I'm afaid I agree that your friend Richard was a bit naive. This does not in any way condone the criminal actions of the scamming filth that did this, but all the warning signs were there.
Blaming UKASH (or as in other cases Western Union or whoever is the conduit for the money) is as unfair as blaming the manufacturer of your car when you get a traffic penalty.
Wasting these bastards' time is alsways a good idea. The more people do it, the better. Join the club.