Milford police are trying to find a man who scammed allegedly scammed a woman out of thousands of dollars as she tried to buy a used car from him.
The two originally met on an online chat site, according to police.
“Following that, she had some phone call conversations with this person. During those conversations, she mentioned she was looking for a used car," Officer Jeffrey Nielson said. "The male told her he could get her a used car and told her to bring $3,300 cash with her to the Connecticut Post Mall."
According to police, when the two met in the food court at the mall, the woman handed over the money for what she thought was a used car, but the man didn't deliver.
“He excused himself and never came back to meet with her and did take the cash with him. She has not had any contact with him since,” said Nielson.
The man, who called himself "Abdul," sent the woman a picture of himself prior to their meeting so she could recognize him. She took that photo to police, who are now looking for "Abdul" and any other alleged victims.
“Somehow we have this feeling like we've chatted for a couple of minutes, you and I are now friends, when you're really not,” said Bruce White, a professor of computer information systems at Quinnipiac University.
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The internet provides online predators anonymity, according to White.
“Get as much facts, information as you can. On the internet itself, when someone says this is a great deal, I guess I don't believe that anymore,” said White.
Police suggest if you are trying to buy something, like a used car, make sure to use a form of payment that is traceable, instead of cash.
