Yet another internet scam has seemingly defrauded a Fort Smith woman out of a large sum of money with the victim in the case falling for an old scheme with a new twist
A local woman told the Fort Smith Police Department on Wednesday that she had sent $250,000 to a man claiming to be an employee of the United Nations in Syria.
The victim contacted the communication desk at the FSPD and said she had been communicating with a man named Richard Wesley from Syria who claimed he worked with the United Nations.
She told officers the communication between the two had started in September and she had been interacting with the individual for the past few months.
She also stated in her report to police that after the initial communications, Wesley asked her to Skype with him. She said Wesley would say "nice things" to her and it was in the last few months he asked her to get gift cards with money on them because "they do not have the internet" in Syria.
The police report says she stated she sent $250,000 to Wesley but also said she was unsure how much she had sent on cards.
The victim told police that Wesley told her that he had a child.
The offense report was reviewed and approved by two members of the Fort Smith Police Department on the same day. (The narrative is redacted by TIFS to protect the identity of the victim.
