I wish I had known about this. Perhaps I could have helped him — you see, lately I’ve been in close communication with the brother-in-law of Mali’s president ...
The world has come to a sorry state when you can’t trust someone on the Internet.
This guy is probably extremely embarrassed. He should be.
ping!
Des Gregor, a 56-year-old from Hoyleton in SA's midnorth, arrived at Adelaide Airport tonight after being freed from his African captors who were ultimately duped by police.
Mr Gregor travelled to the landlocked west African nation of Mali last month to meet his supposed bride and collect a dowry of $100,000 in gold.
But on his July 27 arrival, he was kidnapped by an organised scam gang, beaten, stripped, had his cash and credit cards taken, and was held hostage at an apartment in Bamako, the capital of the third world country.
The wheat and sheep farmer was told he would have his limbs hacked off with a machete unless he arranged a $100,000 ransom.
AFP steps in
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 conmen briefly released Mr Gregor, and police rescued him.
"I especially thank the Australian Federal Police for the effort that they put in and also the Mali police, 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.
Beaten with machete
Mr Gregor said he was beaten with a machete and bound by the legs during his time held captive in a one-room apartment.
He said on arrival in Mali, he had no suspicion he was a victim of a con.
"Everything was as to plan, I got off the plane and was met by this guy who dressed the part,'' 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 (sic) there.
"We walked in and there was one bloke with I would say a home-made pistol and another one with a machete.
"It's a bit hard to explain what I thought.
"I basically was wondering what the hell was going on and then they started demanding money - then I knew things were serious.''
Mr Gregor said he was given "a good belting with a machete, I still have the scars to prove that''.
"I was tied, bound by the legs, and that was only probably for a couple of days because they knew that I was going to cooperate ... there was always one bloke sleeping at the door, there was no way out,'' he said.
"They basically asked for money, $100,000 was the original figure.
"I gave them what I had, they then made me strip - that is when they got the wallet and that had 675 Australian dollars in it.''
Internet warning
Asked if he had learnt his lesson, Mr Gregor replied: "I think so.''
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,'' he said. Earlier, his brother Phil Gregor said Des was "absolutely blinded by the fact it was a scam''.
"You see this in a movie, you read about it in a book - it happens to someone else, not you. But it does, I found that out,'' Phil Gregor said.
"I really hope that the message gets out to people that they look after their family and if anyone talks about internet relationships, that they can be open and share the mail with them to get an objective opinion.
"When you're in that relationship, it does seem that the reality of the scam doesn't show up to the person that is in it."
After this he may be content to live out his years with his sheep.
its dangerous out there....be careful
With all the beautiful women in the world why would anyone go to Africa. I mean god, Mrs. Ketchup came from Africa
“Pickin’ up strangers....let me tell ya ‘bout the dangers....” with my apologies to Johnny Lee