Romance scam

I am so glad I came accross this site. Although I just registered, I know I am going to spend a lot of time reading all those stories which I know will be of great help, not only for me but also for others.
I was not sure for a long time if I had to do this, but finally I understand that there is no going back.

I was on the dating site Shtyle.fm. There I met a guy named Ben Gale. He is still on that site. His email is [email protected]
After several emails back and forth he told me he was in love with me, that he wanted to marry me etc.
Well, dummy me, I believed him. He even sent me a engagement and wedding ring picture via email and asked me to marry him. Of course being in love I accepted immediately and from there on my nightmare began. He was suppossedly director of Gale Diamonds Company and was going offshore to do a job. He would be 3 weeks away and after that he would come to my country to meet me and make plans for the wedding.
As soon as he was in New Jersey he sent me a "box" with the wedding rings, a camera and other stuff. The courier (Target Link Courier I never heard of it) will be delivering it into my country. But the box never arrived and I got an email from the courier company but in ECUADOR. That I have to pay this amount for insurance, and than they have scanned the box and it seems that there are money inside and I have to pay a fee so they give me a certificate that it was not money laundering. They scammed me out of a lot of money. I am still paying the loans.

But in the meantime, the 3 weeks became months. First, there was a storm and they could not finished the job, than there was delay because of the materials that have to be delivered, and suddenly his "son" got sick, he was in a comma and he had to return to England (first he told me his son was in Florida with his parent and suddenly he was in England). So, he needed money if I could help him out. Of course, I did, stupid me.
That was more than a year ago and in March this year I decided to finish this "relationship". After that I understood of another woman on the site that he also promised her a ring and wanted to meet her and take care of her and her daughter. Now I know I have been scammed but I know also that I won't fall for it again. I have learned my lesson.

Is there a chance I can post his picture?

Thank you for listening.

[AlanJones]

Hi,

Thanks for posting and I'm sorry to hear that you got scammed.

The instructions for posting pictures can be found here - viewtopic.php?f=28&t=3219

Would it also be possible for you to post the email address of the fake courier firm.

[AlanJones]

The OP has sent me some of the emails that she has received, which I am posting here with her permission.

First the initial email from the "Courier Company"

Target Link Courier and Cargo Services
4KM, amazon as 10 Augusto-Ya,
P.O Box 205
Quito Ecuador.

Tel: +94993648
Fax: +95660555

12th / 7 / 2010

Contact person is: James Freddy – email [email protected]

With reference to the delivery of your package, I wish to bring to your notice that your package has been
placed on hold by the Authority for some reasons which happened to violate the shipping policies. As the
goods were
brought on transit point Quito Ecuador, at the transit check point, the Authority detected that currency
were included in your package.

Thereby, certain commissions must be paid as a duty via us which is for the immediate clearance of your
package .For the main time refer on the “status" of your package during tracking, this is in accordance to
the
mode of operations in the Courier sector for financial delivery. We have already taken order number for
this package from the Authority.

You are required to follow all instructions giving to you to facilitate the release of your package. To do
this, you are required to pay therequired Charges listed below for the immediate release of your package.

Upon Confirmation of payment, your package will be delivered to your destination address under some
hours from the time we confirm your payment.

Outstanding Charges:

Administrative: $9,00

Clearance: $3,00
TOTAL: $1,200

A total of $1,200 (one thousand two hundred United State Dollars Only) has been charge. In
acknowledgment to this email, account details shall be provided to you for the payment as stated above
for the release of your package.

Thank you, as i hope i have made my self clear to you by this notice as directed by the management.

Thank you for using Target Link Courier and Cargo Services packages and for your business needs.

For more enquirers

Tel: +95660555
Fax: +94993648

Present your order number when calling so that we can honor your calls.
We are glad to be at your service.

Yours Faithfully.

Mr. James Freddy.
South America Regional Co-coordinator
Target Link Courier and Cargo Services.
Tel: +95660555
Fax: +94993648

Another phone number that the scammer used to contact her is +59 384874596

She also had contact from someone claiming to be The Super Director of inland revenue authority called Dr Mike Kay Solomon and his email is [email protected]

This is the contact details of the courier firm in Malaysia, who told the OP that the package had been shipped there

Mrs Nurlinda Abdullah
Operational Manager

Target Link Courier Services
Malaysia.

[email protected]

These are the contact details that she had for Ben Gale

185 Nightingale Vale
SE184EW London
United Kingdom

Birthday: October 10, 1967

Mobile: +44 7031802633

To send him SMS: +44 7539580075

He used to have this one in the States: +1 7863295450

Welcome to Scamwarners, nodummyanymore!

I'm so sorry that you were scammed by this piece of sh*t scammer, using the name of Ben Gale and the email address - [email protected]. Thank-you for the valuable information that you've posted for other potential victims to find.
It sounds like you're well on your way to healing from this awful experience. I wish you the best as you continue on your forward journey.

Thank you Alan and Helen,
Indeed I am on my way of healing.
However, I will be posting more information in a few days and I am telling you, they are valuable information. I do have a lot of emails, I mean a lot but I am going to pick out a few together with other proofs so other innocent people won't be scammed anymore.
God have mercy on their souls.
I admire this site and I am happy to be part of it.
Keep doing the good job and God bless you all

wow, everytime it's a different story with these scammers. I would have fallen for it myself, because you expect them to be on a mission in Africa, but this guy actually forwards it through Ecuador supposedly.

Sly bastards!

@ anniegotscammed
Indeed he did it through Ecuador. Worst of all, made me go to Ecuador because the "package" was sent to me and I was the only one who can receive it. I was told that the IRS there was going to help and no money needed. Well, when I arrived there first thing the "government agent" did was asked me $ 500.
I almost hit the roof.
I think with my story I'm going to write a book, with all the love emails that I got and what I went through I'm sure it will be a bestseller.
I don't have enough words to thank all the people of this site for their support, encouregement but especially for all the warnings,
God bless you all