OcUK Detectives Help!

randomshenans

randomshenans

randomshenans

Soldato
Joined
11 Sep 2009
Posts
14,064
Location
France, Alsace
Weird one... I was contacted by someone on linkedin, which is not abnormal for what I do, it's a daily thing. This was the person: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannes-schwarz-054a30177/
He was asking about one of my projects VolAir, I get this a fair bit so rang now bells. Just went through all normal questions and said he was representing an investor etc. as a middle man, and as everyone with a tenner is an investor today, I just went along with it.
His email is: [email protected]
I always like to see if I'm wasting time so I reverse searched his image and searched his email without anything coming up.

He then connected me with the person he was "dealing with" - Alan Wood, on telegram. His username is @alanwood_12 and images are:
lsQk2SV.jpg

NLgTBu8.jpg


They weren't displayed as his current profile pic, but past ones. He doesn't have another person as his current pic, just a generic scene.

He sounded more russian / eastern in that sense, and not like an Alan Wood but again asked questions I'd expect to be honest of someone asking about an investment in the project.
He then asks me if I am able to travel to Milan to do the deal face to face first week in April. I mean, I can get to Milan in about 3.5hrs so I could actually do it, but I'm like huh?
I ask for more details and he explained that the person he represents has been following the project and thinks it's unique and would like to buy $1.2m VOL (blockchain project, it's our token, which is 0.12c but not traded yet as we haven't listed it until we release our app, which is soon).
Now, it's not everyday someone says they want to invest $1.2m in your project and it was very specific (it's precisely 10m VOL tokens) and asked me to check my availability and if I can make it let him know when I'll arrive so they can send the private car to collect me.
Apparently there will be him, the main investor and the lawyer present.

I can't help think he wants to harvest my organs. I don't think I've ****** anyone off to make me a target for that, but I'm trying to work out the scam, and where it is? It's all really weird. I don't get it and it's only just happened, so all a bit WTF?

I looked them all up, couldn't find anything that says they were someone else etc. based on images.
They asked for a pitch deck and all normal questions I've been asked many times... I don't really want to go to Milan and get killed tbh but trying to work out what the scam might be?
 
Gmail address, not a professional address? Big red flag. If he's a Russian gangster, you may be forced to sign over intellectual property rights.

If you were a girl and this were being offered as a modelling contract, would you go?

If you do go, don't go alone and take a lawyer.
 
"I can't make it then, but we'd love to have you here to meet the team and discuss things further if you're able to come?" would be my response. Or else you'd like to know a bit more about the investor before making the journey.
 
They could be trying to use your project to launder money or just get it out of a country without paying taxes or avoiding currency controls.

As already said, gmail is a big red flag. I'd ask for contact details of their lawyer. You should be able to get an address and land line telephone number for them and then check them out. Contact the lawyers separately to validate who these people really are. If the lawyer is legit and you are satisfied enough to make the trip, ask to meet at their offices and make your own way there.
 
Oh go on, make the trip, what could possibly go wrong? He looks a straight up kind of guy and I am sure there's nothing sinister in the way he wants to conduct business. But put your affairs in order, you know, just in case... ;) Spend the dosh wisely.Do you know Arthur Daley in the Winchester Club? He might be interested if it falls through.
 
Quartz said:
Gmail address, not a professional address?
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Firstly, that's not the email he messaged me from, it's his personal one attached to that guys linkedin.

Spunkey said:
So a guy rings up out of the blue offering to buy $1.2m of your untraded alt-coin? Absolute scam.
Click to expand...
We've been raising $28m, so it's not completely out of the norm. Random, yes, but not completely out of the norm.

Quartz said:
If he's a Russian gangster, you may be forced to sign over intellectual property rights.
Click to expand...
Can't, it's all smart contracts anyway, so how can they steal that? They can't. I'd have nothing on me.

peterwalkley said:
They could be trying to use your project to launder money or just get it out of a country without paying taxes or avoiding currency controls.
Click to expand...
Probably more likely.

Devrij said:
"I can't make it then, but we'd love to have you here to meet the team and discuss things further if you're able to come?" would be my response. Or else you'd like to know a bit more about the investor before making the journey.
Click to expand...
I'm going to be doing this for sure. I have many questions to ask him.
 
The very fact your asking, given the sums involved, should be your answer imo.

Might be legit, but it doesn’t sound like it to me and yes I have no idea as to how your world / business works, I’m just reading this and giving you my gut reaction as a truck driver.

Now, if a truck driver of all people smells a rat, then you should think long & hard!

FWIW, I get contacted frequently via LinkedIn, usually completely random stuff that’s nothing to do with me nor my skill set, I see it as another scammers avenue tbh.....

My advice would be block any means he has of contacting you and look forward to the weekend. :)
 
Maybe they are trying to eliminate their competition. Just man up and do it, life is short. If anything happens tell them you've posted on forums and have a tracking device embedded into your arm.
 
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