This is taken from my blog - since I don't want this to be seen as self promotion I won't say anymore about that but regardless this is my story.
This week I came into some knowledge that someone I had been messaging with on Facebook was really the face of a true con artist hiding under the guise of some stolen pictures of an actual person. Please read and share this information. If my sharing and yours can stop even one person from dealing with these criminals it will have been worth it. I apologize for the length but it is a story worth reading - trust me.
You may ask yourself how did this person become my friend in the first place? Well that is simple, with the setting I had (notice HAD) on Facebook, the friends of friends could see my posts and comment and when I went on to pages I subscribed to and posted something other people on that page could view my profile as well. Those setting are for friends only now and I will be spending some time this weekend paring down that list. With that in mind when I received a direct message from someone who was a member of a Facebook page that I subscribe to and post on and they had 30+ other people from that site as friends I accepted the request.
The conversation started out very causally - no red flags, no crazy statements - that would have gotten him blocked immediately. I inquired on some of his information as he indicated he was in the Army - 75th Rangers - Recon teams to be specific, stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan with the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) and he seemed to know his stuff or in retrospect he was just getting his information the same way I was ...Google.
A couple of times he also indicated there had been attacks on the compound and one morning indicated that they had been attacked again. As fate would have it there was actually a suicide bomber that attacked the ANSF (Afghan National Security Force) compound which is just down from the ISAF compound in Kabul that very morning killing several and it made international news. I don't want to imply that this person had inside knowledge to this, I don't know that and I really don't want to think that...I just think he got lucky - as it is not like suicide bombers/attempts in Afghanistan are an unusual news item...but to me this was a first had account from a solider on the ground and to me that was the all the proof I needed.
Have you ever been asked the question..."What is the best way to boil a frog?" I know it's a gross thought but the answer is telling - it is "SLOWLY". You place the frog in the pot of regular room temperature water, that way the temperature won't make him jump. Then heat slowly, this way he doesn't even know he is being boiled till it is too late...that is kind of how this all worked.
Like I said the conversation started out very casually, then slowly it became more romantic in nature. I will say it now there is a big difference between romantic and sexual and it did not go there, it was not even really overtly flirtatious in nature The best way to describe it would be that it was a practice in the art of seduction. Robert Greene, author of the book by that very name (The Art of Seduction) describes how the seducer can cast a spell, break down resistance, and ultimately, compel a target to surrender. It is an age-old con and to use a fishing metaphor...I fell for the bait - but thank GOD I did not swallow the hook.
So shortly after the attack he, and I say he instead of calling him Lt. Col. Oliver Miller because that is not who he is. You need to understand that person does not exist, it is a facade, anyway he indicated he wanted to send me a token of his affections via mail, just something small for me to have to know he was thinking of me. Yeah I took the bait. He had past my tests, no alarm bells were going off in my head and this is where I link it back to my new years resolution to say yes to new opportunities and tie that in with what I decided to give up for LENT...yeah I'll explain how this all fits together in a minute...final outcome I gave him my home mailing address.
Back to the New Years Resolution to say yes to new opportunities...it has been working so well so far that I thought sure, here is just another opportunity why not say yes...did I have any doubt, a small suspicion as he wouldn't tell me what he was sending but I would have that even from my family and closest friends as I am really not fond of surprises. Now add in Lent...instead of giving up things like cheese or wheat or eggs - can't eat those anyway - I decided I would give up doubt. When doubt crept into my mind I would acknowledge it and give it over to God...so that is what I did.
With address in hand, he soon thereafter indicated he was going out on a mission, couldn't say where, but I never actually would have asked him to. He indicated he was not sure how long he would be gone but that they were targeting the Taliban responsible for the attack on the compound. So 6 days later he returns to Facebook and announces that he has been shot, but just a graze, sends a few pictures of wounded soldiers and one of "himself" all dirty and dusty leaning against his pack. (la sigh - I am such a sucker - LOL)
I asked several questions about his injuries, where he was being treated etc. The answers were less than comforting in that they were overly vague and he indicated it was due to national security...which made me wonder... especially since I have seen news reports indicating soldiers being treated at Dawood hospital in Kabul, especially back when they were comparing the conditions to Auschwitz just last summer or the more critically wounded being transferred to Germany...anyway my spider senses were tweaked.
Then he lowered the boom. He indicated that while out on patrol he and his squad had come across a Taliban hideout with significant cash and unrefined gold which they decided to split between them instead of turning in...SERIOUSLY...I immediately felt sick...THIS IS A CON! I shook my head to myself at my openness to it all. I decided then that I needed to know for sure. When he indicated that I would be the only person he would trust to care for these funds till he could come get them...I agreed, yes he could trust me.
I then began Goggling the hell out of such schemes and found that it fit with the old-school Nigerian Prince/Princess scams also referred to as a 419 scam (which would include this type as well) that were going on via e-mail several years back. Then I waited, there was no mention for a few more days, just more sweetness and seduction...then Sunday morning I awoke to a message containing a waybill for a consignment package.
In researching the scheme I learned that these consignment packages often are apparently held up by customs and there is usually a fee of $180.00+ to release them. So when I got the waybill I then began searching on what to do with the information I had. Honestly until this point I still did not know the depth and breadth of this scam, I thought it was a one off. I was having a hell of a time trying to find anything telling me what to do next.
So I thought okay I am going to say a little prayer for some direction, and I did. I then typed Oliver Miller Scam into Google and the first thing that came up was "Romance Scam" and again felt ill at what I found. The picture wasn't the same but I continued on. I then said another little prayer and asked for concrete information on what to do, so I deleted the first name leaving "Miller Scam" as my search and went to click on Images but clicked on YouTube instead - THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS and there he was, front and center, the pics I have seen being presented as the face of the person I was falling for... and there too was the scam warning and the information on how to report to the FBI's cyber crime division.
This is the link to the YouTube Video:
http://youtu.be/8lVAl1BUdH4The sheer enormity of this deception, the calculated callousness of it hit me hard and I was immediately and unequivocally ANGRY!!! I then spent my Monday evening putting it all together in my incident report to the cyber crimes division and then waited for his next move. I knew the request for money would be coming next.
That is when it got truly ridiculous. The request came in, as the consignment box was "seized" in Malaysia but the cost for release was no mere $180.00 it was $24,550!!!! I giggled when I saw it and thought "Holy f*ck" who would pay that???? I would not have sent $20.00 let alone $24, 550!!!
I updated cyber crimes with this new information and while part of me wanted to just play with it, and burn his ass to the ground. I thought you know what, nothing I have said or done during this interaction is anything I regret and I want to keep it that way. So I told him I prayed on his request and this is the answer I got and I posted the YouTube video about the scam. I did not at that time block him as I wanted him to know that I knew! Once he saw it he immediately blocked me, but his profile is still active https:/ /www.face book.com/oliver.miller.7524 please feel free to report that profile as a scammer on my behalf.
I then posted to the Facebook page where we were both members and he has since been removed. I also joined the Facebook support group set up to identify these fake profiles and see that they are removed as a service to the real person Lt. Jeffrey Miller - US Army. I was shocked at the dozens and dozens of profiles identified on Facebook and many other sites all using these stolen pictures.
Then I thought I needed to do something proactive with this knowledge so I also posted it on my Facebook page admitting it all to my friends and family and asking that they share the information which I am asking you to do as well. The more people that see his pictures and hear the story of this scammer the less likely that he will be successful.
In my research I have learned that globally it is believed that these ROMANCE SCAMS are netting something like 9 million (yes $9,000,000) per month from women across the globe. Where do you think that $ goes? This is organized crime, this is the Taliban, this is Nigerian Warlords...this is not a victim-less crime, those targeted and the real person Lt. Jeffrey Miller are all unwittingly being used. And what do you think they are doing with the money most likely funding other things like terrorism, human trafficking drug trafficking This is what our men and women in uniform fight against, this is what we should all be fighting against. Please join this fight by sharing this information. Take a moment to think of all the things you share via e-mail and Facebook...This one could actually save someone some heartache and potentially even financial loss. I am willing to share my story - are you willing to share it as well?
(The sad thing is that I have had more than 40 hits in less than 12 hours and only 1 share - people just don't care to let other people know - but all the spam they forward is fine???)
Namaste
Amber
by Shadowcat68 » Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:13 am 
