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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel uneasy about my friends request to transfer this money?

76 replies

just5morepeas · 15/09/2017 10:51

An old friend of mine works in Kuwait as an English teacher in an international English speaking school.

They just asked me if I could put some money into their bank account for them if they transferred me some via Western Union. They said they got paid cash.

I know they probably don't have anyone else they could ask but this makes me feel really anxious and I'm not sure why.

Getting paid cash just sounds bloody odd and shouldn't they have a bank account over there they could use? They've been over there at least a year - maybe more, can't remember exactly. I know they have bills in this country to pay but shouldn't they be able to do this via a bank account they can access over there?

OP posts:
MyBrilliantDisguise · 15/09/2017 10:52

Which bank account do they want you to pay into - one that's here or over there?

What kind of amount?

honeysucklejasmine · 15/09/2017 10:52

Phone them. I bet they've had their email hacked. Common scam.

Fluffyears · 15/09/2017 10:52

Sounds very dodgy I'd stay away!

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 15/09/2017 10:52

Yep, sounds like a massive scam.

SandyDenny · 15/09/2017 10:53

No way, this has scam written all over it

gunsandbanjos · 15/09/2017 10:54

DO NOT DO THIS.
Sorry for shouting but there could be huge repercussions for you if you do this.

Original poster
just5morepeas · 15/09/2017 10:55

I should clarify, they messaged me over facebook, I don't think they've been hacked. They've otherwise been posting as normal.

OP posts:
WhichJob · 15/09/2017 10:55

No. At best it is a scam at worst you could be implicated in money laundering.

Sirrah · 15/09/2017 10:55

I agree with honeysucklejasmine, check with your friend, they may have been hacked.

gunsandbanjos · 15/09/2017 10:55

Still a no.

Original poster
just5morepeas · 15/09/2017 10:56

And it was money going into a bank account over here - sorry to drip feed.

OP posts:
DarceyBusselsNose · 15/09/2017 10:56

Don't do it. It could be money laundering.

They could walk into any bank in Kuwait and transfer to a UK bank.

Sirrah · 15/09/2017 10:57

A friend on Facebook was recently hacked, they had no idea until they were told, and were posting as usual!

SofiaAmes · 15/09/2017 10:58

It's a common scam. Their facebook has probably been hacked. Do you have some other way to contact them.

Original poster
just5morepeas · 15/09/2017 10:58

Thanks guys - the fact that it could be a scam/they've been hacked, for some reason never occurred to me!

She's bloody awful with money and always loads of drama so I just assumed that was more of the same. I'll contact her if I can.

OP posts:
ThereIsIron · 15/09/2017 10:58

Definitely not. What will happen is that the western union money will appear in your account, you'll transfer your money to your friends account, that account will be immediately cleared, and the western union transfer will be backed out - result - you're out of pocket. Avoid like the plague, even if you speak to your friend in person, do not go ahead with this.

ThereIsIron · 15/09/2017 10:59

Why doesn't your friend just western union the money to here own account?

Redglitter · 15/09/2017 11:00

The mere fact she's mentioned Western Union would have alarm bells ringing. It may be unfair but I wouldn't trust any transactions with them

SoggyTuesday · 15/09/2017 11:04

I would say no

ShotsFired · 15/09/2017 11:05

There are even TV adverts on at present warning of this scam.

Do not do it.

SofiaAmes · 15/09/2017 11:05

Please report back and let us know how it turns out. If it makes you feel any better, my dad (famous genius scientist) and his friend (CEO of multibillion dollar company) almost fell for the same scam when someone hacked the email of a scientist friend of theirs who travelled a lot abroad. I think the hackers target people abroad for this particular scam.

BarbaraofSevillle · 15/09/2017 11:05

Could she be just well meaning/innocent and Western Union transfer plus you depositing cash here is cheaper than her transferring direct. Foreign bank transfers can sometimes be disproportionately expensive.

But getting paid cash by a school does sound odd, unless that's just how things are done in Kuwait. What sort of amount is she talking about? If it's not loads, why can't she just use the money for normal spending?

Agree that it could possibly be money laundering a scam, with the possibility of hacking, but it's not necessarily so. I would phone the friend and check it's her, but would be wary and probably not do it.

Just because she's your friend, doesn't mean she's not a money launderer. After all, most criminals will have friends and not all will be overtly 'dodgy'. She could also be an unwitting accomplice to a friend, colleague or partner she knows out there.

Aeroflotgirl · 15/09/2017 11:06

I had this from two of my friends, its a scam, especially Western Union, rings alarm bells.

RhiannonOHara · 15/09/2017 11:10

Do NOT do it. Tell us how it works out.

SparklyMagpie · 15/09/2017 11:11

I would not be doing this

Most likely a scam