Nearly got scammed in London

Moral of the story: BEWARE OF MESSAGES RECEIVED VIA THE INTERNET!!!

Here’s what happened.

Below is an email I received. I immediately replied and gave my contact numbers to Mr Lim Kean Chye, whom I have known for years and who is a renowned lawyer and editor of “Penang file,” so he can contact me and for me to send him the 1,300 Pound Sterling he asked for to help him.

“Hello,
I’m sorry I didn’t inform you about my trip ,I had a trip to the United Kingdom(Birmingham) which was suppose to be just for 3days,some terrible happen to me,now i have been able to inform you because in know you can help me out.I could barely think straight at this point,i hope you come to my aid.I need a favor from you now .I’m now stuck here.I was mugged at gun point on my way to the hotel were i lodge and my money,phone and other important valuable things were taken off me at the gun point, the police only asked me to write a statement about the incident and directed me to the embassy,i have spoken to the embassy here but they are not responding to the matter effectively,I need you to loan me 1,300pounds..I need to sort out my hotel bills and get my tickets straightened out.Please i would be glad if you can help me and I promise to pay you back immediately I get back home.I have already spoken to the hotel manager to please give me few days to pay out my debit,please let me hear from you so i can give u the information where you can send the money to me to through western union money transfer as so as possible please so i can get out of here quickly. I am waiting for your reply.Thank you.

Regards
Kean Chye

I did not receive any call but received another email asking me to send fund via the Western Union and the instructions were …

“Hello wee choo,
I’m so glad to hear from you ,I feel so scattered right now ,this is really serious,i am OK and i am happy i still have my passport with me here but i don’t have any money here again i have limited my communication to emails so i could not call you,I feel so sick right now , You’ve just given me hope,i will really be glad if you can get the money send to me from london and i will surely show gratitude toward you when i get back.
I need to get my ticket straightened out and sort my hotel bills. i will pay you back immediately i get out of here and i know you know i will definitely pay back once i get back .You can get to wire the cash to me via western union money transfer.(www.westernunion.com) . The details you need is

Name :Kean Chye Lim
Address…268 Winsor Street.
city..nechells
State…Birmingham
country…UK
postal code….B7 4DX

i have made enquirers here and this are the information necessary to sent the money to me above..please kindly let me know if u have get the money sent.so reply back to me with the MTCN NUMBER..10digit…and Amount Sent .Awaiting for your urgent reply soon

Thanks

Regards
Kean Chye”