Dr. Thomas Martins/David Ityoember Afead
Complaint 162671 Details

I met a "veterinarian" on Match.com named Dr. Thomas Martins. We spoke daily on the phone and he had to go to a job for Avian flu outbreaks in Istanbul. He was delayed and delayed more. His supplies were stuck in customs.He needed money to get them released. I would not send it. He said his mom from England was sending money, but he needed more. I refused. This went on for 2 months until he finally said he had managed to get his supplies released and was coming home to Tampa. He said he would send an itinerary ASAP for his flight back to Tampa. Then I never heard from him again.
This guy called me every day at least once for almost 2 months. It started in Tampa but we never met, of course, because he had to go to Istanbul for this "contract". He claimed to be a dual citizen of both the U.S. and the U.K. He even called me from the airplane to NY where he would met the other vets to go to Istanbul. He claimed his wife had died in an accident 3 years ago. He was married for 6 years, and had just started dating. This was so amazingly intricate that I could even hear the flight attendant over the plane's intercom as I spoke to him! He sent me pictures from the farm he worked at, from New York, from past vacations etc. I finally sent him a very small amount of money for his "expenses" (only 135. USD. plus Western Union fees) because he had run out of basic supplies and minutes on his phone card, (of course!)! We spoke all the time and IM'd daily. He spoke clearly with a British accent and wrote clearly as well. There were NO indicators of fraud, and even his needs seem simple and small. I did not think someone would invest 2 months for such a small amount of money! And he sent me flowers before his accounts were "frozen" in a glitch with the bank. I tried to get access to his accounts to get them freed up, and he agreed to that, but never pursued it. I did not push the issue.
I reported him to the U.S. consulate in Istanbul who pursued it and called the numbers of the person I had spoken with. He hung up on them after asking who reported him and said he did not know that person named Dr. Thomas Martins. He had no Facebook or any social media connections. He has a Tampa number, until he went to Turkey. Then he gave me two Turkish numbers, his, and one of his translator/.driver, Mr. David. This was the name and info I had to send the money to in Turkey:
David Ityoember Afead
LaMartin Coddesi
(Personal Info Removed)
Tampa number: (Personal Info Removed) (through yahoo)
Turkish numbers: (Personal Info Removed), email:[email protected]
The consulate called him and he hung up on them after asking who had called them about "Dr. Thomas Martins". I am planning on pursuing this as far as I can.