My Aunt gave away her life savings. Yikes!

[Haole Girl]

Can you believe, even in Germany, they have those idiotic Africa/feed the orphans/send-the-attorney-money scams?

I am so appalled. And, I am in shock that my Aunt, in Germany, gave her life savings away. This is a woman who speaks 5 languages, and raised 2 boys on her own. Now...don't you think something in the back of her mind would have thought, "This sounds a little strange- to have to give money to get money?"

Unbelievable. I don't suppose any of you would have a clue if she has any legal recourse from Germany, do you?

Ugh!

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

[Dave Reynolds]

1. I do not know about the legal recourse,

but enough people must fall for those things to keep them going for so long.

What a painful learning experience...

[Radio_Lady]

2. My mother-in-law, now deceased, gave $10,000 to someone in her

town -- she went into a bank, drew out the cash, and handed it to some criminal in the old "I've found a wallet and you can get in on the reward for it" game.

She didn't have much education. She wasn't very worldly wise. But, she didn't sulk over the error, just went on with her life.

P.T. Barnum said it best, "There's a sucker born every minute."

[0007]

5. Isn't that the truth?

[Haole Girl]

3. I figured nobody would know if she has a legal leg to stand on,

but had to ask since there are attorneys on board. Thanks.

[RebelOne]

4. So many people have lost money to those Nigerian scammers

and there isn't a damn thing they can do about it. Go to www.419eater.com and see how some people are hitting back at those crooks.

[Haole Girl]

6. Thanks for the link. Yes, I know a lot of people fall for it, but

you just never think it could be someone you know. Especially someone who seems fairly intelligent. Maybe she is getting Alzheimer's or something, I don't know. I still can't believe it.

[skygazer]

7. Wow, what a bummer!

I have no idea about legal recourse. It just amazes me that people fall for this stuff! Whatever happened to "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is"?

[stellanoir]

8. yup

Unbelievable. It reminds me of a really otherwise astute great aunt of an old boyfriend. She had gotten dumped at age 17 and had given up men, became a lesbian and a reticent Catholic. She left all of her millions (60+) to the vatican. Her younger sister then received the tackiest framed acknowledgement from the vatican. It had the worst graphics and a photo of Pope JP II some flowers, crosses, and a dove or something. Far worse than the Hello Kitty stuff.

Sixty million plus and all the family got was a lousy graphic. Go figure.

[Crazy Dave]

9. At least Germany has decent health care and pensions for....

...their citizens or the loss would be even more devastating.

[DS1]

10. If I had my way, people who ripped off old people would be

quaruple-amputated and nailed to the city walls to die and rot

[Haole Girl]

11. Update: She now claims it's legitimate because

she met one of the people evidently. I think she is in some serious denial. :(