Beware of Hoaxes: Internet is a Den of Crimes

Not long ago, I experienced and almost had become a foolish victim of fraud in the Internet. I was hoaxed into believing that I would become a millionaire just in a short time. I entered into a business transaction with the people whom I believed would help me change my life. But I was wrong. I found myself a big foolish victim.

What does Hoax mean?

The people involved for this venture were not just an ordinary people. They were all professionals: an Accountant, and a Solicitor, they are both from South Africa, based on their mailing addresses that I received. These people were all smart, clever and well-trained. They punched me with their pretty sweet approaches.

I received a confidential letter

I arrived in the office at six-thirty AM. The first thing I did was to check my email box. I was expecting emails from my children but a confidential letter from a certain person (an accountant), not one of my contacts, attracted my attention. I opened it with curiosity believing that it was really important. His letter contained many interesting things and promises. He wanted all my bank account information and identification numbers. After reading it, my imagination began to work.

Many-beautiful-dreams

Seriously, in the night at home, I started to dream many beautiful dreams for myself and for the bright future of my family that I had left in Philippines.

I started drawing out many plans for the funds once I got hold of them, such as, to build a beautiful house for my family, to start business with my family, to send my children to good schools, to engage on real state, to buy my own expensive car, to travel around the world with my family, to buy gold and jewelry and other expensive imported goods. So, I didn’t wait for too long and decided to accept his proposal. I did reply by sending all the necessary details to him electronically

I sent off the documents needed

I sent to him my passport number. Also that same day, I received mails from the solicitor, who was assigned by my business partner in South Africa as my Legal Business Representative to execute all the affidavits for the said transaction. That same day I also received another mail from my legal representative explaining to me the status of the transaction and the amount (US$ 15,521.18) that I needed to pay for the Anti-Drug agency.

Shouting on the phone

My business partner in South Africa has called me up on the phone. He tried to convince me to send the money to our LAWYER, as the Anti-Drug agency needed them and it should be made cash at the counter. He added further to forget our misunderstanding but I was firm with my decision, not to give any money though I had promised to him that I would share in all expenses incurred for the said transaction once the funds are transferred to my new designated bank. Our conversation ended up with shouts at each other.

Not yet too late to realize

That was the only time I realized that I was hoaxed into believing that I would become a millionaire just for a short time by entering into a business transaction with the people whom I believed would help me change my life.

Now I learned from my mistakes, and promised to myself never again to entertain any unsolicited letters coming into my mailbox.

Please note; This article was based from my personal experience that happened in early 2000 when I was still an active OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) in Saudi Arabia. This article was also published in Wikipedia an Online Free Encyclopedia under my authorship name Ppruel. My reason why I published it online is that to give warning to Internet Users to become aware of many hoaxes from online hoaxers flying across the Net - looking for target victims.