I was scammed by a person using Hugh Howey's photos too.
He is using the name Michael Cox, says he lives in Albany NY, USA.
He uses the email address
mcox2624@gmail.com
Claims to be an electrical engineer who won a 21-day maintenance contract with Shell for the Perdido OIl Platform in the Gulf of Mexico. He takes a crew of eight with him, no mobile phones permitted due to security concerns.
However, he has the use of onboard computer, so can download Skype to continue chats and phone calls.
He asked me to log onto his bank to make payments on his behalf for his business, but the bank account is frozen due to two logons simultaneously on opposite sides of the globe.
First sting: asks me to help out financially to solve immediate problem (bitcoin).
Second sting: wants to place deposit on a house in Victoria, Australia, so transfers large sum into my bank account so that I can make the payment for him, but this causes his bank account to be frozen again.
To solve problem, more bitcoin.
His profile: raised in Denmark by single mother, now deceased, who had affair with American man. The father returned to US wife and children, and is now in aged person's home & has dementia.
"Michael" is 52, single, divorced, has a pit bull called Betty. Best friend's name is Matty, married to Patience ("Patty"). Matty is diagnosed with brain tumour and must fly to Utah for urgent brain surgery.
"Michael" is very charming, persistent and dangerous.
Burned. Badly