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Sunday, February 24, 2008

Svet Sunday: How They Tried to Con my Uncle!

Hello,

Today I want to tell you a little bit about my Uncle! Really, I could a lot about him: he is a PhD in Geophysics, he use to travel a lot, he read a lot, he wrote several books and he is a very interesting person. Because of him I write you my stories in English now because one day he told me that every person who considers himself as well educated must know at least one foreign language. And since I respected my Uncle a lot I started to study English again... already after University! But that is another story which I might tell you in the future. Today I'll tell another story about my Uncle.

Right now my Uncle is a 75 year old gentleman who has rather big heart problems, he had surgery done and now he gets a heart treatment/therapy. Recently I've visited him at home and he was in good mood and told me this story.....

Once at 4 pm, my Uncle got a call. He was told that they called him from his clinic and that he got a grant for 800,000 rubles [$32,000] from Moscow Government to treat his heart illness in a special medical center. So they said, right now he needs to call to the center and tell them number of his grant (several digits and letters what they told him) and that yes, he wants to take part in this program.

Uncle was very interested in it and called them immediately like he was told. A young lady on the other end of line spent some time looking for information about my Uncle's "grant" and she found it (Surprise, surprise!), she asked my Uncle not to engage his phone line because a doctor from this center will call him soon. In 10 minutes a man called him and told that he is Doctor Blagonravov and he wants to discuss my Uncle's heart problems. Uncle started to tell about his health, but when this "doctor" told that blood pressure 160 is not much, my Uncle got his first warning...

Than the "doctor" changed theme rapidly and told that a man would visit my Uncle tonight and my Uncle would sign papers. All he needs to have is ID documents and 17,000 rubles. My Uncle just asked, "Do I have to give money to a person whom I never seen before?" This "doctor" told that the money must be paid today before 6 pm, and if my Uncle does not want to pay a courier he needs to go some address that was given to him by this Doctor. My uncle looked at the clock and told the Doctor "Ok, I will be on time!" He hung up and call 02 Militsiya.

Militsiya arrived pretty soon they wrote down all this story and thanked my Uncle. My uncle thanked them and asked them not to bother him, because he is an ill person and he needs peace and quiet and he did his civic duty!

Of course, it would be cute if he told these con-artists that they can come and then call militsiya and militsiya could catch them. But it could be too nervous for him...

So I just want to tell everyone & my Uncle, that I am very proud of him and admire him very much!

Best wishes for everyone and please be healthy, to be ill is to expensive in any country ;).

Do you have a con artist story?

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10 Comments!:

Eileen said...

Oh my, how brazen to try to trick a person in the hospital like that. Sounds similar to those schemes out of Nigeria, as I recall. Maybe you have received one of those hoax letters over the years, promising access to great funds of some sort. All a person has to do is sign a bunch of papers, give their bank account number and pay some money up front. But glad your uncle is not easily fooled. Would love to know *what happened next* between your uncle and the *doctors.* Eileen in Rostov

Kyle & Svet Keeton said...

Hi, Eileen!

Thanks God my Uncle is not in hospital and I visited him at his home...

Would love to know *what happened next* between your uncle and the *doctors.* - I don't think it will be something *between them* in the future. That was just a group of con artists who tried to push on my Uncle and make him to pay some money - their main point was that money must be paid during an hour - don't let the victim have time to think about the situation [only once only now!]. But we'll see, my Uncle let us know ;).

Thank you for stopping by and
best wishes
Svet and Kyle

Ludmila said...

There's smth similar here. They call to old people (these guys can be persuasive) and say that their son or close relative has provoked a car accident and is at a police station. And he/she needs money to be released on bail. They often set the venue, take the money and, as you can guess, never appear at the same place. In the end, the relative is innocent but the elderly person has lost his/her money.
Another story how people can be conned.

My regards,
Ludmila

Roberto said...

Hi Svetlana,

Bravo!! for your uncle! Very smart gentleman. Please keep us up to date if the police caught up with these criminals. And, yes, being sick is too expensive in any country.

BTW I left a note of appreciation for all your help in our blog. Thanks so much.

Best regards,

C. Roberto Reid
http://thesilverpeoplechronicle.blogspot.com/

Kyle & Svet Keeton said...

Hi, Ludmila!

Thank you for your comment! The same con trick is here also! And I even remember a note from Security Department of our bank where they told about this trick and warned people not to fall for it.

I just remembered almost "innocent" trick when you get an sms with request to put money on this phone account. This sms is in very friendly tone, person address to you like you know her or him already 100 years and sign like Lena or Sergey (popular Russian names). Some of my friend got such sms. I still wonder if someone sends money on it?

Best wishes,
Svetlana and Kyle

Kyle & Svet Keeton said...

Hi, Roberto!

We are always so glad when you are stopping by! Yes, we will tell all new information about this case when we get it!

Thank you very much for your notice it was so kind of you!

Best wishes,
Svetlana and Kyle

Naomi said...

That's terrible about your Uncle Svetlana. Conmen like that are amongst the lowest of the low, especially picking on an elderly gentleman in hospital like that. There are so many scams here, it's untrue. I get scam e-mails all the time saying I've won lotteries or promising transfer of funds in return for bank details. I hope the police caught up with those criminals and they got what they deserve. At least your poor Uncle had the good sense not to be taken in by them. Hope he is ok and enjoying better health now. Unfortunately being sick is expensive the world over. We have the National Health Service here in England, which gives free treatment but many people end up going privately and spending a lot of money on operations due to long waiting lists. Best wishes to you and Kyle.

Kyle & Svet Keeton said...

Hi, Naomi!

Thank you for stopping by!

I hope the police caught up with those criminals and they got what they deserve. Yes, if they will be caught, punishment will be serious: years in prison. I hope they will be caught.

As for scam emails we get a few of them a week and have already a big collection. That's strange that some people in Russia still can believe in it. Once a friend of mine asked us to translate such letter for her friend. She was very serious about to contact them and get "the prize" . I tried to assure her that it was a scam. And it looks like I succeed it by showing her information in one Russian forum where people tell what is happening after you replay such scam email.

We have the National Health Service here in England, which gives free treatment but many people end up going privately and spending a lot of money on operations due to long waiting lists. We have the same here.

Best wishes,
Svet and Kyle

Barrett Laurie said...

Kyle and Svetlana,
Svet great post. Your English is very good. I am trying to master a foreign language now, French. I started in high school and have decided I want to be fluent. I think that communication is one of the most powerful tools in the world and I think your uncle was a wise mine for believeing in this philosophy.
I am SO sorry to hear this happened to your uncle! I can't believe or understand how people can be so cruel as to prey on the elderly and ailing. It looks like he outsmarted the con and I think that is GREAT! I agree with the others, I hope these people were caught and tried. Great post! I hope your uncle is doing well! I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

Kyle & Svet Keeton said...

Hello, Barrett

Thank You,

Svet