Still mourning the loss of his wife Beth Chapman, Dog the Bounty Hunter was one of several celebrities reportedly targeted by an elaborate and convincing check scam from crooks located in Dubai.
He received what looked to be a legitimate check with odd instructions on how to cash it and what to do once cashed — namely send back the check issuing organization a quarter million dollars!
TMZ reported that Dog the Bounty Hunter received a check for $430,000 with the request he come to Dubai and make a speech.
Smelling something fishy, Dog’s agent Alan Nevins at Renaissance Talent told them that the check arrived by FedEx, but he investigated further and found conflicting information and hotels that did not check out.
TMZ reported that Alan was contacted by someone saying they were Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan who is the real Deputy Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates. The email included a speaking engagement fee for a convention.
There was even a contract that looked legit, but Dog’s agent smelled a ruse and the plot thickened.
Nevins lured the scammers into a sense of play and negotiated a fee and signed the deal according to TMZ’s report.
A series of odd discrepancies and omissions alerted Nevins and Dog that something was not right.
Then even more things happened that did not add up. The check issuers said they could not wire funds and needed Dog’s personal bank account.
A check arrived after Nevins and Dog came to the conclusion that it was an elaborate scam.
The audacity of the scammers did not end there as they asked the check be deposited and that $250,000 be immediately wired to them.
Though the check looked real and was authorized at a Portland Bank, the company — Benson — reportedly had no clue what was happening.
TMZ contacted the FBI who said this elaborate scam was akin to the Nigerian Prince scams of the last few decades, and was specifically targeting rich famous people who might want to jump at a lucrative speaking engagement fee. Many celebrities earn huge dollars doing this all over the world.
The celebrities, when targeted and who do what the scammers want, are then out the return monies they send in to secure the date and the check that they received is completely invalidated, leaving them bilked out of small fortunes.
The Bible says it is an unforgivable sin to steal from the dead
LARGE CASH REWARD FOR ANY INFORMATION FIR WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS !!! https://t.co/TEUKHjOkvH— Duane Dog Chapman (@DogBountyHunter) August 2, 2019
The financial woes started a bit earlier in August for poor Dog who posted on Twitter someone had broken into his late wife Beth’s store.