Elderly neighbors in colored diamond scam???

[tyty333]

Add me to the list of speechless PSers

Such a sad, sad situation...

 

[derbygal]

So sorry for these folks. You are kind to try and help them. Best of luck.

 

[lalala]

Regardless of their decision (which is unfortunate), I hope that you or their daughter will report what's going on so that this doesn't continue to happen to other folks.

 

[ringo865]

And next they will be contacted to arrange handing over the shipment of diamonds to the "armored truck" guys.

 

[MollyMalone]

None of this surprises me, I expected to hear that your neighbors stubbornly doubled down on this losing gamble. The devious will always prey on the naive, and pride goeth before a fall.

I wouldn't assume that wiring off the $72Gs is due to stubborn pride. Think it's just as likely the decision was born out of sheer panic.

I do hope, @NancyK2255T , that you and/or their daughter still contact Ms. Dodd. She's got the contacts with, e.g., the banking industry, the FBI.

Can you report it to the police yourself? They might be able to trace the wire payment, although I'm sure it's withdrawn or laundered onward from the receiving account basically instantaneously...

I'm wistfully hoping that the measures in place by Homeland Security et al. to thwart-reduce money laundering, terrorism funding, etc. mean that this wired transfer actually doesn't go through.

 

[doberman]

Anyway, here's an update. Their daughter and son in law have been brought up to speed on what's happening. Despite even their advice, the couple decided to send the money to the scammers. They made up their mind and was determined to see it through. Even the people at their bank when they were making the withdrawal cautioned them.

@MollyMalone
Doesn't sound like panic to me, it sounds like they're digging their heels in. I'm certainly not casting aspersions here; the whole situation is very sad and it must be frustrating for those close to this couple.

 

[ChristineRose]

There is one glimmer of hope.

The scum will undoubtedly run into a roadblock. They will call again, asking for a bit more money.

If you can involve the police soon enough then they may be able to trace them. They will probably never see the money again, but something might happen.

 

[whitewave]

It makes me wonder how much money they can lose before they are willing to admit they were scammed...

 

[Vogue]

This couple just lost $72,000. Even the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach. If they keep going down this road, I hope their daughter is ready for them to move in with her eventually. (Edit: although if they could afford to buy half a million dollars' worth of diamonds over the last three years, maybe $72K seems like chump change. But it still blows my mind.)

OP, you've done the best you could, and more than a lot of other people would. What a sad situation.

I've bought from Leibish in the past, and while their customer service is a joy to deal with, the founder's insistence that colored diamonds are a "great investment" that will "beat the stock market" really rubs me the wrong way. It's such terrible advice for almost everyone. This is a worst case scenario right here.

 

[arkieb1]

Wow, just wow, blinded by stubbornness, desperation and the desire not to be wrong. I hope you and the family can talk them out of making any other stupid decisions.

 

[Tourmaline]

 

[Bron357]

Having worked in finance and having dealt with elderly investors it is a sad and maddening fact that when faced with “being wrong” people will often continue throwing good money after bad because they can’t bear to admit they are wrong. It’s as if the outcome will change with “just a bit more time and money”! Very sad.

 

[whitewave]

Now they have no diamonds and no money and how much do you want to bet this "company" isn't going to let them go. There will be some "problem" in the transaction and 30k more will be required....

 

[Austina]

Oh dear, doesn't sound like there's going to be a good outcome for these people

 

[Jacquiemalta]

Older people often become extremely stubborn when being advised by family, especially their children. It's as if they are trying to prove they haven't lost their marbles and don't need looking after, especially by their own kids; they as parents are still in charge and head of the family and no young upstart is going to tell them that they don't know what they're doing. Yes, I've learned from experience!

 

[metall]

I'm curious if OP has any updates as to what's happened since her neighbors wired the 72K....I can't imagine that these scammers would leave them alone now that they know your neighbors are willing to keep paying.

 

[msop04]

This thread is unbelievably sad.

 

[whitewave]

Older people often become extremely stubborn when being advised by family, especially their children. It's as if they are trying to prove they haven't lost their marbles and don't need looking after, especially by their own kids; they as parents are still in charge and head of the family and no young upstart is going to tell them that they don't know what they're doing. Yes, I've learned from experience!

Yup, my MIL has screwed us with her stupidity about this....