Big Al's background...

I've never been scammed unless you count the $45.00 I sent to an Ebay seller and never got the videogames. I sold a Budweiser beer stein on Ebay and the guy sent it back saying it was chipped. I took it back and it wasn't the same stein I sent. Through the years there has been a few things though. My wife got a phone call one time from a guy who claimed to be from the IRS and we were supposed to get a $1,000.00 tax refund. I didn't give them any info and one of the lines I remember hearing was "Your about to lose out on the biggest thing that's ever happened to you.". I remember the first 419 E-mail I received was from a scammer named "Rosa Fuma". I have to admit there was a period of time I was thinking "Wow! I could make some serious cash if I help Her."

December 2011 I was thinking about a woman who was scammed and was curious if anyone ever did anything about them. I first found a website called "Scam-O-Rama". After reading some of the stories there I somehow ended up on 419Eater.

Getting back to the scammed friend:
A friend of my now Ex-wife was newly married and as far as I knew happily so. She met a scammer who was supposedly in the UK. She ended up getting a divorce, packing everything she owned into a container, and sending it to her new love. Somewhere in the mix the scammer sent her a box to forward to someone. Within a week (I think) she was being arrested for dealing in stolen Credit Cards by the FBI. Her world crumbled and one night she got really drunk and got in her car and just started driving. She made it about 100 miles before getting pulled over and arrested for drunk driving. She stated her intention was to drive until she crashed and died.

She's alive today so far as I know. I haven't heard from her since the divorce. I've heard one of the conditions of the FBI dropping the charges on her was to not touch a computer for 5 years but that's here-say.

Addendum:
She is alive and has been sucked into other scams since.
We refer to such people as VFL's
"Victim's for life"

Addendum 5/15/22.

Began doing Victim warning and support in 2016.
Never thought I'd be doing that but there was a need for someone to do it.

Welcome to the forum Al!! It is good to see you here!!

Thanks for joining us here and telling your story, Big Al.
I'm sure that your scambaiting knowledge and activities will be helpful to the members here.

I see this thread has been read over 100 times. I truly hope if you are a victim that you get help from the people here. They stand ready to help anyone who needs it. The best place to get live help (Right now) is through the chatroom link at the top of this page. You can sign in anonymously and no-one will ask for anything except how they can help you. This site is about helping victims.

Hi Big Al,
Glad to see you here, and also to read your posts. It means alot to people who have been hurt to know others are here to listen and give hope.
We all need hope in our lives and this site just demonstrates it more and more everyday. Keep your posts coming, they are great to read.
RF

Ha! Turns out my SServersary is today (4-27-13)!!

Of course I never was a victim so a true "Scam Survivor" I'm not. A "Good Ole Boy" in the service of others is a title I'll gladly wear though. The good people in the world vastly outnumber the dirtbags. It has been my pleasure to serve this small but active community. I go forward into my second year here at SS knowing I've helped a multitude of anonymous people. I've met some pretty awesome people too. People like Slappy, & Wayne (And many others) who have been there and done that and are still here to help those who quite frankly do not know the best way to help themselves. They come here in Misery and the people here give them a plan to recover their otherwise normal lives.

Tally-ho my Friends!!!!

I've vermin to report.........

Happy SSeerversary to you too, Big Al! Have a great one.

Happy - we need a name for this now don't we? Survivorversity? Rebithday?

Congratulations Big Al ---- enjoy your SSeerversary ---- including your "and that will be 2 cents please.

Keep up your hard work, glad you are on the site with the rest of us.

RF