Wow, I don't read the forum for a week or so and look what I miss!
Damn Joe, this has to suck. $1000 means a lot to most of us for sure. I can only imagine the sh*t-storm I'd be in if I was planning to pay my rent and the money never made it, particularly in the manner in which it happened.
Reading through the email dialog it seems obvious to me what most likely happened to the money (IG lost his deposit money here, needed deposit money there?). I can't see any reason in any of this for IG to not have gotten the money to you, if he had it. I can certainly see how his doing a favor for you could have complicated his situation (as far as being able to change plans and stay in PE) in the beginning, but accepting the request to bring the money is tantamount to accepting responsibility for it, up to a point (obviously if he was robbed on the way to deliver the money or something it would be difficult to ask IG to make up the loss himself, for example). In accepting responsibility, if IG's plans changed to impact you being able to get your money (and pay the rent! Damn...), as was mentioned by many members there are a number of ways he could have made that right in all of the time which has passed.
I saw some fairly cold comments related to your "greed" that I just can't agree with. You guys seem have known each other for a decent amount of time. Maybe you weren't best of friends, but you'd obviously conversed and interacted in person over a period of some months - it's not like you met the guy once or twice and had no valid basis for judging his character. I can't see how it is in any way unreasonable to expect that someone who you knew would not treat your money and your situation so cavalierly, at best. I know how hard it is to get money into the country at a decent price and there's nothing wrong with trusting someone who you think you know to do you a solid. There's certainly nothing wrong with trying to get the most out of your money, particularly here and now.
The only comment I'd make related to the loss and experience is something a good friend of mine says about money. Never expect the person to whom you are lending money to pay it back, rather take it as a good surprise when it does get paid back. And therefore, never lend more than you can afford to lose or want to pay as a lesson. (The term "loan" here is used quite loosely - direct quote from my friend but I know this wasn't exactly a loan, still the same basic concept). None of which helps you in your loss, I know.
As far as IG, well, it surprises me to hear how he handled this if he's truly a "good guy". It does seem like an opportunity situation, not a true premeditated scam. I hope he makes good on the money, but I'd say interest on $1000 as well as the pain and suffering he caused you is worth more than the original sum by a goodly amount.
Sorry, dude.
There are, unfortunately, a few bad apple expats around but I don't believe that it's but a small percentage. I have only known of one guy who was a complete ass, who tried to place himself into specific situations to specifically take advantage of someone, in the 8 years since I've been here. That one involved managing and renovating a property, subsequent embezzling on a large scale, regular bills not paid and many other dastardly deeds that ended up involving lawyers and everything. Unfortunately, I've known of a few other incidents of sheer stupidity from one expat who has caused damage to another expat, almost always related to money.
