Internet Romance: Spinning a Web of Deceit

It has been several years since Kamani has had a serious relationship with the opposite sex. She was burnt so many times that she almost gave up on finding true love and romance, and wondered if she would ever find Mr. Right. Most of her female friends were happily married, and those who weren't married were always complaining about how hard it was to find eligible bachelors. Kamani always felt out of place when she was invited to functions that were attended by mostly couples. She never felt she had much in common with her married associates, and at times envied them, because their lives and conversations forever centered on their husbands and children. For Kamani, it was like looking at their existence through a window and watching a soap opera in which she had no role.

At the age of 24, Kamani obtained a degree in fine arts, and went on to obtained her MBA degree from a well known university in New York. After graduation, she moved to California and got a job at a graphics art company that designed and printed posters for large media outlets. After working at the company for over 10 years, she left to start her own business. Because of her on-the-job experiences and contacts, she decided to start a design and printing service out of her house, which she inherited from her parents. She designed and printed greeting cards, posters, flyers and brochures for small cottage industries, churches and non-profit organizations in the Oakland community. Since she was a business major, setting up the company was a piece of cake. It took about two years for the company to get off the ground. Many of her clients came through word of mouth and from advertisements placed in community newspapers. In the third year of operation, the business generated over $200,000.00 in sales. She expected sales to double in two years.

But even with all of her accomplishments, Kamani was still lonely. Finding a suitable man was like searching for a needle in a haystack. She was not into the club or bar scene, and finding someone in church wasn't cutting it; most of the single male members were as old as Methuselah or had more health related problems than one would shake a stick at. This is not to say that Kamani was hard to please, but most of the men she encountered were married, gay, or bisexual. And the men she did date were either afraid to commit or were just looking for a friend with benefits. This is not what Kamani wanted out of life; she was searching for a man who shared the same interests and values as she did and wanted to settle down and get married. The man didn't have to be wealthy, but he had to be gainfully employed and financially sound. Living with a man without getting married was not an option for her.

During the fifth year of operation, sales did double. Kamani was now ready to expand her business. She didn't want to limit herself to just the Oakland area but possibly go nationwide with her services. Someone suggested that she should be on the World Wide Web. The concept of going on the Internet was a new phenomenon for Kamani. She didn't even have an e-mail account, because her business was local; most of her clients came to her office, or she would go to their place of business to discuss design or printing needs. Nevertheless, after careful examination, Kamani knew that conducting business on the Internet was the way to go if she was going to broaden her horizons and increase sales.

Since Kamani already had a computer with a modem, all she had to do was find an Internet Service Provider, which she did. Rather than set up a web page right away, she decided to search the Internet for sites where she could advertise her business. She found a few places on which to publicize her company. Soon she received inquiries from prospective customers and signed on two clients from the Bay area. For the next several months, the Internet ads were pulling in inquiries from as far away as Australia.

In her spare time, Kamani would go online to browse the Internet for other business opportunities, and noticed ads for dating sites. She was flabbergasted that so many of these sites were on the Internet. She would see personal ads in printed newspapers and in some magazines, but she never realized that the Internet held so many possibilities in meeting someone. There were so many dating choices that she was baffled as to which sites to check. Kamani was like a kid in the candy store and thought if only she had known about these sites years ago; she may have met a suitable mate, right online. Kamani decided right then and there that she was going to start searching for love and romance and believed that there was a reason why she went on the Internet in the first place; it wasn't to get more business but to meet a soul mate. Kismet was working in her favor; she thought.

After searching through countless sites, she found a service whose membership was made up of singles 40 and over. Joining was free, which was just up Kamani's alley. She put together a short personal profile and uploaded it along with her photo. Her personal ad read as follows:

40 y.o. single female is seeking a genuine, loving and caring single male who is interested in a committed relationship, leading to marriage. Age is unimportant. I operate a successful business, own my own home, and am financially secured. I enjoy shopping, attending garage sales, and dining out, just to name a few. For more details, contact me.

For the next couple of weeks, Kamani was browsing through some of the men's profiles, but none of the ads appealed to her. She knew it would take time to find Mr. Right. After all, it had been several years since she was involved with anyone; so what was the rush? But deep down in her heart, Kamani knew she wasn't getting any younger, and the odds of a 40 year old woman finding someone becomes harder as one gets older. She believed that most men in their 40's and 50's were looking for younger women who could bear them an offspring, and at this stage of her life, she wasn't interested in having a child.

Kamani didn't have any siblings, and with both of her parents being deceased, she didn't have any family obligations. Most of her relatives whom she had very little contact with were scattered throughout the country. Kamani was a very attractive and petite woman; she had a very youthful looking face and kept herself in good physical condition by walking and jogging. When it came to her sense of style, she was very conservative and wasn't into flashy jewelry, or designer clothes. She was definitely penny-pinching chic. Her home was modestly furnished and decorated. Most of the paintings on her wall were copies or prints. She enjoyed searching for bargains and taking advantage of sales and specials on office equipment and add-ons for the home. On the weekends, she loved shopping at the thrift shops and attending yard sales. To say that Kamani was a prudent person was no exaggeration. If she could buy something below wholesale, she did, and it didn't matter if the item was used, refurbished or recycled.

Finally, Kamani received an e-mail with an attached photo from an interested suitor. His name was Landel. He came across Kamani's profile and was in awe of her beauty and status. He described himself as a 50 year old widower who was an executive at a bank in the Republic of Cape Verde. His job at the bank was to setup and oversee business accounts for foreign corporations operating in his country. One of his hopes and dreams was to meet a woman like her. He went on to write that he was a one-woman man who was also looking to marry again, and that age was irrelevant. He enjoyed reading novels, traveling, listening to contemporary music and playing chess. He was a loving, caring and romantic person and was seeking the same qualities in a woman. As luck would have it, he was planning to visit California to conduct some business with an associate and wanted to meet her.

After reading Landel's e-mail and looking at his picture, Kamani fell hook, line and sinker for this gentleman. He was drop-dead gorgeous, and she believed that a good man comes to those who wait, that man being Landel. She couldn't believe that such a refined and sexy looking middle-aged man was out there, and thought sometimes you have to leave your country to find someone so beautiful. For her, it was love at first sight. But unbeknownst to Kamani, she was about to be swirled into a web of pretense that would leave her devastated for years to come.

For the next several weeks Kamani and Landel e-mailed each other and chatted online. He would send her sexy pictures of himself, seductive notes and love poems from which Kamani got pleasure; in return, she would do the same. Not only was Landel well-bred, but he was also romantic; she would have fantasies about the two of them embracing each other in front of the fire place, sipping wine in the nude, chasing each other around the house and ending up on the love seat making passionate love for hours. Kamani couldn't' believe she was having such sensual thoughts. This man really had a hold on her, and he definitely rocked her world. Landel talked about his life growing up in Cape Verde and how more businesses were investing in his country. He even suggested that there was a market for her services.

While Landel was talking more about business, Kamani started thinking that maybe she could expand her company into his nation. After all, she did want to reach a wider market and was thinking about expanding into the t-shirt business; she would have her artwork screened on the t-shirts. She came up with a proposal, sent it to Landel for feedback, and asked if he would assist her in setting up this type of business in his homeland.

Within a couple of days, Landel got back to Kamani and thought her proposition was an excellent one. He told her that setting up her company in Cape Verde would be beneficial, because people are always looking for uniquely designed t-shirts; buyers were willing to pay big bucks for high-end tees, due to their popularity. He told her there was a factory, in the city of Paria that could print, and distribute her tees to various stores and outlets worldwide for next to nothing. All she would have to do is provide the artwork, and the company would take care of the rest. She would have to open a business account at either his bank or at a bank of her choosing. He told her that he was planning to come to California on business, and they could discuss this venture in more details.

By now, Kamani was energized and turned on by Landel's business sense and couldn't stop thinking about how caring and encouraging he was in helping her reach her goal. She was in seventh heaven. Each day she was falling in love with Landel and couldn't wait to see him. His magnetic approach was quickly becoming her drug of choice and was pulling her deeper into a never-ending abyss.

While Kamani was on the Internet, she got an e-mail from Landel. He informed her that the owner of the t-shirt factory which he had discussed with her was looking to sell. The asking price was US$500,000.00 which included all the printing equipment, t-shirts, a roster of clients and dependable workers. Kamani would only have to put down 20% as a good faith payment with the intent to buy. Landel informed her that there were several people who showed an interest in acquiring the business, and if she wanted to buy the factory, he would have to hear from her within 48 hours. Kamani was eager and immediately e-mailed Landel and told him that she wanted to purchase the business, and would set up a business account at his bank. Landel e-mailed her back, and said he would handle all of the details and get back to her shortly.

Two days later, Kamani received the following e-mail from Landel:

The lawyer representing the factory you wish to buy has prepared a contract along with the necessary documents which will transfer ownership of the business to you. You agree to pay US$100,000.00 (20% deposit of the total asking price US$500,000.00) which will be deposited into the seller's bank account. Subsequent payments of the remaining balance (US$400,000.00) will be determined by you and the seller at a later date. The contract will be faxed to you shortly and must be signed and returned by fax as soon as possible. To expedite this agreement, I have taken the liberty of contacting a lawyer who is an associate of mine; he specializes in business contracts and will be in your area for the next several days. At my request, he will go over the contract, at no cost to you. Please note that ownership of the company will be complete when the payment of US$100,000.00 is deposited into the seller's account. Love and Kisses, Landel.

Kamani couldn't believe how professional Landel was in his business dealings. Here was a man who got things done. He was a doer, not a talker and wasn't afraid to make important decisions. He was a take charge individual; he was definitely the man Kamani wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

She received the contract and documents and read them thoroughly. She felt the agreement was clear but took Landel's advice and called the lawyer that he had recommended. She made an appointment to see the attorney. He agreed to come to her home office, since he was going to be in the vicinity. He arrived, and they both went over all of the papers. He explained everything in depth and informed her that the contract was well executed. She thanked him; he wished her good fortune and told her that he would be leaving the country in a couple of days and left his cell number in case she had any additional questions.

She signed the contract and faxed it to Landel. That evening, Landel e-mailed her and informed her that he had received the agreement. He said upon receipt of the deposit, she would receive the title to the business and other pertinent information. Once she received the title, Kamani would set up a business account at Landel's bank. He gave her the seller's account number to wire the money into and told her that since the money was being transferred to a foreign bank, it would take up to 14 business days for the transaction to be completed.

On Friday morning, Kamani went to her bank and had US$100,000.00 wired into the seller's bank account. She was in such high spirits that one would have thought she had hit the million dollar lottery. When she got home, Kamani started calling her friends and telling them that she had good news to share and invited them to come for a get together the following Friday evening. She couldn't wait to brag about the new man in her life and her new business undertaking.

Friday evening had arrived. To say Kamani was on high octane was an understatement. She had prepared an elaborate buffet style dinner and had Sangria on ice. All the guests had arrived at the same time and was wondering what the big announcement was. After dinner, everyone sat around anxiously waiting for the big news. Finally, Kamani revealed that she had met and had fallen in love with a gentleman on the Internet, and he had assisted her in buying a factory to design and distribute her designer t-shirts in Cape Verde. She discussed every aspect about her business transactions with him from start to finish, and all of this took place online. For the very first time, her friends were speechless. Most of her guests never even heard of Cape Verde much less knew where it was. It was not a place that was written about or mentioned in the media. They started to wonder; how does a smart and educated woman fall in love with or buy a business from a man that she encountered on the World Wide Web. Kamani continued to talk about Landel. For the first time, she felt like the leading star in a soap opera, and everyone was paying attention to her. It didn't take long for her friends to realize that Kamani was duped, but no one had the heart to tell her, because the damage was already done. And if they told her, she would have become very defensive, because Kamani would never believe that she could be swindled out of her money or be taken for a fool; she was too smart and astute for that to happen to her. As far as Kamani was concerned, she made the right choice, end of story. Later that evening, her guests started to leave and thanked her for an enlightening evening. They all wished her luck but knew it was just a matter of time before Kamani's world would come crashing down on her like a ton of bricks, and her friends would be there to help pick up the pieces.

Almost 4 weeks had gone by, and Kamani hadn't heard from Landel. She e-mailed him every day, and still no word from him. At first she thought maybe he was traveling on business. He did say that he was planning to come to California. She decided to call the lawyer to see if he had seen or heard from Landel. When she made the call, the number was not working. She had to leave the office for a couple of hours to deliver a job to one of her clients. When Kamani got back home, she had several messages on her answering machine and thought one of them was from Landel, but they were from clients and friends. She went on her computer to check her e-mails, but there were none from Landel. Kamani sent another fax to Landel and still no answer from him. She decided to go online and do a search on Landel's bank. The search showed no results. After further investigation, Kamani discovered that Landel did not work at the bank but had an account there. When she inquired about the money that was wired to the seller's bank account, she found out it was closed soon after the money was received. But the biggest kick in the teeth came when it was revealed that the account was closed by Landel.

Kamani started to get dizzy and almost fainted. She fell to the floor and started to scream out loud. She could not believe that the man she had fallen in love with would have had the capacity to put together such a diabolical scheme. Landel came over as such a loving and decent man. How could she have fallen for such a person, the person who sent her and romantic letters love poems? How could she have been so naive, Kamani asked herself? She felt used and abused. It was like someone had reached into her heart and soul and stripped away all of her dignity.

In the coming weeks, just about everyone in the business community heard of Kamani's troubles. Many wondered how an intelligent woman like herself could have been scammed so effortlessly. Rumors started to fly like wildflower that she had lost all of her money and was about to lose her business and home. Kamani was at the brink of losing everything. She had to borrow money against her home and got an additional line of credit to pay off the vendors, taxes and other business expenses. But the money she lost didn't hurt her as much as Landel's treachery. She contemplated going after Landel and pressing charges against him for fraud, but knew she couldn't. She never met the man and had no idea if he really lived in Cape Verde. The photo he sent of himself could have been a fake; she started to speculate that Lander may have been pretending to be the seller and the lawyer, or maybe the three of them were in on the scam collectively. Besides, the law enforcement agency in the USA could not help her; this was a problem that occurred outside of the USA, and the laws do not follow you once you delve into a foreign affair. Kamani might as well been dealing with the Phantom of the Internet, because there was nothing anyone could do to get her money back. It was gone forever, but the pain of deception would be etched in her psyche for a very long time.

Kamani decided to take some time off; she contacted all of her customers and reassured them that she was still in business and would return in two weeks. If they were in need of a rush job, she would give them the name of an associate. Her clients were very loyal; they would wait until she returned from her vacation. While on vacation, she thought about all the blunders she had made throughout her life when it came to selecting men. As she got older, she thought she was wiser, but this wasn't the case. She reflected on the resentment she had towards her married friends, so much so that she overlooked the warning signs that would have suggested that something wasn't right with Landel. Her haste to find a man clouded her judgment and cost her dearly. Yet, Kamani believed that bad things happen for a reason, and she learned her lesson well. She would never trust men again and swore them off for good. Kamani discovered that being alone wasn't all that terrible.

Upon her return, Kamani had lots of messages on her answering machine. It would take her almost two days to get back to all the callers. She went online to check her e-mail. There must have been over 100 messages in her box; most of them were ads, but one particular e-mail caught her eye. It was from a man responding to her personal profile. The message read as follows:

I was browsing through the dating site and came across your ad. You are a beautiful woman, and reading your profile lifted my spirits, since I just came out of a long-term relationship and never thought I would find someone like you. You sound so gentle and that was the reason why I contacted you. We have a lot in common. My name is Joneh, and I am 46 years old. I've never been married and have no children. I own my home and a Laundromat in the Chicago area. I enjoy dining out, attending plays and reading. I would like to get to know you more. Looking forward to hearing from you. Very truly yours, Joneh

After reading that e-mail, Kamani didn't know whether to scream, laugh or cry. But she knew that there were two things she had to do. She deleted the message; she then went to the dating site and cancelled her membership.