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So I was talking to a guy online & then we exchanged numbers. After a while he said he had got me something as a gift & would like to post it, so I gave him my postal address After I gave it, he said that the gift was intact $30k USD! I said I cannot accept such a gift & he said no I deserve it, just donate 10% to a charitable organisation then keep the rest for myself What should I do? I don't want this money (if it comes) & aren't there laws regarding receiving such massive monetary gifts?!

JTP - Apologise to Monica
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Lauren_sw
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  • But I didn't give bank acc info, just my postal address? – Lauren_sw Jun 26 '19 at 18:06
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    Pick essentially any of the other scam questions then. A stranger wants to send you $X in a manner that's reversible, you will then send a fraction of $X to a third party in a manner that's not reversible. Eventually the first transfer will be reversed and you're personally liable for the second one. It's all the same scam with slight variation. Yes it's a scam (you already knew that) and scams/fraud is illegal (you knew that too). – quid Jun 26 '19 at 18:08
  • So could I just return the money if it arrives in a package & basically do nothing with it? Would that be most advisable? Therefore the initial action of sending money would be reversed – Lauren_sw Jun 26 '19 at 18:10
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    Most advisable is don't ever touch the money. IF you receive a check, tear it up. – quid Jun 26 '19 at 18:11
  • Do you know if there's an anti scam agency to report it to? & I'm not touching that money! I wouldn't have given my postal address if I had known it was money he was gonna send!! – Lauren_sw Jun 26 '19 at 18:13
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    Out of curiosity, did they give you a specific charity to send 10% to or merely ask you to donate it to any charity you liked? If it was a specific one it is likely a scam where they have you send it (to an org run by themselves) then the check you received will bounce after a delay and you will be out of the money you sent on. If they said to donate to any charity you like I am not sure what the scam could be... – Vality Jun 26 '19 at 18:44
  • So they just said any charity I would like to give 10% to – Lauren_sw Jun 26 '19 at 18:55
  • Also from the messages it sounds like it's cash not a cheque! – Lauren_sw Jun 26 '19 at 18:56
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    @Lauren_sw he is making it sound like it's cash, but it won't be. It will be a fake check or money order, or a delivery by a fake DHL driver who insists that you have to pay him the customs duties, or any other number of scams. – stannius Jun 26 '19 at 21:18
  • @stannius worse than being a fake cheque or money order etc. it might even be forged banknotes. That could get you into more trouble than most scams. If you use counterfeit USD banknotes in the US I believe that it is the secret service who deal with it... – MD-Tech Jun 27 '19 at 09:05
  • if the person is sending you cash this is a duplicate of https://money.stackexchange.com/questions/97535/someone-wants-to-send-me-cash-by-dhl-hows-this-scam-supposed-to-work – MD-Tech Jun 27 '19 at 09:21
  • Do you know if there's an anti scam agency to report it to? The federal government maintains a list of scam and fraud reporting tools here: https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds#item-35157 – dwizum Jun 27 '19 at 14:07
  • @Vality It's possible the scam is not yet complete. After receiving the "money" she might get another message asking for her to send a certain amount back to him / somewhere else. Without the charity bit, she might not have cashed the cheque yet and offer to tear it up / return it (which scammer doesn't want.) Adding that part helps to ensure she actually cashes it and starts spending ASAP. – Steve-O Jul 04 '19 at 13:00

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This is a scam, like many others linked or related to this question. Cease contact with him immediately.

espindolaa
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