Reader asks me how she can mess with a scammer. I would like other people to offer their opinions:
I've included here an email from a potential Craigslist scammer. I'm pretty confident this is a scam because I've read about people using courier services to send money as a way to bypass any federal crimes (apparently, if you send money by USPS, then it's considered a federal penalty). Furthermore, they want to pay an extra $50 for the price I am listing. Some people have also suggested that I play along with scammers, because each time they send money by courier services, they spend their own money.
In any case, I'm wondering what your suggestions are. I kind of played along by giving them my school mailing address (I'm a graduate student, so we get our own mailboxes at the department office). I'm tempted to just get the check, tell them that I didn't receive it and ask them to send one again, or just tell them that my item has been destroyed by a fire or some crazy story like that.
Of course, I won't cash any checks. I know they're fake.
Thanks for your time!
FROM SCAMMER:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michelle Cowan <aquatwin1@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Subject: Re: ~*NEW*~ Evan Picone - Marilyn Halter Dress; Size: 4P; Color: BLACK - $56 (Irvine, CA)
Hello,
Thanks for the details. I'm glad to let you know that the deal is still on, the payment is being sent via the courier service and the item will be picked up as soon as you receive the payment, and get payment cashed. Then I will instruct the shipper to get in contact with you for the pick up schedule time and date. I will like to tell you that you would be receiving an overdraft amount of payment to cover the shipment of the items bought and other items that am purchasing for I might not be on hand when the payment arrives as am
going for my business trips. So as soon as you receive the check have it cashed and remove your money for the item and send the remaining funds to the shipper via Western Union money transfer.
My shipper is also picking some of other items at the same city of ours, hence you need to transfer the remaining amount of $ to the shipper when you have receive the payment. You will have to deduct $50
for your running around that I have caused you during the transaction period. Please let me know if I can trust you on this so we can move forward from here and email you the tracking number of the payment
soonest.
Thanks for your understanding,
Michelle Cowan
14 comments:
Nice one.
holiday lettings spain
holiday cottages andalucia
Also goes by David Benitez. Received same e-mail.
Oh, and when I said I was wary of this being a scam, so wouldn't proceed until he agreed to pay cash, as he'd previously done, I got this:
"
I understand your worries and concern. I would really be grateful if
we can work something out here and I'll assure you of a safe
transaction I'll advice you deposit the check with your bank for
proper verification. As soon as your bank confirmed the validity and
availability of funds with my bank we can then proceed with the
transaction and pick up.
Note: I'll not have mover pick up until the check has cleared you account."
Hey all, I'm the person this "Michelle" has contacted. I basically told this person I won't decide when to ask the "mover" to pick up the item until I've cashed the check. Of course I won't. I'm thinking of telling the person I tried to cash the check, but the bank said something was wrong with it, so I can't go through with the business. Since it's a courier service, the person has already paid some amount of money for the check. So it's his/her lost if I can't transfer the funds to his/her account.
I just received the same scam "Will pay extra $50 and mail you a money order, if you hold it for me and remove your listing from Craigslist." The scammer then proceeds to ask for my name, address and phone number. I'm wondering if this scammer is attempting to link my personal information with my bank account (once cashed) so that they can create a fake ID. I'm still unsure exactly what their angle is... but it's highly suspect. The name was from "J.S." and emailed from jscommercialization@gmail.com
This is the email I just got:
"Please confirm to me,because i want to get the authority involved,i am
sorry if this is rude but it seems you wanted to scam me.I have
already get the FBI involved ,they have full details and they will
track you within some days.Give me my money so this can stop.
Best Regard"
REALLY? I want to reply to the person DO IT. It's like the last effort to try to guilt trip you. I'm just ignoring the idiot.
I have received many of these emails. First they reply to your post with a quick short "Still for sale?" and nothing else. That shows you they are not even reading your post. It is just a copy and paste response that does not go into any detail. Then they respond with the offer to pay you extra $50 and send you the money but in that long response, that sometimes arrives within seconds of your reply, they talk about the thing you are selling as "the item".
Just trash the email. They will never send you money. They just want your info to scam you. Their emails are all gmail accounts for which you don't need to give a real name or address.
I just got a response to one of my listings on craigslist from a David Benitez claiming to be a boot camp instructor. His emails were highly suspect. He asked for personal information and said that his "mover" would handle shipping. I googled his name and this page was the first result. Thanks for keeping me safe, internet.
David Benitez almost got me........it just sounded weird. Called the bank attached to his check - his account doesnt even exist there. Thanks for the comments - helped validate our suspicion
tatiopp 3015David Benitez just answered one of my craigslist listings also claiming to be a boot camp instructor looking for my personal info and was going to add $30.00 for my removing the AD from CL and his movers would come and pickup my item. Thanks for keeping me safe
anyone hear of a michelle cowan offering a personal care job as a scam?
I should of googled this dumb ass person before i even did anything. Now she is threatning this is the following message:
Hello and how are you doing today?
I got a confirmation from my bank that the
payment has gone
through.Please do check with your bank and
get back to me as soon as
possible for i want the pick up to materialize
not later than
tomorrow. I want the excess funds transfered
to the housing broker.
This now seems to me that you want to run
away with my hard earned
money..i will have to involve the FBI and the
local CIA on this cos it
seems you want to screw me.and you have
refused to reply my mails
concerning the money i sent to you..all our
conversation chain is been
watched by the federal bureau..and besides,i
have a brother that works
as a fraud investigator for FBI..i will be giving
you 24hrs to get
back to me with the money transfer details or
else...The rest of your
life will be spend in the prison.
This is his contact office address..in case you
want to verify.......
Federal Bureau of Investigation - St. Louis
Attn: Internet Fraud Division
2222 Market Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2516
FBI Newark
11 Centre Place
Newark, New Jersey
07102-9889
Yes, She is threatning me now with this:
Hello and how are you doing today?
I got a confirmation from my bank that the
payment has gone
through.Please do check with your bank and
get back to me as soon as
possible for i want the pick up to materialize
not later than
tomorrow. I want the excess funds transfered
to the housing broker.
This now seems to me that you want to run
away with my hard earned
money..i will have to involve the FBI and the
local CIA on this cos it
seems you want to screw me.and you have
refused to reply my mails
concerning the money i sent to you..all our
conversation chain is been
watched by the federal bureau..and besides,i
have a brother that works
as a fraud investigator for FBI..i will be giving
you 24hrs to get
back to me with the money transfer details or
else...The rest of your
life will be spend in the prison.
This is his contact office address..in case you
want to verify.......
Federal Bureau of Investigation - St. Louis
Attn: Internet Fraud Division
2222 Market Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2516
FBI Newark
11 Centre Place
Newark, New Jersey
07102-9889
Post a Comment