African Internet Scam -- for Puppy: A New Twist on Old Crime
You ain't nobody until you get your first frantic e-mail from some hapless potentate begging you for funds and promising vast wealth in return. Just wire money to Africa, and ... hilarity ensues.
Yet a San Francisco man found a novel new way to fall victim to the African scam this week. And it involved a puppy.
The victim responded to an online ad for said pooch -- but saw fit to send his money to, yes, Africa, via Western Union. After his hard-earned payment was received, the other party in Africa then demanded more -- or else the dog would not be sent.
At this point, the would-be dog owner figured he "was being scammed," as the subsequent police writeup put it. Sending money for a dog to Africa was fair game. But after the "seller" asked for more -- cognition.
Western Union, incidentally, informed the man his money had been claimed. A San Francisco Police officer dutifully completed an incident report. No word on whether the victim was advised to write his next check to San Francisco's Department of Animal Care and Control.
Follow us on Twitter at @TheSnitchSF and @SFWeekly
Yet a San Francisco man found a novel new way to fall victim to the African scam this week. And it involved a puppy.
The victim responded to an online ad for said pooch -- but saw fit to send his money to, yes, Africa, via Western Union. After his hard-earned payment was received, the other party in Africa then demanded more -- or else the dog would not be sent.
At this point, the would-be dog owner figured he "was being scammed," as the subsequent police writeup put it. Sending money for a dog to Africa was fair game. But after the "seller" asked for more -- cognition.
Western Union, incidentally, informed the man his money had been claimed. A San Francisco Police officer dutifully completed an incident report. No word on whether the victim was advised to write his next check to San Francisco's Department of Animal Care and Control.
Follow us on Twitter at @TheSnitchSF and @SFWeekly
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