Victim Location 68138
Total money lost $250
Type of a scam Other
Derrick Lee was the state director for the Miss Illinois United States Pageant who recently changed their name to the United States National Pageant. He never was, however, claimed to be the new Nebraska Miss United States Director. He impersonated being the Nebraska Director, setup a Facebook Event page although the hotel has no executed contract on file for him. He recently corresponded with the hotel that he merged the pageant with Iowa, which is not the case since he has no executed contract with the Miss United States National office to be the Iowa director either.
The scam is as described: A contestant was told by her old state director that Derrick Lee was the new state director for the state of Nebraska. The contestant was then friend requested by Derrick Lee and they began talking about her competing in the Nebraska pageant. Correspondences continued via text, phone and Facebook. On 10/6/15 Derrick Lee sent her a PayPal request via email to pay for her crown and sash fee (deposit). She explained she didn’t have a PayPal and he asked her to send the money to his bank via Walmart to Walmart transfer. She went to her local Walmart at 9460 Giles Road, LaVista, Nebraska and sent $250.00 to Derrick Lee. Derrick sent her a text message that he received the money on 10/8/15 at the Walmart Express 636 N. Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60613 and that she would receive her crown and sash by 11/1/15. He also told her he would send a contract the next day but never did. 11/2/15 She was notified by the national office that Derrick Lee was not now nor been the Nebraska director and that she needed to get a refund from him right away. She was told he had done this to other people as well. When she contacted Derrick he told her he was becoming the director of another pageant and offered her a title with that pageant system. That is not what she paid for and that is bait and switch not to mention fraud. He was not the director and had an event on Facebook promoting it. www.facebook.com/events/1667733180107861/ He is still taking money under this system’s name and then trying to switch them to his system. She just wants her money back and Derrick to be charged with fraud. He told her he would return her money to the national office if she decided not to compete with the new pageant he is taking over, but he still committed fraud and to date has not refunded her money or given it to the national office.
On 11/5/2015 a call was made to Miss USA Ambassador to find out if Derrick Lee was under contract with them. The next day *** *** stated that he didn’t have an executed contract with Mr. Lee either. They were in negotiations but nothing was final. This shows a pattern of behavior from Mr. Lee. It is the contestant’s belief that Derrick Lee lies to people and scams people out of their hard earned money, evident by the hospital scam he pulled at the Illinois pageant collecting money for charity and not turning all the money into the hospital and this scam as well. She was promised a refund by Derrick Lee weeks ago and he has done nothing to refund her money.