Nervous_Dog Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Scam victim lucky to be alive * * Email * Print * Normal font * Large font Steve Larkin August 13, 2007 Des Gregor at Adelaide Airport last night. Des Gregor at Adelaide Airport last night. Photo: Steve Larkin AdvertisementAdvertisement A SOUTH AUSTRALIAN farmer held hostage in Africa for 12 days in an internet bride scam has returned home, saying he is lucky to be alive. Des Gregor, 56, of Hoyleton, arrived at Adelaide Airport last night after being freed from his African captors, who were ultimately duped by police. Mr Gregor travelled to Mali last month to meet his supposed bride and collect a dowry of $100,000 in gold. But on his arrival on July 27 he was kidnapped by a gang, beaten, stripped, had his cash and credit cards taken, and was held hostage at a flat in Bamako, the capital. He was told he would have his limbs hacked off with a machete unless he arranged a $100,000 ransom. Mr Gregor was freed last Thursday when Australian Federal Police persuaded the kidnappers there was money to be collected by their captive from the Canadian embassy in Bamako. The gang briefly released him and police rescued him. "I especially thank the Australian Federal Police for the effort that they put in and also the Mali police," Mr Gregor said. "They did a fantastic job in conjunction with the AFP, and if it wasn't for them I reckon another couple of days and I wouldn't have returned." Mr Gregor said he was beaten with a machete and bound by the legs when he was held captive, in a one-room flat. When he arrived in Mali he had no suspicion he was a victim of a con, he said. "The first indication I had that there was something wrong was when we got to the flat, they called out for somebody's name and the person that was supposed to meet me weren't there. "We walked in and there was one bloke with [what] I would say [was] a home-made pistol and another one with a machete." Mr Gregor said he was given "a good belting with a machete. I still have the scars to prove that. He gave them what he had, he said. "They then made me strip. That is when they got the wallet and that had $A675 in it." Mr Gregor arrived in Adelaide with none of his possessions and issued a warning to others seeking love over the internet. "Just be careful, make sure you check everything out 100 per cent." AAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 silly dingbat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 He went to marry a gal in Mali? Why didn't he just go hang around the Grace Hotel and look for a 300 pound cutie? Even better ... go to PNG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 He made a big mistake in not doing his homework..lucky to get out alive.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Posted this in the news section last week. The funniest thing about this story is how the kidnappers fell for the old Nigerian scam. Australian Federal Police asked the kidnappers for a bank account so they could deposit the ransom after they let him go to the Canadian consulate, and they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Yes ..i read it there ....i thought he told them he had to pick up the cash from the consulate..must be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 A farmer from South Australia ... He probably figured Mali was a Thai girl's name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 I know guys like this! Honestly never had a sniff in there lives, feel the biological clock running down and get desperate. He'd already been stung in Russia so he should have known better. Don't come to Thailand Des the Nana girls will eat you alive, I think that Angeles City is your best bet, saw a lot like you there that got lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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