The New 419 Hitting Therapists on Social Media

There is a new 419-type activity coming from a far-Eastern country. This is especially important to note if you are in an industry where confidentiality is needed. For example, if you are a therapist.

Someone from a business online networking site I belong to has tried to do some very dodgy deal with me away from the site. He contacted me on Skype and asked that I keep his contact confidential. Naturally, as a healer, I thought he had a problem that he wanted to solve for which he wanted reassurance it will remain confidential. So I agreed.

Next, when I tried to call him on Skype, he was not available. So I sent him a message on Skype with the re-assurance that he can contact me confidentially on my email address.

He contacted me back on my email address. The first contact was a "test email" asking if this was really me. I replied that it was really me and that everything he said would be confidential. Then I got a reply from an anti-spam company saying that I was accepted on his Guest List, which I naively assumed was just an anti-spam thing. Then he sent me his v-cards by email.

Next, he finally replied to meet him on Skype. By then, I was getting the feeling that even if he needed something, he was controlling this game; with me responding all the time. So I got onto Skype and made sure to take no nonsense. It soon became clear he was trying to sell me something. I ended the call very quickly and let him know it was not acceptable to waste my time. After this, he saent me an email apologizing for any misunderstanding, saying he thought I wanted to buy a data list to help with my marketing, and calling me rude. It sounded very much like he was trying to shame me into co-operating.

What raises a red flag for me is that if someone just wanted to sell me something:

* Why would they ask for confidentiality?* Why would they lead me around the houses instead of selling to me direct on our business networking site, where everyone is open to hearing about a good product/service?

This sounds like a 419 con of some sort. It helps to be careful if someone approaches you in this manner. Unlike what I naively did, it also helps if you do not give them your email address. And always ask yourself why anyone would ask for confidentiality. It may not be related to your work, but is their way of drawing you into a "secret" deal that benefits only their pocket.