Remember the well-dress man wandering around downtown two weeks ago -- the police sent out a bank-camera photo of the man and said he was wanted it connection with an alleged larceny?
Police tell me the post on The Batavian led to numerous tips.
Yesterday, Yusuf A. Hassem a.k.a. Louis L. Reed, 69, of Buffalo was taken into custody and charged with one count of grand larceny.
It turns out Hassam allegedly ran a scam, convincing a local woman that he was recently arrived from Africa and didn't know what to do with $7,000 in cash he had on him. The woman suggested he open a checking account at Tonawanda Valley Credit Union.
Hassem reportedly told the woman he couldn't find an available teller and asked her to hold the $7,000 and handed her a folded handkerchief. It was later found that the handkerchief contained only cut-up newspaper.
And an envelope the woman had containing $2,000 was missing.
We're asking Det. Chuck Dudek for clarification on where the $2,000 came from and how Hassem was able to get his hands on it.
Hassem has two prior convictions for running con jobs.
After arraignment in City Court by Robert Balbick, Hassam was jailed without bail.
So, this is that guy from
So, this is that guy from Nigeria that has been sending me all those email pleas for help over the years. Huh.
I hope not coz I am waiting
I hope not coz I am waiting for my check. I am gonna buy Batavia.
I got this in e-mail one
I got this in e-mail one day.
My name is Mr. Joshua Williams, I am the Head of the International Remittance Department of this bank.
I have before me lists of funds which was recovered by the United Nation, as these Funds where identified either as Your Contract Inheritance Funds, and your name is found among the listed people of those expecting the funds to be transferred into their account.
On this note I have your file before me and hope your data's are correct and un-tampered, you are required to reconfirm immediately your Bank account and direct Fax number where the Transfer wire slip will be faxed to and you direct telephone number.
As it is my duty to recommend the transfer of these surplus funds to the reserve account and treasury of the Federal Government as unclaimed deposits, I have the opportunity to write you based on the instructions I received 2 days ago from the British Government to submit the list of payment reports/expenditures and audited reports of revenues.
If you wish to receive your fund, revert to me as soon as you have received this message and more directives will be given to you so we could meet the days given by the British Government to transfer and confirm payment of your fund into your bank account.
No third party is required in this.
Anticipating your quick response.
Yours in service.
Mr.Joshua Williams
MANAGER FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
Halifax Bank Plc. London UK
I then replied with this:
Dear Mr. Williams
This sounds terrific. I have been waiting for my inheritance for a decade.
If you could please send me your picture and address so we may discuss this in person I would I appreciate it.
Don't worry that I am in America. I will be able to afford the plane ticket to come to London especially since the inheritance I expect is in the area of 6.5 million dollars.
Could you please also send me the United Nations documents about this find.
Yours truly
Peter
He replied back saying to contact someone in the UK.
Dear Peter,
Please contact Mr. Arnold Hopkins on email arnold.halifaxbank@yahoo.co.uk for further directives he is the Director or Foreign Remittance Unit.
Regards,
Joshua Williams
He must be really dense not to see that I screwing with him.
When u reply to these they
When u reply to these they will keep contacting you. I have won or Inherited BILLIONS of dollars from all over the world. My favorite ones are when they mis spell many words and they end it with a professional title of sender.
Yup, same here. I've got an
Yup, same here. I've got an old email address that I rarely check anymore that has hundreds of those kinds of emails.
There's some sites around the
There's some sites around the web where people document their efforts at screwing with these people. Poker pro Paul Phillips (if you watch poker on TV, you've seen him) has a chain up where he actually got the con artist to send him a small about of gold and then show up at an airport some miles from his home waiting for Paul to arrive by plane from London. I'd google it all for you, but it should be findable ... and I've got stories to pursue and ads to chase.
Its not about helping people
Its not about helping people out its about greed. Thats how they get their suckers. I just learned a lesson with a little old lady that I helped and after four hours of intense labor i walked away with 21 bucks ! Now I understand why certification demands 20 bucks an hour. Technology is a wonderful thing but you cant take the greed out of people !
It will all come back to you
It will all come back to you some day Gabor. Karma goes both ways and you have very good karma. FYI - after we picked up the computer the other day my daughter said "he's nice" and she's a very good judge of character. Good things will happen to you for helping that woman out. Maybe you'll finally get your inheritance from Nigeria:)