they are just too embarrassed. they do not want to let their families know. these scammers realize this and they use that very fair against them. but the connecticut woman who lost nearly a quarter of a million dollars in an internet scam was not only brave enough to tell police, now she s helping dateline as we try to turn the tables on her scammer. we have met face to face with the so-called diplomat. jeffrey grant who is supposed to be delivering the $15 million inheritance. to our surprise the meeting is happening right here in the u.s. in a hotel room we rented in greenville, south carolina. it seems as though mr. grant is part of a ring of internet thieves operating right here in america. but after a few minutes, he told us he had to leave to pick up forms and of course the huge pile of cash they have been promising shireen for so long. one hour and i will be back.
that this money is so real and it s all right there. of course it s a trick to get more money. the scammers use simple supplies to put a black coating on a couple of real bills. after it dries the black is easy to wash off. but the thieves say they re using special chemicals and they re very expensive, so it s another big fee to pay before you can actually spend your fortune. when we called mr. grant earlier to set up the meeting, we asked about the chemicals. she said something about chemicals or a person with chemicals that would be needed? so is that black money trick what the diplomat has up his sleeve? coming up, shireen is told her inheritance is just a car ride away, packed in a trunk scored in an underground vault. do you think sit filled with money? is it gold? valuables? what?
shireen has been helping date line for more than a year. trying to lure one of the thieves out of the shadows. finally it s time to turn the tables on the man who is ready to take more of her money. there is something you need to know. okay. i am chris hansen with dateline nbc and we have been taking a look at this group that you are apparently affiliated with. a group that has taken $200,000 of her money. i didn t take any of her money. you were about to take $36,700 from me. i am not. what do you say to this woman? the people you work with and know took her for $200,000. i don t. why don t you tell me the truth now. you know there is no crate or riches. sir. you know there is nothing of value in a crate. mr. grant denies he has anything to do with a scam but
suddenly he is bashful about who he really is. i would like to see some i.d., please. whose i.d.? your identification. what do you mean? drivers license? passport. you told me you were jeffrey grant from south africa and the very least you can do is prove that. otherwise i have no reason to believe you. sir, you asked me a question and i gave you an answer. i told you, you don t owe me any money. that s not what you said before. now that you are in trouble i am not in trouble at all. i think you are in trouble. you are affiliated with a group of people pulling scams. now he is not only denying he is part of a scam he is saying he never used the name jeffrey grant. so your name is not jeffrey grant? sir? i never told you my name is jeffrey grant. i have not.
mr. grant, this is shireen. just moments earlier, barrister davis had called to check how the deal was progressing. i just got a call from mr. davis and he said as soon as you get here to give him a call. just as we suspected, the scammers seem to be part of a sophisticated overseas network. how is this going work exactly? we re i m going bring it over here. bring what over here? the boxes? with the money? this first meeting seems to be a scouting mission to make sure we aren t the police. he tells us we will come back later with the paper work and the money. maybe in about, around one hour, i will be right back. one hour and you will be able to bring the money actually up here? [ ringing ] before he leaves there is another phone call from the barrister. mr. grant is here sitting right in front here with me.