Hi Everyone,

I am new to this site. I have just recently encountered my first on line scammer. I met him on Match.com and of course he was charming and very believable for the first few weeks. I found him to be just the sweetest guy that was what my mother would have said almost to good to be true. That was my first flag. I checked out his name in Orlando which is where he said he was from and there was a Richard Cirsalli in Orlando. Then he told me after a few weeks that he was out of town on business and that he was in Nigeria. He told me he was self employed in petrolium refinary. That was flag number two. Then when I got an email about how he was mugged because he was the only US citizen but yet he stayed to finish his business that was flag number three. He was going to come home early so he could spend Easter weekend with me and transferred him ticket to Business class which he said he paid some crazy amount of money for and sent me the itinerary for the flight and I was to pick him up at the airport. Then he asked me to send him $670 till he got home and then he would give me the money back when he could get to his account. I actually considered it but when I spoke with western union they talked me out of it without doing a little bit of thinking.

That is where I found the web sites that told me about the serious problems with Nigeria and the scams that go on there, the amount of love scams, and all of the other crazy scams that go on via the web. I guess I have been living in a sheltered world. I found Richard on the love scam website but the picture he gave me was different than the one that was on there. Some of the information was also different but some was the same. I declinded sending him money. He was mad at first but then he apologized for ever asking me. Then he asked again and again. He then asked if I would cash a check for him. I said no and told him that I was tired of having the same conversation over and over again. I told him that when he came home (if he came home which I never thought would happen) he could contact me then. He asked me to at least hold the check then for him since it was already sent and on the way to me. I said yeah sure.

I really thought that was part of a way to keep the scam going. Then I received a UPS overnight envelope with a check made payable to me for over $4,500 delivered with no signature required. The check has a name that does not match the address and the bank does not match the bank address. I is stamped with a signature stamp.

So now what? If he really calls and wants to come get this check then what? I will not endorse this check. I will not cash this check. How do I know that he is or is not who he says he is? I fully believe he is a scammer but I would feel terrible if I was wrong. He has my address because he sent me flowers, candy and a teddie bear. What do you think? How do I handle this and what do I do with this check?

Owlbsure

__________________
OWLBSURE