed and said no kidding, we aren't stupid, that we know this is a scam and we know we haven't won 2.5 million dollars, and to stop calling us and then hung up.

About 30 minutes later I get a phone call again from Jamaica. It wasn't the manager this time, but that man again. He asked me if I sent the money. I politely told him that he was working for a bad man, and that he was employed in a job where they scam people and he should quit his job immediately before he gets in trouble, and that they should really stop calling us, because our phone has now been tapped by the FBI. The man told me thanks, and ok, and we haven't heard back from them since.

TRUE STORY. I'm not kidding.