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A guy contacted me regarding a business that I have. He never told me what he did for a living. I have never met him but he told me his wife died and he wants to support a young woman like me and help with all my bills. He gave me his bank account and routing number and full name, which I used to pay some utility, phone, and credit card bills and they all went through. I read a similar story and now I’m thinking it’s suspect because I’m not sure where his money comes from.

I’m so stupid for using the information to pay my bills because i now realized it could be dirty money! He wants me to use my credit card to go buy “gift cards for his clients” because it’s good for his business. Please someone help me, what do I do? The payments already went though on my credit cards but I want to return it all. I don’t want to go to jail please help.

The thing is he made me trust him, he acts like he cares about me and wants to take care of me. I just thought he wanted “someone to be there for him” but I don’t know what he wants or what he’s doing. How do I return the money? Please help!

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    He wants me to use my credit card to go buy SCAM SCAM SCAM !! Stop interacting with him immediately and don't divulge any of your personal information to him.
    – DumbCoder
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 8:53
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    Duplicate of "sugar daddy want's to scam me".
    – SZCZERZO KŁY
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 9:10
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    Ok but I mean the payments that already went through do I go to the police, a lawyer or what.
    – Guadalupe Castillo
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 9:49
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    P.T. Barnum’s most famous words: “There’s a xxxxxx born every minute." How can so many people not understand that strangers don't give away money for no good reason?
    – Bob Baerker
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 12:50
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    @GuadalupeCastillo Talk to a lawyer before you talk to the police. Ask him how to proceed. Oh, and stop talking to the scammer. Don't confront him or ask for explanations - whatever he says will be BS anyway. Just stop talking to him. Keep any emails/texts you have though, in case the lawyer wants to see them.
    – Steve-O
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 13:57

1 Answer 1

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Up to the point where he wants you to pay for things everything is highly unusual but not illegal in any way.

Then comes the point where he asks you to pay. Which you already did. If you still have the gift cards and didn't tell their numbers to anyone, then you haven't lost anything yet, you just bought gift cards. If you sent him the gift cards, or you told him the number on the card, then your money is gone.

Now there are two possibilities: Either it is a scam where he paid with bad money and you gave him back something paid with good money. If the bank account wasn't his, then this will be found eventually and the bank will take that money back, and you may have some explaining to do because you took money from some innocent person's bank account. Or it is money laundering; the money is real but he used you to remove traces of it. You might be in trouble for helping with money laundering, or nothing might happen.

You should probably go to a lawyer who will advise you whether it's best to do nothing, or to go to the bank and tell them about your suspicion that the bank account might not be real, or to the police. It will not help you financially, but will help you avoid any charges.

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  • Ok another thing, when I linked his bank account to my PayPal it said to many PayPal’s are linked to the account. He also told me that a lot of girls would pay their debt and leave him. So it all sounded legit from then on. What do you think of this? Also he gave me his checking account and savings is this also usual?
    – Guadalupe Castillo
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 9:00
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    @GuadalupeCastillo: Contact Paypal and have them deal with it. Your goal is to cut all ties to the scammer, as fast as possible.
    – MSalters
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 11:54
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    @GuadalupeCastillo You were deceived, and every element of every part of your interactions with this person are suspect. It doesn't matter if you know what the scam is, specifically, because the scammer knows and that's enough. There is no real point to examining the details of this situation-- it's all bad, none of it is trustworthy, and the only safe move is to get away from this person.
    – Upper_Case
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 18:19
  • Anyone know the odds of the police coming to my door I’ve been pretty paranoid?!?
    – Guadalupe Castillo
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 20:53
  • Everyone keep in mind I can’t afford to talk to a lawyer I’m literally just trying to give the money back which would be the easiest way
    – Guadalupe Castillo
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 22:06

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