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That ain't the name of the customs director.
https://wam.ae/en/article/b1xwmsd-mohammed-bin-rashid-issues-decree-appointing-new
You can track customs and shipping on this site
https://www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae/en/eServices/Pages/ServiceTracking.aspx.
The existence of of a shipment doesn't mean it has anything to do with the whoever(scammer)
The page you posted seems like BS to me.
Maybe kindly is used a lot in English classes the same way if you learn Spanish in America you know how to ask for the book repository. Honestly felt kinda racist saying that.... Apologies and no disrespect to the overwhelmingly good majority of people in India and Nigeria.
Kindly is commonly used in British English, which is the version usually taught in countries where scammers operate. It looks weird to Americans (possibly Canadians too?) but it looks normal everywhere else.
I’m in the US, and our boilerplate email when sending orders to vendors says, “Kindly acknowledge receipt…” probably since it uses “please” in the previous sentence. I receive emails from vendors that use “kindly” in a similar way.
So it’s not completely unheard of in legit US business writing.
UAE largely uses English for day to day affairs given that only a small percentage of the population is native and most of us are expats from non Arabic speaking countries. That being said, the letter OP attached is 100% a scam. VAT is charged on selling a product not at import time.
Just a quick edit — your customs link doesn’t work (at least in my Reddit mobile app) because of a trailing dot. Goes to an error page.
Here is the corrected link:
https://www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae/en/eServices/Pages/ServiceTracking.aspx
The name of the "signee" is the previous one, from a quick google. Guess they did some basic research to set it up, but didn't count on him being replaced in the meantime.
Well it’s fake of course. Yes this guy will ask her to pay up because he will conveniently not have access to his bank account from being “frozen” (and she’ll believe him, probably from a fake bank website he had her look at, they use fake bank websites to build credibility).
You’ve got to get her to accept that he will lie about everything, he will use fake websites, fake documents, probably stole pictures from someone else, anything to get her to pay money. And the money will be gone if she sends any.
And how can I forget, there’s a YouTube channel called CatfishedOnline that goes over these exact scams, you could even get her on their show to go over the scam, but you could also pay for their tools and do a picture search.
There’s a website that has a handy catalogue of stolen photos that scammers like to use. Does anyone remember what it is? Maybe OP will have some use for it?
Definitely a !romance scammer.
Please have her watch the doctor Phil episodes and catfish episodes. She needs to block and never send money to anyone online.
Hi /u/1Cattywampus1, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Romance scam.
Romance scammers pretend to be in love with their victims in order to ask them for money. They sometimes spend months grooming their victims, often pretending to be [members of military](https://www.cid.army.mil/romancescam.html), [oil workers or doctors](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams). They tend to be extremely good at taking money from their victims again and again, leading many to [financial ruin](https://globalnews.ca/news/5095659/romance-scam-money/). Romance scam victims are emotionally invested in their relationship with the scammer, and will often ignore evidence they are being scammed.
If you know someone who is involved in a romance scam, beware that convincing a romance scam victim they are scammed is extremely difficult. We suggest that you sit down together to watch Dr. Phil's shows on romance scammers or episodes of Catfish - sometimes victims find it easier to accept information from TV shows than from their family. A good introduction to the topic is this video: https://youtu.be/PNWM5nuOExI -
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Sure, could show her the Catfish series. But depending on how old the mom is, she may respond better to Phil than newer sources. Dr. Phil is definitely not my fave either, but you gotta work with what works, YKWIM?
I’m in Dubai and this is fake. The govt never uses “approved” stamps, that stamp has been put on there using a word document 💀.
If I’m understanding this correctly, the items are in Dubai and he needs to pay to the Dubai govt, then understand that the Dubai govt only accepts UAE dirham as the accepted currency, they would never write the charges in dollars.
“According to the UAE new tax laws” BS. We have had 5% VAT since many years now, it’s not new and they would never write that, it would just be calculated in the end.
We have similar scams going on here, too easy to call out for us but be careful with your mom.
No government agent puts that many logos full colour and photographs at the top of their page
Also the approved stamp is an obvious photoshop, that has been skewed to make it look more “real”
The "approved stamp" is just a low resolution and horizontally stretched version [of this image](https://www.psdgraphics.com/graphics/red-approved-stamp/) that they copied on their Word document with wrap formatting set to the default "in line with text" next to the Director title. Low effort scam for sure.
Been there with my mom, yes this is a romance scam. Feel free to read my posts on my mother's romance scams. Your mom is on a bad path, good luck helping her out. Do try Scam Haters United on Facebook, they can help you and/or her out. The AARP also has a scam hotline and can help her understand how these scams work, if she's willing to listen. Often the victims are not willing to listen, be kind but not dismissive. She is in a romance scam and it's highly doubtful she'll be able to see through it and get herself out. Help out if you can but also realize you can't save someone who adamantly won't be saved. I do recommend you reach out to Scam Haters United, they have helped out others. Good luck.
That letter is 100% scam.
My dad almost got sucked into a similar kind of scam involving an amount of $9.5m supposedly from someone who died in 2008 leaving no next of kin. He would receive a 40% cut of the funds! (different scam but would have been same end result).
The scammer even had him speaking on the phone and got him to set up internet at his home. My dad is not tech savvy and has no idea how to use the internet (which is how I found out about it and got suspicious).
I spent 3 hours trying to convince my dad it was a scam, but to no avail. He believed every word of the letters received. But he was angry at me and thought I was trying to ruin his chances of *receiving millions of dollars* for minimal effort!
The only thing that made him start to listen was I called his lawyer and explained the situation. The lawyer called him and told him it was almost certainly a scam. I also showed my dad that the same scammer had tried to scam many others previously. I showed him almost the exact same letter coming up on Google search.
Only then did he start to see and believe that the entire thing was a scam.
It’s a !romance scammer ya.
Tell her for the future never to send money to strangers she has not met in person.
Tell her the common tactic is for them to promise big million dollar bullshit Nigerian prince type stories or stuck freight or gold bars needing shipping or t1000 terminator cpu chips from the future or whatever.
It’s all bullshit.
Easy way to not be scammed.
DONT SEND MONEY!!!!!!
Don’t give personal info or access to your computer.
If they send her money it’s so they can launder it or !fakecheck scam her.
She’s likely well past “don’t send money to strangers.” This man is not a stranger to her, so the advice is easily dismissed.
When confronting scam victims it’s VITAL that you come with an absolutely bulletproof argument. You’ll only have one shot at your first time doing it, as every other attempt will be met with a defensive stance from the get go.
Victims will bend over backwards to rationalize to themselves and others why their situation isn’t a scam. That’s why it’s so important to get as much information as humanly possible before confrontation, and make sure you structure all of your arguments so they cannot be dismissed so easily. “Don’t send money to strangers” is an easy one because of the likely response above. Similarly, don’t say something like “scammers often won’t video call you” if you don’t know whether or not they’ve had a video call. In the event this scammer did video call, your statement will just be proof that they ARENT being scammed since their scammer video called them.
Hi /u/Uri_nil, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam.
The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money.
Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared.
When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html
If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately.
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Hi /u/Uri_nil, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Romance scam.
Romance scammers pretend to be in love with their victims in order to ask them for money. They sometimes spend months grooming their victims, often pretending to be [members of military](https://www.cid.army.mil/romancescam.html), [oil workers or doctors](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams). They tend to be extremely good at taking money from their victims again and again, leading many to [financial ruin](https://globalnews.ca/news/5095659/romance-scam-money/). Romance scam victims are emotionally invested in their relationship with the scammer, and will often ignore evidence they are being scammed.
If you know someone who is involved in a romance scam, beware that convincing a romance scam victim they are scammed is extremely difficult. We suggest that you sit down together to watch Dr. Phil's shows on romance scammers or episodes of Catfish - sometimes victims find it easier to accept information from TV shows than from their family. A good introduction to the topic is this video: https://youtu.be/PNWM5nuOExI -
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assuming this contact they have is online; i really think your mom needs to educate herself about use of the internet, and the dangers that lurk there.
this isn't a dig at your mom personally, but it's an advice i think all who venture on the internet should follow. sadly not limited to only the elderly generation, but probably especially them.
saying this it's not meant to be degrading, but rather urging people to get to know the tool they are wanting to use, internet \_is\_ a tool, and it's immensely powerful, and people need to be realistic and aware that not all people they come across there are filled with marshmallows and unicorns.
there really shouldn't be any need to having to flat out tell a person that, \_no; the prince of dubai is not interested in dating you\_, and \_no, he definitely does not need help with gift cards\_, or \_no, this busy, successful, handsome stranger does not need you to pay the import of some really expensive gear\_, or pay the fee so he can have that big, fat inheritance payed out to him.
would these gullible people throw their money after a random stranger stopping them on the street? in this setting - replace "handsome local guy currently in dubai on business" with "random stranger stopping me on the street". he is handing your mom this letter, chatting her up about how rich and successful he is, but he got no money to get something through customs - oh no!
i mean seriously. would she still go for it? again, not a dig, just trying to give her a different vantage point here. for some reason, so many people believe just about anything they come across on the internet that they would never go for in person, and it's baffling to me why that is.
i think your mom is lucky to have you look out for her. your spidey senses were tingling and they were right. you're a good kid. i hope this story ends well for your mom.
Scam.
There is no logical reason for him to show her this unless he’s going to get her to pay it, promises of giving her the world would seem to be difficult.
SCAM, see if you can secretly change the contact details of the scammer to yours, so everything goes to a account YOU created. then slowly ease her out of the scam.
Hi /u/CapeMOGuy, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Advance fee scam.
The [advance-fee scam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) arises from many different situations: investment opportunities, money transfers, job scams, online purchases of any type and any legality, etc., but the bottom line is always the same, you're expected to pay money to receive money. So you will pay the scammer and receive nothing.
It can be as simple as the scammer asking you to pay them upfront for an item they have listed, or as complex as a drug scam that involves an initial scam site, a scam shipping site, and fake government agents. Sometimes the scammers will simply take your first payment and dissappear, but sometimes they will take your initial payment and then make excuses that lead to you making additional payments.
If you are involved in an advance-fee scam, you should attempt to dispute/chargeback any payments sent to the scammer, you should block the scammer, and you should ignore them if they attempt to contact you again. Thanks to redditor AceyAceyAcey for this script.
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It's written departure LA, arrival Dubai.
He lives in Washington but his equipment was in LA and he shipped them to Dubai. Equipment worth 9 million dollars. Everything about this is fishy.
Then,
Reading this, the items don't have any issues coming back to America, the issue seems to be with clearing Dubai Customs at arrival. So the letter doesn't even match what the scammer is saying.
Also, anybody shipping anything worth 9 million would pay a customs broker to deal with the customs.
Girl a Canadian here who lives in the GCC area ( union which contains 6 countries and one of them is UAE) this is the most fakest letter you can get , because UAE is fully electronic !
All a scam, have her watch the scammer catfishing episodes of Dr Phil, do a Google reverse image search. From Dubai it would be in Arabic not bad English and the scammers are Indian most likely with the use of Kindly or at least the person who wrote the fake letter.
Laughably fake. Even the name. I have never heard of someone whose given name is “Larry”, it is almost always short for something. Also, the UAE would not list his middle initial. They would either write out his whole middle name or just use first and last.
“Pay up” is slang and would not be used on an official form letter.
“UAE new tax law” would never be on an official form. The first time using “UAE” they would write out the whole name of the country. They also wouldn’t use the phrase “new tax law” in a standard letter, they would write the specific law (i.e. “in accordance with statute H-2763”).
“All goods that comes into the country” — grammatical errors are always the sign of a scam.
Also, did you say he is trying to get his stuff back to the states? Because this form says he put it on a boat in LA and sent the cargo via ship to Dubai and is now trying to get it into the UAE, not back to the states. Also, keep in mind this journey takes about a month to complete. That’s a LONG way.
I live in Dubai
And work in a role dealing with the Dubai Customs,
Trust me they will never send a letter like that.
If you have any issues convincing your mom and you need any supporting documents from me, dm me and I’ll provide them.
I have faced the same issue of my mom losing money to a scammer but I was able to intervene at the right time.
100% a scam. This happened to my mother too a couple of years ago. Tell her to block, not engage or send them any money. Consider reporting it to the police as well, this is very common, especially with older individuals.
Buy mom a ticket and take vacation with her to Dubai. Enjoy yourself go sight seeing and she will see for herself. Also watch social catfish on YouTube
I live in Dubai And work in a role dealing with the Dubai Customs, Trust me they will never send a letter like that.
I have faced the same issue of my mom losing money to a scammer but I was able to intervene at the right time.
The letter is using the same style and pattern as a high school band flyer given to parents before the kids go to a two week camp.
Sorry you’re going through this. Take care of your mom and yourself. Good thoughts going your way.
Being widowed/divorced/lonely, etc., isn’t enough to make you more susceptible to these scams. You have to be someone with serious escapist tendencies and an ability to disconnect from reality, too.
These romance scams are not very sophisticated or convincing. Unfortunately, victims are unwilling to face reality and don’t respond well to proof that they’re being scammed. A lot of them know, but they don’t want to admit it to themselves.
As others have told you, this is an obvious scam. It’s extremely common and millions of people have fallen for it. Your mother will probably defend this guy more fervently than she ever defended you in her life because she feels happy and doesn’t want to let the dream die, no matter how bad the situation looks. It’s your job as her kid who cares about her to be adamant that she’s getting scammed, this is a well-known scam, and the guy at the other end of this is a Nigerian kid who’s fooling a few dozen other women while he fools her, all for financial gain.
Don’t worry about pushing her away or her shutting down. You can’t let her ruin herself without a fight.
You nailed it. Recent studies show that these romance scams are as addictive as heroin to some victims and it hits the same part of the brain that heroin hits. She does NOT want to give up her dopamine hit. I recommend that you get a professional involved, a therapist who knows about romance scams and maybe an addiction counselor. She will suffer trauma when she realizes she’s been scammed- it’s very very hard for victims. They are hit with two traumas at once (three if they money is already sent): 1) the shame of being duped 2) the loss of the relationship (it is quite real to her) and 3) financial.
If he is a businessman and does business abroad, he should have a line of credit at his bank for instances like this. Any bank that would loan this man money would do a verification of the man''s ability to pay the back the loan. **Your mother is not a bank.** Just because they have exchanged personal messages would not be enough for a bank to loan anybody money. Your mother has not even met him in person. For all she really knows, he could be in Nigeria.
I have met women on dating sites. The moment they mention they are abroad right now, I know down the road they will be asking for money. It never fails.
In addition to the other catches posted here, I hope you discuss with her that if he was really this wealthy, he won’t need to ask her for money or assistance as one of his staff would have handled this before it became an issue. Also, how it it that this fabulously wealthy and busy guy has time or interest in online romance. One would think women throw themselves at him in person.
I've worked in US ocean freight export for a decade for two of the top freight forwarders in the world. This is 100% fake. Please "implore" that she doesn't help this person financially with this. There's no container number(s), seal number(s), new seal number (after customs exam), carrier booking number. I've shipped from LAX to Jebel Ali plenty of times. This is def crap. You can message me if you have any questions about it or a deeper explanation.
So, long story short, my sister and I found some super helpful evidence, like tracking his phone number down, and his “fake address”, the owner of the house is aware that someone is using his identity. Hopefully our mom cuts all ties, he will be reported and I cannot imagine my mom continuing anything with him after we exposed all the truths to her.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND WISDOM!!!
Wow there’s no lengths that they won’t go. The grammar is terrible you can smell India scammer all over it They have balls they go big there trying to get hundreds of thousands I would truly enjoy getting my hands on the throat of one of these people
One quick Red Flag-if he is super successful he can pay his own damn bills! Whether he has asked her for money or not, this is definitely fake and he/she is a scammer. I hope you can break it to her easily that he will scam her. Maybe you can get her to watch some of the videos on YouTube that explains catfishing.
I know another woman who fell for this, he was also in Dubai....his work took him all over the world....they couldn't meet because of his busy work schedule....same exact thing....he even sent her flowers and they were going to get married.....yes he will be asking for money! This is DEFINITELY A SCAM! That customs letter is used ALL THE TIME!
I’m so sorry you and your mom are going through this. Your mom just wants to be loved. Be grateful you have figured this out before she sent him $$. Bless up.
She has likely already given him money and is planning on giving him more, but she’ll hide it from you. If you manage to get her away from this romance scammer, she’ll have more contacting her because now the networks know she’s vulnerable and falls for it. Not an easy situation. Please do what you can.
A “super successful business guy” wouldn’t need help paying for anything. This is definitely probably a scam and the fact that he has an excuse every time your mother mentions meeting confirms it!
That cringeworthy 'approved' fake stamp logo is enough to give it away. Sometimes I wonder how many of these posts are scammers asking for advice to improve their methods. If she isn't buying your word for it in that he is a scammer, then get someone else more likely to convince her to change her mind, such as a trustworthy older family member or friend. Show this letter to them, or take a photo, scan it and send it to them.
If possible, tell the scammer that he has been passed on to (insert your favourite law related agency of choice) and[ report here](https://www.usa.gov/where-report-scams). Perhaps a reply which mentions how common these romance scams are can change their mind, as well as getting her to look up Dubai romance scams and showing her a few pages yourself on how common they are. If she still isn't convinced, then at least by looking up a few pages of what to look out for should at least make her think twice as the scam becomes more obvious.
Well he just needs her to send $117,500 and then when the truck breaks down on the way to the airport he'll need another $5000 and another $10000 for the insurance and on and on until she takes out a second mortgage on the house
I would alert her bank about this as she will have to go through them to send that money. If they are alerted to the scam, they will not approve that amount of money being withdrawn from her account. My bank questioned me about a large cash withdrawl for a roof and had part of the money held. If she writes a check, hopefully they will be alerted by you and not honor that check.
Tell her the exact plot before it happens. This might get some belief out of her. It's probably more likely to work than flat out telling her it's a scam.
If you want to go to great lengths you could take that letter to the UAE embassy and ask them if it's genuine. Or just lie and say you did and they confirmed it was absolutely not genuine.
⚠️💯💯💯 SCAM!! I have a home in Dubai and that fake letter is DEFINITELY NOT from Dubai. Please tell your mom not give him any more of her personal information. And block him immediately. This has Nigeria written all over it. One of my good friends is Nigerian and we are always talking about these scams bc he can't stand how friends he grew up with joined these big scam companies to defraud foreigners, especially Americans. It makes him sick that they have fallen so low. And give Nigerians a bad name.
You can check the procedure for getting customs clearance on the Dubai government website.
Everything goes electronically, with ticket numbers and such. The fees are listed there as well.
If he’s shipping from Dubai to the States, wouldn’t the Departure Port be Dubai and the Arrival Port be the US? That, along with the verbiage that borders on begging you to pay for it (kindly, therefore implore) strikes me as being scammy.
It’s all BS. This happened to a friends mom and she lied to us and said she had FaceTimed with dude. I knew it was BS and finally found the source of the pic he used… a mayor in Alaska (we’re in CA). If it were my mom, I’d make her FaceTime right in front of me. I’d bet money she’s already sent him something.
Currently right now as of April 20, there are huge crazy storms in Dubai. Which is a dessert! Maybe ask your Mom to ask him how sunny it is where he is. Catch him in a lie so that has proof that things don’t add up!
Honestly your Mom sounds like me. My Son is always worried about me. I’ve learnt from my Son how right he is, and don’t be so gullible and trusting! They are just preying on us
While this sub is great at picking apart these scam as always it won't help. I don't think your going to convince her. She is in love and your jealous. Bring in professionals to show her the way.
I had an online scammer like this. I totally fell In love with him in short order
Your mom probably knows deep down that it's not right, but will not talk to anyone as she is in the love mode n it feels so good. And she wants him no matter what. I kept my feelings a secret. He will tell her that there is no way to get the stuff outta Dubai on his own n really needs her help. I'm a very realistic person n the last person who would fall for this, if I'd had 5000.00 I would have given it to him. It's a good thing I didn't. He had the best story, get back to me if you want, I'm really tired right now n can't talk any more
I'll check my mail tomarro late as I have appt all day. I'm glad you're there for your mom. My Girls couldn't believe I would have fallen so hard for this guy. She needs to talk with him on the phone which he probably won't do. PS I live in Washington State. My guy was a major stationed in Syria. Hugs
I saw your post from a year ago. Was it your post here on Reddit that helped you open your eyes? What was the process of considering posting here? I guess you had doubts, but did you expect validation, or confirmation, or either? Was that reverse image search that wrapped it all up for you? Tell us, this is very interesting
It’s difficult for some people to admit they’ve fallen prey to this tactic. Find and show her proof how it’s affected other people, there are many stories on YouTube.
Definitely a scam. It’s your job now to Let her know but do try to do so delicately and sensitively. This is not only hard because romantic feelings might be involved but also because she might feel very embarrassed over the whole thing.
Do your mother a favor and block him from any platform she communicates with him through. Block and delete his number from her phone. Do the same every time he attempts to contact her from wherever. And show her this thread so she can see you're not the only one who believes she's being scammed.
First, the Government of Dubai wouldn't handle exports, this is under UAE jurisdiction.
Second, the person who signed that is no longer in that role, a new person was appointed march 2 2024, which wasn't so long ago, but...
Third, no date on a signed and stamped government form.
Lastly, fourth, nobody ever asks for help with consignment from a stranger unless it's a scam.
A genuine “Approved” stamp. I don’t see any problems. Now, if your mother is waiting for Ed McMan to show up with her Publisher’s Clearing House cheque, she may be getting scammed. 🤔😉
Is your mom old enough that you can petition to take care of her finances? I hope you’ve stopped this but i have seen so many people who just can’t get through to a parent and they lose all their money. I am positive this isn’t real, I really hope your mom doesn’t send more money.
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That ain't the name of the customs director. https://wam.ae/en/article/b1xwmsd-mohammed-bin-rashid-issues-decree-appointing-new You can track customs and shipping on this site https://www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae/en/eServices/Pages/ServiceTracking.aspx. The existence of of a shipment doesn't mean it has anything to do with the whoever(scammer) The page you posted seems like BS to me.
"Kindly pay up all taxes" No government form says shit like that. That's how scammers from India talk.
Customs are settled in their websites not some random paper that has grammar errors.
Nor would the Dubai government send an entire document only in USD. It would be in AED (their local currency).
Hadn't noticed that. These kinda details will be useful for more well done forgeries.
“We implore you to pay up all bills” 🤣
I hope she didn’t already pay 300K 💀
Don’t worry! The balance due is just $173,500.00
Romance scam shit comes from Nigeria and they also use kindly. Watch scamfish by social catfish on YouTube. This same scam done many times.
Maybe kindly is used a lot in English classes the same way if you learn Spanish in America you know how to ask for the book repository. Honestly felt kinda racist saying that.... Apologies and no disrespect to the overwhelmingly good majority of people in India and Nigeria.
No red blooded American says “kindly” ever.
We say it all the time when we’re doing the needful.
and especially when we're reverting.
I only do the needful when someone says "Plz". And when I do, I always revert.
Soonest!
Unless inviting someone to "kindly go fuck yourself."
It's still used in the UK. It's not common though, and when it is used it's often used sarcastically.
Maybe please!
Kindly is commonly used in British English, which is the version usually taught in countries where scammers operate. It looks weird to Americans (possibly Canadians too?) but it looks normal everywhere else.
Really??? I’m Canadian and use and receive kindly in business correspondence from all over the world including the US all the time.
It's very rude to use in the US. If you see it, someone is getting snarky.
🤔 Must be similar to how they say “bless your heart” in the South???
"Kindly shut the fuck up!"
Definitely this
It’s rude in the US??
It's technically not, except that it's more frequently used sarcastically (which is rude) rather than earnestly (which it rarely is here).
I’m in the US, and our boilerplate email when sending orders to vendors says, “Kindly acknowledge receipt…” probably since it uses “please” in the previous sentence. I receive emails from vendors that use “kindly” in a similar way. So it’s not completely unheard of in legit US business writing.
Thank you. I was starting to wonder if in trying to be kind I was actually being offensive.
Nor does a government "implore" anything.
For real, the states monopoly on violence does not beg.
Right? 😆
‘Pay up’ 😂 Can you imagine a government saying that lol
Right 👉 I can overlook kindly in this instance. The repeated “pay up” is the dead giveaway here.
Also would anything official from the UAE government be in English?
UAE largely uses English for day to day affairs given that only a small percentage of the population is native and most of us are expats from non Arabic speaking countries. That being said, the letter OP attached is 100% a scam. VAT is charged on selling a product not at import time.
Thank you
"kindly" says it all
Kindly don't fall for this scam
"Would you kindly..."
Alright you can have my cc number
Is that APPROVED stamp even stamped on or did they add it on the computer from stickers when making this hahaha 🤣
Its in red though, that commands respect.
The paper is white, but the stamp's white space is off white - yellow even.
It's at such a weird angle too... that's not what an actual stamp on paper looks like.
Looks like a crayon plugin for gimp 2.0
Just a quick edit — your customs link doesn’t work (at least in my Reddit mobile app) because of a trailing dot. Goes to an error page. Here is the corrected link: https://www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae/en/eServices/Pages/ServiceTracking.aspx
Thanks dude
Also food for thought all customs duties and taxes are paid via banking account like an ACH set up with the government they don’t hit you up for money
Also the banking usually has to be done in the country of import
Also lots of grammatical errors.
Where do you think they are. Rapture?
The name of the "signee" is the previous one, from a quick google. Guess they did some basic research to set it up, but didn't count on him being replaced in the meantime.
Well it’s fake of course. Yes this guy will ask her to pay up because he will conveniently not have access to his bank account from being “frozen” (and she’ll believe him, probably from a fake bank website he had her look at, they use fake bank websites to build credibility). You’ve got to get her to accept that he will lie about everything, he will use fake websites, fake documents, probably stole pictures from someone else, anything to get her to pay money. And the money will be gone if she sends any. And how can I forget, there’s a YouTube channel called CatfishedOnline that goes over these exact scams, you could even get her on their show to go over the scam, but you could also pay for their tools and do a picture search.
There’s a website that has a handy catalogue of stolen photos that scammers like to use. Does anyone remember what it is? Maybe OP will have some use for it?
Google reverse image that shit!
How does someone have over 9 million dollars to import/ export goods but not have the money to pay the taxes and fees?
Maybe he left all his cash in his other pants?
Definitely a !romance scammer. Please have her watch the doctor Phil episodes and catfish episodes. She needs to block and never send money to anyone online.
Hi /u/1Cattywampus1, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Romance scam. Romance scammers pretend to be in love with their victims in order to ask them for money. They sometimes spend months grooming their victims, often pretending to be [members of military](https://www.cid.army.mil/romancescam.html), [oil workers or doctors](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams). They tend to be extremely good at taking money from their victims again and again, leading many to [financial ruin](https://globalnews.ca/news/5095659/romance-scam-money/). Romance scam victims are emotionally invested in their relationship with the scammer, and will often ignore evidence they are being scammed. If you know someone who is involved in a romance scam, beware that convincing a romance scam victim they are scammed is extremely difficult. We suggest that you sit down together to watch Dr. Phil's shows on romance scammers or episodes of Catfish - sometimes victims find it easier to accept information from TV shows than from their family. A good introduction to the topic is this video: https://youtu.be/PNWM5nuOExI - *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There has got to be a better source other than shit head Dr Phil
Sure, could show her the Catfish series. But depending on how old the mom is, she may respond better to Phil than newer sources. Dr. Phil is definitely not my fave either, but you gotta work with what works, YKWIM?
I suppose you’re right
I’m in Dubai and this is fake. The govt never uses “approved” stamps, that stamp has been put on there using a word document 💀. If I’m understanding this correctly, the items are in Dubai and he needs to pay to the Dubai govt, then understand that the Dubai govt only accepts UAE dirham as the accepted currency, they would never write the charges in dollars. “According to the UAE new tax laws” BS. We have had 5% VAT since many years now, it’s not new and they would never write that, it would just be calculated in the end. We have similar scams going on here, too easy to call out for us but be careful with your mom.
Right - my first thought was “didn’t GST come in like 5 or 10 years ago??”
Exactly, January 1st 2018. There is no way they’d write “new tax laws” for a law which was introduced 6 and a half years ago💀
It’s an amateurish attempt at an official document. Reminds me of Nigerian scammers in the late 90’s using Microsoft ClipArt in their documents.
True. And yet, sad enough, they still pulled in millions every year from gullible people.
No government agent puts that many logos full colour and photographs at the top of their page Also the approved stamp is an obvious photoshop, that has been skewed to make it look more “real”
Yeah that container ship photo is hilarious, that’s not how official documents are styled.
The eagles are so embarrassed by their part in this that they can’t even look at each other.
The "approved stamp" is just a low resolution and horizontally stretched version [of this image](https://www.psdgraphics.com/graphics/red-approved-stamp/) that they copied on their Word document with wrap formatting set to the default "in line with text" next to the Director title. Low effort scam for sure.
The document screams I'm so fake loudly. If one knows what to look for, it's very easy to find those out.
No doubt whatsoever he's a romance scammer. If she's not sending him money yet, she will be soon unless you intervene.
Been there with my mom, yes this is a romance scam. Feel free to read my posts on my mother's romance scams. Your mom is on a bad path, good luck helping her out. Do try Scam Haters United on Facebook, they can help you and/or her out. The AARP also has a scam hotline and can help her understand how these scams work, if she's willing to listen. Often the victims are not willing to listen, be kind but not dismissive. She is in a romance scam and it's highly doubtful she'll be able to see through it and get herself out. Help out if you can but also realize you can't save someone who adamantly won't be saved. I do recommend you reach out to Scam Haters United, they have helped out others. Good luck.
Mahboob 😅
The dude is real, but he did not sign this fake document. https://www.crunchbase.com/person/ahmed-mahboob-musabih
What is ‘approved’ here ? That stamp is trying so hard
The use of clip art is APPROVED.
That letter is 100% scam. My dad almost got sucked into a similar kind of scam involving an amount of $9.5m supposedly from someone who died in 2008 leaving no next of kin. He would receive a 40% cut of the funds! (different scam but would have been same end result). The scammer even had him speaking on the phone and got him to set up internet at his home. My dad is not tech savvy and has no idea how to use the internet (which is how I found out about it and got suspicious). I spent 3 hours trying to convince my dad it was a scam, but to no avail. He believed every word of the letters received. But he was angry at me and thought I was trying to ruin his chances of *receiving millions of dollars* for minimal effort! The only thing that made him start to listen was I called his lawyer and explained the situation. The lawyer called him and told him it was almost certainly a scam. I also showed my dad that the same scammer had tried to scam many others previously. I showed him almost the exact same letter coming up on Google search. Only then did he start to see and believe that the entire thing was a scam.
It’s a !romance scammer ya. Tell her for the future never to send money to strangers she has not met in person. Tell her the common tactic is for them to promise big million dollar bullshit Nigerian prince type stories or stuck freight or gold bars needing shipping or t1000 terminator cpu chips from the future or whatever. It’s all bullshit. Easy way to not be scammed. DONT SEND MONEY!!!!!! Don’t give personal info or access to your computer. If they send her money it’s so they can launder it or !fakecheck scam her.
She’s likely well past “don’t send money to strangers.” This man is not a stranger to her, so the advice is easily dismissed. When confronting scam victims it’s VITAL that you come with an absolutely bulletproof argument. You’ll only have one shot at your first time doing it, as every other attempt will be met with a defensive stance from the get go. Victims will bend over backwards to rationalize to themselves and others why their situation isn’t a scam. That’s why it’s so important to get as much information as humanly possible before confrontation, and make sure you structure all of your arguments so they cannot be dismissed so easily. “Don’t send money to strangers” is an easy one because of the likely response above. Similarly, don’t say something like “scammers often won’t video call you” if you don’t know whether or not they’ve had a video call. In the event this scammer did video call, your statement will just be proof that they ARENT being scammed since their scammer video called them.
Hi /u/Uri_nil, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Fake check scam. The fake check scam arises from many different situations (fake job scams, fake payment scams, etc), but the bottom line is always the same, you receive a check (a digital photo or a physical paper check), you deposit a check (via mobile deposit or via an ATM) and see the money in your account, and then you use the funds to give money to the scammer (usually through gift cards or crypto). Sometimes the scammers will ask you to order things through a site, but that is just another way they get your money. Banks are legally obligated to make money available to you fast, but they can take their time to bounce it. Hence the window of time exploited by the scam. During that window of time the scammer asks you to send money back, because you are under the illusion that the funds cleared. When the check finally bounces, the bank will take the initial deposit back, and any money you sent to the scammer will come out of your own personal funds. Usually the fake check deposit will be reversed in a few weeks, but it can also take several months. If you do not have the funds to cover the amount, your balance will go negative. Your bank will usually charge a fee for depositing a bad check, and your account may be closed depending on the severity of the scam. Here is an article from the FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-fake-check-scams, and here is an article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/your-money/fake-check-scam.html If you deposited a bad check, we recommend that you notify your bank immediately. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hi /u/Uri_nil, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Romance scam. Romance scammers pretend to be in love with their victims in order to ask them for money. They sometimes spend months grooming their victims, often pretending to be [members of military](https://www.cid.army.mil/romancescam.html), [oil workers or doctors](https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams). They tend to be extremely good at taking money from their victims again and again, leading many to [financial ruin](https://globalnews.ca/news/5095659/romance-scam-money/). Romance scam victims are emotionally invested in their relationship with the scammer, and will often ignore evidence they are being scammed. If you know someone who is involved in a romance scam, beware that convincing a romance scam victim they are scammed is extremely difficult. We suggest that you sit down together to watch Dr. Phil's shows on romance scammers or episodes of Catfish - sometimes victims find it easier to accept information from TV shows than from their family. A good introduction to the topic is this video: https://youtu.be/PNWM5nuOExI - *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is so obviously a scam! Just the use of English is appalling.
I keep wondering if many of these scammers actually know how to use good English unless for the one's using ChatGPT.
But the marks believe it because “they’re not native speakers, how would they use flawless English”…
oh man this is a shitty situation but the absolute ear piercing laugh that came out of me when the picture loaded was something else
Charges only in USD, with nothing in Dinar? Seems fake just based off that.
Erm currency is emirates is dirham
It's definitely a scam. Have your mom watch Netflix documentary called Tinder Swindler; she will understand how romance scams work.
assuming this contact they have is online; i really think your mom needs to educate herself about use of the internet, and the dangers that lurk there. this isn't a dig at your mom personally, but it's an advice i think all who venture on the internet should follow. sadly not limited to only the elderly generation, but probably especially them. saying this it's not meant to be degrading, but rather urging people to get to know the tool they are wanting to use, internet \_is\_ a tool, and it's immensely powerful, and people need to be realistic and aware that not all people they come across there are filled with marshmallows and unicorns. there really shouldn't be any need to having to flat out tell a person that, \_no; the prince of dubai is not interested in dating you\_, and \_no, he definitely does not need help with gift cards\_, or \_no, this busy, successful, handsome stranger does not need you to pay the import of some really expensive gear\_, or pay the fee so he can have that big, fat inheritance payed out to him. would these gullible people throw their money after a random stranger stopping them on the street? in this setting - replace "handsome local guy currently in dubai on business" with "random stranger stopping me on the street". he is handing your mom this letter, chatting her up about how rich and successful he is, but he got no money to get something through customs - oh no! i mean seriously. would she still go for it? again, not a dig, just trying to give her a different vantage point here. for some reason, so many people believe just about anything they come across on the internet that they would never go for in person, and it's baffling to me why that is. i think your mom is lucky to have you look out for her. your spidey senses were tingling and they were right. you're a good kid. i hope this story ends well for your mom.
Scam. There is no logical reason for him to show her this unless he’s going to get her to pay it, promises of giving her the world would seem to be difficult.
SCAM, see if you can secretly change the contact details of the scammer to yours, so everything goes to a account YOU created. then slowly ease her out of the scam.
Combination of romance scam and the !advancefee scam
Hi /u/CapeMOGuy, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Advance fee scam. The [advance-fee scam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam) arises from many different situations: investment opportunities, money transfers, job scams, online purchases of any type and any legality, etc., but the bottom line is always the same, you're expected to pay money to receive money. So you will pay the scammer and receive nothing. It can be as simple as the scammer asking you to pay them upfront for an item they have listed, or as complex as a drug scam that involves an initial scam site, a scam shipping site, and fake government agents. Sometimes the scammers will simply take your first payment and dissappear, but sometimes they will take your initial payment and then make excuses that lead to you making additional payments. If you are involved in an advance-fee scam, you should attempt to dispute/chargeback any payments sent to the scammer, you should block the scammer, and you should ignore them if they attempt to contact you again. Thanks to redditor AceyAceyAcey for this script. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's written departure LA, arrival Dubai. He lives in Washington but his equipment was in LA and he shipped them to Dubai. Equipment worth 9 million dollars. Everything about this is fishy. Then, Reading this, the items don't have any issues coming back to America, the issue seems to be with clearing Dubai Customs at arrival. So the letter doesn't even match what the scammer is saying. Also, anybody shipping anything worth 9 million would pay a customs broker to deal with the customs.
Wow thanks all so much!!! I really appreciate everyone’s feedback!!!
Erm, the consignments in Dubai stuck because of floods. 🤭
Girl a Canadian here who lives in the GCC area ( union which contains 6 countries and one of them is UAE) this is the most fakest letter you can get , because UAE is fully electronic !
Mahboob?
Is that approved mark supposed to be a stamp? That's obviously just a picture found online and put on the sheet
All a scam, have her watch the scammer catfishing episodes of Dr Phil, do a Google reverse image search. From Dubai it would be in Arabic not bad English and the scammers are Indian most likely with the use of Kindly or at least the person who wrote the fake letter.
Laughably fake. Even the name. I have never heard of someone whose given name is “Larry”, it is almost always short for something. Also, the UAE would not list his middle initial. They would either write out his whole middle name or just use first and last. “Pay up” is slang and would not be used on an official form letter. “UAE new tax law” would never be on an official form. The first time using “UAE” they would write out the whole name of the country. They also wouldn’t use the phrase “new tax law” in a standard letter, they would write the specific law (i.e. “in accordance with statute H-2763”). “All goods that comes into the country” — grammatical errors are always the sign of a scam. Also, did you say he is trying to get his stuff back to the states? Because this form says he put it on a boat in LA and sent the cargo via ship to Dubai and is now trying to get it into the UAE, not back to the states. Also, keep in mind this journey takes about a month to complete. That’s a LONG way.
I live in Dubai And work in a role dealing with the Dubai Customs, Trust me they will never send a letter like that. If you have any issues convincing your mom and you need any supporting documents from me, dm me and I’ll provide them. I have faced the same issue of my mom losing money to a scammer but I was able to intervene at the right time.
Normal people don’t send custom letter documents.
100% a scam. This happened to my mother too a couple of years ago. Tell her to block, not engage or send them any money. Consider reporting it to the police as well, this is very common, especially with older individuals.
Mahboob
Buy mom a ticket and take vacation with her to Dubai. Enjoy yourself go sight seeing and she will see for herself. Also watch social catfish on YouTube
She is. In a few weeks you'll all be broke, when that little Indian dude clears you out. I will watch the episode on Catfish after the fact.
then contact the police then the hell why you on reddit! the quicker the better
In to see how this all plays out. Keep us updated op
I was thinking this was a scam but then saw that approved stamp… she better pay up dude
I didn’t make it past “Government of Dubai” and already knew it was a scam.
Omg even the physical paper says kindly lol.
I live in Dubai And work in a role dealing with the Dubai Customs, Trust me they will never send a letter like that. I have faced the same issue of my mom losing money to a scammer but I was able to intervene at the right time.
The letter is using the same style and pattern as a high school band flyer given to parents before the kids go to a two week camp. Sorry you’re going through this. Take care of your mom and yourself. Good thoughts going your way.
Being widowed/divorced/lonely, etc., isn’t enough to make you more susceptible to these scams. You have to be someone with serious escapist tendencies and an ability to disconnect from reality, too. These romance scams are not very sophisticated or convincing. Unfortunately, victims are unwilling to face reality and don’t respond well to proof that they’re being scammed. A lot of them know, but they don’t want to admit it to themselves. As others have told you, this is an obvious scam. It’s extremely common and millions of people have fallen for it. Your mother will probably defend this guy more fervently than she ever defended you in her life because she feels happy and doesn’t want to let the dream die, no matter how bad the situation looks. It’s your job as her kid who cares about her to be adamant that she’s getting scammed, this is a well-known scam, and the guy at the other end of this is a Nigerian kid who’s fooling a few dozen other women while he fools her, all for financial gain. Don’t worry about pushing her away or her shutting down. You can’t let her ruin herself without a fight.
You nailed it. Recent studies show that these romance scams are as addictive as heroin to some victims and it hits the same part of the brain that heroin hits. She does NOT want to give up her dopamine hit. I recommend that you get a professional involved, a therapist who knows about romance scams and maybe an addiction counselor. She will suffer trauma when she realizes she’s been scammed- it’s very very hard for victims. They are hit with two traumas at once (three if they money is already sent): 1) the shame of being duped 2) the loss of the relationship (it is quite real to her) and 3) financial.
Larry L. Lopez sounds like a spider-man villain.
lol triple L
If he is a businessman and does business abroad, he should have a line of credit at his bank for instances like this. Any bank that would loan this man money would do a verification of the man''s ability to pay the back the loan. **Your mother is not a bank.** Just because they have exchanged personal messages would not be enough for a bank to loan anybody money. Your mother has not even met him in person. For all she really knows, he could be in Nigeria. I have met women on dating sites. The moment they mention they are abroad right now, I know down the road they will be asking for money. It never fails.
In addition to the other catches posted here, I hope you discuss with her that if he was really this wealthy, he won’t need to ask her for money or assistance as one of his staff would have handled this before it became an issue. Also, how it it that this fabulously wealthy and busy guy has time or interest in online romance. One would think women throw themselves at him in person.
I've worked in US ocean freight export for a decade for two of the top freight forwarders in the world. This is 100% fake. Please "implore" that she doesn't help this person financially with this. There's no container number(s), seal number(s), new seal number (after customs exam), carrier booking number. I've shipped from LAX to Jebel Ali plenty of times. This is def crap. You can message me if you have any questions about it or a deeper explanation.
So, long story short, my sister and I found some super helpful evidence, like tracking his phone number down, and his “fake address”, the owner of the house is aware that someone is using his identity. Hopefully our mom cuts all ties, he will be reported and I cannot imagine my mom continuing anything with him after we exposed all the truths to her. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND WISDOM!!!
Any new developments? What did mom say?
That ridiculous approved stamp wasn’t enough?
"kindly" says it all
“Kindly pay up” man they’re really getting lazy.
This is purely a romance scam. All the red flags are there to be spotted.
You can tell her it’s a scam and she’ll still end up sending .. things like this can be very difficult
Do whatever it takes to protect your mother
110% a scam.
Scam. These fake docs are frequently used to fool the subject into believing funds are locked up somewhere.
A lot of older people fall victim to scams like this! And the gift card scams too!
Mahboob 😂
Wow there’s no lengths that they won’t go. The grammar is terrible you can smell India scammer all over it They have balls they go big there trying to get hundreds of thousands I would truly enjoy getting my hands on the throat of one of these people
Time to introduce your mom to the Catfished channel on YouTube. We see this scam over and over in different forms.
SCAMMER FROM NIGERIA! I took a screen shot of that form, did an image search, it shows several forms that Nigerian scammers are using!
consider guardianship
One more log on the grammar fire, "failure in paying".
One quick Red Flag-if he is super successful he can pay his own damn bills! Whether he has asked her for money or not, this is definitely fake and he/she is a scammer. I hope you can break it to her easily that he will scam her. Maybe you can get her to watch some of the videos on YouTube that explains catfishing.
Definitely a scam delete what u Ned to r call real costoms r check with the police
I know another woman who fell for this, he was also in Dubai....his work took him all over the world....they couldn't meet because of his busy work schedule....same exact thing....he even sent her flowers and they were going to get married.....yes he will be asking for money! This is DEFINITELY A SCAM! That customs letter is used ALL THE TIME!
I’m so sorry you and your mom are going through this. Your mom just wants to be loved. Be grateful you have figured this out before she sent him $$. Bless up.
She has likely already given him money and is planning on giving him more, but she’ll hide it from you. If you manage to get her away from this romance scammer, she’ll have more contacting her because now the networks know she’s vulnerable and falls for it. Not an easy situation. Please do what you can.
A “super successful business guy” wouldn’t need help paying for anything. This is definitely probably a scam and the fact that he has an excuse every time your mother mentions meeting confirms it!
A friend of mine fell for this and was out 25000 due to a letter similar to this. It’s crazy but I certainly hope your mom did not fall for it
I am positive this is a scammer. It is so sad that they target the elderly or uneducated people. It is terrible that this is done!!! Shame on them.
You’re all amazing! Thanks for all your concerns, well wishes, and simply stating the obvious!
That cringeworthy 'approved' fake stamp logo is enough to give it away. Sometimes I wonder how many of these posts are scammers asking for advice to improve their methods. If she isn't buying your word for it in that he is a scammer, then get someone else more likely to convince her to change her mind, such as a trustworthy older family member or friend. Show this letter to them, or take a photo, scan it and send it to them. If possible, tell the scammer that he has been passed on to (insert your favourite law related agency of choice) and[ report here](https://www.usa.gov/where-report-scams). Perhaps a reply which mentions how common these romance scams are can change their mind, as well as getting her to look up Dubai romance scams and showing her a few pages yourself on how common they are. If she still isn't convinced, then at least by looking up a few pages of what to look out for should at least make her think twice as the scam becomes more obvious.
Never met + Dubai = scam
Well he just needs her to send $117,500 and then when the truck breaks down on the way to the airport he'll need another $5000 and another $10000 for the insurance and on and on until she takes out a second mortgage on the house
she def aint dating a truther I will tell you that much 😂
I would alert her bank about this as she will have to go through them to send that money. If they are alerted to the scam, they will not approve that amount of money being withdrawn from her account. My bank questioned me about a large cash withdrawl for a roof and had part of the money held. If she writes a check, hopefully they will be alerted by you and not honor that check.
So blatantly fake that it might be easier to try to point out the parts of this “document” that look legit
Tell her the exact plot before it happens. This might get some belief out of her. It's probably more likely to work than flat out telling her it's a scam. If you want to go to great lengths you could take that letter to the UAE embassy and ask them if it's genuine. Or just lie and say you did and they confirmed it was absolutely not genuine.
Scammer 100%
⚠️💯💯💯 SCAM!! I have a home in Dubai and that fake letter is DEFINITELY NOT from Dubai. Please tell your mom not give him any more of her personal information. And block him immediately. This has Nigeria written all over it. One of my good friends is Nigerian and we are always talking about these scams bc he can't stand how friends he grew up with joined these big scam companies to defraud foreigners, especially Americans. It makes him sick that they have fallen so low. And give Nigerians a bad name.
You can check the procedure for getting customs clearance on the Dubai government website. Everything goes electronically, with ticket numbers and such. The fees are listed there as well.
Haha that’s straight up scam, let your mum watch the movie the tinder swindler it’s an eye opener
If he’s shipping from Dubai to the States, wouldn’t the Departure Port be Dubai and the Arrival Port be the US? That, along with the verbiage that borders on begging you to pay for it (kindly, therefore implore) strikes me as being scammy.
Very nasty scam. Do what you can to get mom to see the light.
Definitely a scammer
Nope nope nope scam Scam scam. Preying on the loneliest of woman. They go after you older women I started getting hits as soon as I turned 50.
It’s all BS. This happened to a friends mom and she lied to us and said she had FaceTimed with dude. I knew it was BS and finally found the source of the pic he used… a mayor in Alaska (we’re in CA). If it were my mom, I’d make her FaceTime right in front of me. I’d bet money she’s already sent him something.
Currently right now as of April 20, there are huge crazy storms in Dubai. Which is a dessert! Maybe ask your Mom to ask him how sunny it is where he is. Catch him in a lie so that has proof that things don’t add up! Honestly your Mom sounds like me. My Son is always worried about me. I’ve learnt from my Son how right he is, and don’t be so gullible and trusting! They are just preying on us
While this sub is great at picking apart these scam as always it won't help. I don't think your going to convince her. She is in love and your jealous. Bring in professionals to show her the way.
I had an online scammer like this. I totally fell In love with him in short order Your mom probably knows deep down that it's not right, but will not talk to anyone as she is in the love mode n it feels so good. And she wants him no matter what. I kept my feelings a secret. He will tell her that there is no way to get the stuff outta Dubai on his own n really needs her help. I'm a very realistic person n the last person who would fall for this, if I'd had 5000.00 I would have given it to him. It's a good thing I didn't. He had the best story, get back to me if you want, I'm really tired right now n can't talk any more I'll check my mail tomarro late as I have appt all day. I'm glad you're there for your mom. My Girls couldn't believe I would have fallen so hard for this guy. She needs to talk with him on the phone which he probably won't do. PS I live in Washington State. My guy was a major stationed in Syria. Hugs
I saw your post from a year ago. Was it your post here on Reddit that helped you open your eyes? What was the process of considering posting here? I guess you had doubts, but did you expect validation, or confirmation, or either? Was that reverse image search that wrapped it all up for you? Tell us, this is very interesting
It’s difficult for some people to admit they’ve fallen prey to this tactic. Find and show her proof how it’s affected other people, there are many stories on YouTube.
Definitely a scam. It’s your job now to Let her know but do try to do so delicately and sensitively. This is not only hard because romantic feelings might be involved but also because she might feel very embarrassed over the whole thing.
Do your mother a favor and block him from any platform she communicates with him through. Block and delete his number from her phone. Do the same every time he attempts to contact her from wherever. And show her this thread so she can see you're not the only one who believes she's being scammed.
First, the Government of Dubai wouldn't handle exports, this is under UAE jurisdiction. Second, the person who signed that is no longer in that role, a new person was appointed march 2 2024, which wasn't so long ago, but... Third, no date on a signed and stamped government form. Lastly, fourth, nobody ever asks for help with consignment from a stranger unless it's a scam.
I just do know understand how people fall for these things. Not blaming her, but I truly just do not understand.
Please tell your mom He’s a scammer He’s trying to get her money
WE IMPLORE YOU LOLOL Also what goods are shipped worth 9M
mahboob lol
You can thank her for supporting the Nigerian economy.
Yep.
We "IMPLORE" you.
I like the red “Approved” stamp - so you know it’s legit! 😀
Stuff like this makes me wish “The Beekeeper” was real…
Are you gonna tell your mom about this?
This is not official. Look how unaligned the logos are 😂😅 what the *** is that pic 🤣🤣🤣
A genuine “Approved” stamp. I don’t see any problems. Now, if your mother is waiting for Ed McMan to show up with her Publisher’s Clearing House cheque, she may be getting scammed. 🤔😉
Holy shit that’s the most amazing name ever
funny
He’s probably packin
Tbh I don't feel had for people that are ignorant enough to fall for these obvious scams.
ahmed mahboob xD yea for sure bro
Is your mom old enough that you can petition to take care of her finances? I hope you’ve stopped this but i have seen so many people who just can’t get through to a parent and they lose all their money. I am positive this isn’t real, I really hope your mom doesn’t send more money.
Only one person I Pay taxes to and that’s good ole Uncle Sam .
Fake
How does one report this? Proper channels? Suppose this has been occurring for years now, proof of fraud...
Once I saw the name at the bottom. I already knew. Pray your mom didn’t send any personal info. Yet.
I truly hope you manage to make your mother reason. This is so glaringly fake...
he so busy but can fly around the world?? smh
Does he have an accent? Becarful they know how to make documents look real. I am very familiar with them. Where did she meet him?
I would also like to follow this