Before I start take a look at the following link:
http://www.internet-love-scams.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17761&highlight=webcam
As you can see it's a widespread scam carried out over many months always involving a PAYPAL agreement. If you don't have an account, you are forced to create one.
I stupidly paid an amount of £300 quickly followed by an amount of £100. I didn't have time to read user agreements - I just wanted to ensure the threats weren't carried out.
I decided to try and stop these monies being paid and I thought that PAYPAL with all their security measures that they're so proud of on their website, would be more than willing to do this.
WRONG!
Here's the timescale:
Sep 6 - Scammed/Blackmailed/Conned/Swindled and my postal address given to criminals
Sep 7 - Raised a dispute (Marco)
Sep 9 - "Seller" e-mailed by PAYPAL
Sep 9 - "Seller" sent me a threatening e-mail and their address immediately blocked
Sep 22 - "Seller" e-mailed by PAYPAL
Sep 22 - Case closed
You can see from the above that I received no communication from PAYPAL during the investigation - despite assurances letters would be received.
Sep 30 - 90 minutes of phone calls to be told that only a supervisor can tell me details of the case as "it's now 7:50pm and nobody's here!" Callback promised on my MOBILE between 2-3pm the following day (Robbie, Michelle).
Sep 30 - E-mail sent to a compromised e-mail address despite requests not to be contacted electronically.
Sep 31 - Contacted PAYPAL to say callback hadn't been received. Phone call took another 30 mins. Was told that a callback time could not be offered and I would be called before 6:30pm that day on my MOBILE. Explained that I needed to go out and if I was driving, wouldn't be able to answer my MOBILE. Was assured that if that was the case, they'd call again once I'd had time to pull over.
Sep 31 - Call received on landline number and message left that I'd receive an e-mail (to my compromised e-mail address)
Sep 31 - Told that callbacks couldn't be made to MOBILE numbers and after another 45 mins was promised an immediate call back
Sep 31 - David (no surname given because he "didn't have to" called me on my MOBILE. Finally got my answer and yet more poor "customer service"
Here's the verdict:
By paying the blackmailer I agreed to a service, because I'd read the service agreement. The "seller" had done nothing wrong because I had paid for a "service" A follow-up e-mail would be sent to the "seller" which I could not be told about because of the Data Protection Act. Advised to go to the police - futile in these cases. The police are powerless to act and recommend contacting PAYPAL. PAYPAL, seemingly, are the only people who can retrieve my monies. Denied the name of David's (if that's his name) supervisor as "I'm the higest person here". Advised to contact PAYPAL online, because "PAYPAL is an online service. My computer's been hacked!!
I'm not giving up on this.
Why don't PAYPAL know about this scam?
Why aren't there procedures to stop these scams?
Why is there more communication with the scammer than the victim?
Why can't I discuss my account when I phone up the number that you're told to phone to discuss your account?
and the big question........
WHY DON'T PAYPAL MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO HOLD ONTO THEIR CUSTOMERS?
I certainly won't be using PAYPAL again!
Where do I go next? "David" refused to tell me. I'm not going to be ashamed of what I did. I made a mistake. I will share my story with anybody willing to listen to me.
PAYPAL and the blackmailers are the only people who should be ashamed.
