Fun things to do with an internet scammer?

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 1:14 pm

I'm selling a vehicle online and I'm now a few weeks into the "fake check" scam" (they send you a check for more than the amount you've specified you deposit it, it initally clears your bank, you wire them the difference, the check they sent that initially cleared YOUR bank gets to "THEIR" bank (which is not really their bank) and bounces, leaving you out whatever dollar amount the difference was that you sent them).

Anyhoo, I got the check today via FedEx. I knew this was a scam from day one but I've been playing along for kicks. We're having fun here thinking of fun, legal ways to toy with this guy for a while (e.g., sending him a big, giant sweepstakes check or maybe a check written in crayon or maybe a check that says on it "THIS IS NOT A CHECK").

Other ideas? I think I might just play dumb and ask him why he sent me a check for more than the amount listed in my ad or maybe tell him my brother will be giving him the cash in person if he'll tell me his address...

Whee!

BigCock · Post by **BigCock** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:02 pm

How about telling him you knew he was trying to scam you so you cashed the check and donated the money to Black Rock Arts Foundation, ACLU or any other organization you think will enfuriate the guy. If you're convincing enough, he'll stop payment and have to pay the fee.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:24 pm

Tell them you're an African businessman, with assets that are frozen because of a recent political coup, and that you need his help in retreiving these funds!

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:43 pm

BigCock wrote:How about telling him you knew he was trying to scam you so you cashed the check and donated the money to Black Rock Arts Foundation, ACLU or any other organization you think will enfuriate the guy. If you're convincing enough, he'll stop payment and have to pay the fee.

I actually thought about signing the check over to the local police association and sending it in anonymously. Unfortunately, my name is on the check. I think I might ask him to re-issue the check to some fake name and then do that...and then the real fun begins (for him/her).

Today I replied to his email about the check I received. I said, "Received the check. I will wire the difference to the party named on the check" (the company NAME they used that really does exist to write the fake check to me). I'm sure he'll reply with something like, "no no no to so and so, not to them..." Playing dumb is fun!

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:44 pm

Ugly Dougly wrote:Tell them you're an African businessman, with assets that are frozen because of a recent political coup, and that you need his help in retreiving these funds!

:D

Just got one of those emails, too. The unfortunate thing about playing along is that I think you get on the mailing list (where, I'd bet, the real money is).

calsur · Post by **calsur** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:24 am

You could also pay the change with a U.S. Postal money order and then turn them into the Postal Inspectors. I love using the law in perfectly legal ways to mess with jerks.

EvilDustBooger · Post by **EvilDustBooger** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:07 am

calsur wrote:You could also pay the change with a U.S. Postal money order and then turn them into the Postal Inspectors. I love using the law in perfectly legal ways to mess with jerks.

I doubt you can get to them via mail.
The fuck knew enough to use fed-x to deliver the counterfeit check
or you could report them to the feds for "mail fraud".

Wish I had an idea short of tracking them down and....*

No one seems to want to spend much time helping the victims of these scams,
but it wouldn`t hurt to complain around abit:

http://www.elsop.com/wrc/complain.htm

Good luck with sticking it to them however you can.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:43 am

advice from http://www.fraud.org/tips/internet/fakecheck.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You don’t have to wait long to use the money, but that doesn’t mean the check is good. Under federal law, banks have to make the funds you deposit available quickly – usually within one to five days, depending on the type of check. But just because you can withdraw the money doesn’t mean the check is good, even if it’s a cashier’s check. It can take weeks for the forgery to be discovered and the check to bounce....

You are responsible for the checks you deposit. That’s because you’re in the best position to determine the risk – you’re the one dealing directly with the person who is arranging for the check to be sent to you. When a check bounces, the bank deducts the amount that was originally credited to your account. If there isn’t enough to cover it, the bank may be able to take money from other accounts you have at that institution, or sue you to recover the funds. In some cases, law enforcement authorities could bring charges against the victims because it may look like they were involved in the scam and knew the check was counterfeit....

Don’t deposit it – report it! Report fake check scams to the National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch, a service of the nonprofit National Consumers League, at www.fraud.org or (800) 876-7060. That information will be transmitted to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:47 am

Not to encourage questionable behaviors but perhaps someone could beat them at their own game by using Qchex. It's just a thought.

regionalchaos · Post by **regionalchaos** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:52 am

HughMungus wrote:I'm selling a vehicle online and I'm now a few weeks into the "fake check" scam" (they send you a check for more than the amount you've specified you deposit it, it initally clears your bank, you wire them the difference, the check they sent that initially cleared YOUR bank gets to "THEIR" bank (which is not really their bank) and bounces, leaving you out whatever dollar amount the difference was that you sent them).

Anyhoo, I got the check today via FedEx. I knew this was a scam from day one but I've been playing along for kicks. We're having fun here thinking of fun, legal ways to toy with this guy for a while (e.g., sending him a big, giant sweepstakes check or maybe a check written in crayon or maybe a check that says on it "THIS IS NOT A CHECK").

Other ideas? I think I might just play dumb and ask him why he sent me a check for more than the amount listed in my ad or maybe tell him my brother will be giving him the cash in person if he'll tell me his address...

Whee!

"Accidently" send him a check (fake) for more then twice the value of the difference, or maybe put the decimal in the wrong spot or something. Then ask him to just cash it and send you the difference!

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:42 am

regionalchaos wrote:"Accidently" send him a check (fake) for more then twice the value of the difference, or maybe put the decimal in the wrong spot or something. Then ask him to just cash it and send you the difference!

Haha!

I just replied to his latest plea for a wire transfer, "I can't deliver the RV until your client has proof of insurance. Please send me the proof of insurance for the RV." Next I'll tell him that I don't have a bank account. :P Then I might do what you've suggested and send him a money order for $2.000.

But now I have a name. Probably a stolen identity. I'll probably refer this all to fraud.org when I'm tired of it.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:12 am

There's a website where hobbyists play with this guys. I can't retreive the website since it was oin totse.com and teh man shut that down.

calsur · Post by **calsur** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:56 pm

EvilDustBooger,

I did not say to mail it to the jerk I said use a U.S. Postal money order. If it is cashed anywhere on this planet you can then contact the Postal inspectors and they HAVE to investigate because mail fraud is a federal offence. Your tax dollars at work. Use it to your advantage for once.

EvilDustBooger · Post by **EvilDustBooger** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:11 am

calsur wrote:EvilDustBooger,

I did not say to mail it to the jerk I said use a U.S. Postal money order. If it is cashed anywhere on this planet you can then contact the Postal inspectors and they HAVE to investigate because mail fraud is a federal offence. Your tax dollars at work. Use it to your advantage for once.

Can you wire a US Postal money order?
I understand the implications of mail and wire fraud.
I don`t understand how you would be able to get a money order
to an anonymous party to cash without a disclosed address or PO box.

I don`t know all the details of this particular instance, but it`s my understanding - that`s why the offending party used "fed-x"(private company) to send the fake check...so he could
remain anonymous, avoid the "federal offense" rap, and on the return side, use a wire transfer to receive the "refund" and
( make away with the "take")
without disclosing their location(s).

The money order idea would work if you could just get it to them.
^^^^(I sure wouldn`t want to use MY funds for this!)^^^^

At least that`s my understanding of what is going on here.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:13 am

...maybe someone with some computer skills could conjure up one of those convincing electronic payment emails, you know "a check for $XX is waiting for you at BogusCheX, click on this link to authorize your payment"

(this of course assumes that their clicking on the link and subsequent steps would somehow lead to their identity or something else useful...I am far from a computer expert)

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:40 am

Except that snce it's overseas (in Lagos, no doubt) they have no muscle. No joke.

I've seen these scams for years in my ohter hobby (old cars), and it's all BS. These guys are slick, and if you play into it, you lose.

Only way to certainly win is NOT to play. The only other way (and it's not worth the time or effort) is to tell them that you will hold goods until the cashiers check (or whatever) clears in 6-10 months, and you will then ship vehicle to whereever, and refund money, less shipping fees, at that time. And Confirmation MUST be verified through their countrie's embassy here in the USA.

These parasites play on the fact that, in their estimation, we are all stupid Americans and they are so much smarter than we'll ever be. Doesn't that make you feel special?

That they've conned people out of millions using this dipshit scam kinda makes me wonder... Anyone want to buy a bridge? >grins<

bb

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:28 am

Bay Bridge Sue wrote:Except that snce it's overseas (in Lagos, no doubt) they have no muscle. No joke.

I've seen these scams for years in my ohter hobby (old cars), and it's all BS. These guys are slick, and if you play into it, you lose.

Only way to certainly win is NOT to play. The only other way (and it's not worth the time or effort) is to tell them that you will hold goods until the cashiers check (or whatever) clears in 6-10 months, and you will then ship vehicle to whereever, and refund money, less shipping fees, at that time. And Confirmation MUST be verified through their countrie's embassy here in the USA.

These parasites play on the fact that, in their estimation, we are all stupid Americans and they are so much smarter than we'll ever be. Doesn't that make you feel special?

That they've conned people out of millions using this dipshit scam kinda makes me wonder... Anyone want to buy a bridge? >grins<

bb

My only involvement is via email. I won't be making the mistake of sending them anything, promising anything, or faking anything (which could all lead to charges of fraud against ME which would suck). No worries.

Hehe. He's jonesing for the wire transfer and telling me they're going to pick it up. So I said, "OK, give me your shipping address and I'll figure out the shipping charges, deduct them from the amount you sent me, and ship the RV to you."

:D

Davoid · Post by **Davoid** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:22 pm

With some timely help from your nerdy-yet-hip hacker buddy in his cluttered-but-stylish loft, you'll get the perp's 20 in no time. Then it's just a matter of calling up the rest of your team and tempting them out of retirement for one last job. Ex-military contacts provide you with the latest in spy tech and kick-ass firepower, and parachutes, and a late-nite drop off. You take out the guards without a sound (but they're not dead- just unconscious), penetrate the perimeter, and take 'im down. Of course, he'll pull a throwing knife as you're cuffing him, so he'll be the cause of his own ultimate demise when you fire in self-defense. Then there's the problem of his orphaned teenage daughter falling in love with you. You obviously can't go down that route, but she'll agree to let you adopt her and show her a life without crime back in the States.

I'll be looking for the "Bringing my adopted teen to BRC in '06- advice?" thread.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:11 pm

His latest response to me telling him I'll ship the vehicle:

"The shipping charges is not for you to take care of it has to be done by the agent whom my client has contacted.what you are expected to do is to only deduct the WESTERN UNION TRANSFER CHARGES from the balance and send the remaning to him,he will then schedule for a pick-up date with you and please do that as soon as you recieve this mail and do remember to copy me the western union details for record purpose."

Hm...what next...

EvilDustBooger · Post by **EvilDustBooger** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:21 pm

Before you stop communications with him, you should copy and paste this entire thread to an email and send it to him....

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:45 pm

EvilDustBooger wrote:Before you stop communications with him, you should copy and paste this entire thread to an email and send it to him....

Can't do that. I don't want him to ever know he's been jerked around. Don't need some Russian mobster coming after me.

I just said, "OK I'll wait two weeks for the check to clear and then we'll proceed."

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 8:26 pm

http://modesto.craigslist.org/about/bes ... 38685.html

I found this on craigslist best of... Looks like others are having fun...

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:57 am

Davoid wrote:With some timely help from your nerdy-yet-hip hacker buddy in his cluttered-but-stylish loft, you'll get the perp's 20 in no time. Then it's just a matter of calling up the rest of your team and tempting them out of retirement for one last job. Ex-military contacts provide you with the latest in spy tech and kick-ass firepower, and parachutes, and a late-nite drop off. You take out the guards without a sound (but they're not dead- just unconscious), penetrate the perimeter, and take 'im down. Of course, he'll pull a throwing knife as you're cuffing him, so he'll be the cause of his own ultimate demise when you fire in self-defense. Then there's the problem of his orphaned teenage daughter falling in love with you. You obviously can't go down that route, but she'll agree to let you adopt her and show her a life without crime back in the States.

I'll be looking for the "Bringing my adopted teen to BRC in '06- advice?" thread.

Yeah I saw that episode too. Too bad they canceled the show.

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:30 pm

HughMungus wrote:
EvilDustBooger wrote:Before you stop communications with him, you should copy and paste this entire thread to an email and send it to him....
Can't do that. I don't want him to ever know he's been jerked around. Don't need some Russian mobster coming after me.

I just said, "OK I'll wait two weeks for the check to clear and then we'll proceed."

Ummm... if you were worried about *that* you shouldn't have... ummm... never mind.

BTW - these scammers know it's a 6 month window before that bogus cashier's cheque will bounce and screw you. 2 weeks? They won.

About Shipping - you can tell him that due to the high number of fraudulent purchases using the same technique that said genteman used, the only way to complete the sale is to allow you to process the shipping, and that is after the monetary tem has shown as cleared by the issuing source, via the consulate of the country of origin. Otherwise they are free to cancel the cashier's check (or whatever) and terminate the deal, after they compensate you for your present investment (hard currency only, shipped via courier to 3rd address, no moetary instruments accepted).

And if they agree to this, better be packing when you go to get paid.

Again, sorry. TO paraphrase a movie I saw aeons ago...

The only way to win the game... is not to play.

bb

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:27 pm

Maybe something along these lines?

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:46 pm

Rob the Wop wrote:Maybe something along these lines?

After all the crap I dealt with today reading that just made my day.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:55 pm

...but did Jeff get taken out by the Russian Mafia?

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:35 am

Bay Bridge Sue wrote:
HughMungus wrote:
EvilDustBooger wrote:Before you stop communications with him, you should copy and paste this entire thread to an email and send it to him....
Can't do that. I don't want him to ever know he's been jerked around. Don't need some Russian mobster coming after me.

I just said, "OK I'll wait two weeks for the check to clear and then we'll proceed."
Ummm... if you were worried about *that* you shouldn't have... ummm... never mind.

BTW - these scammers know it's a 6 month window before that bogus cashier's cheque will bounce and screw you. 2 weeks? They won.

About Shipping - you can tell him that due to the high number of fraudulent purchases using the same technique that said genteman used, the only way to complete the sale is to allow you to process the shipping, and that is after the monetary tem has shown as cleared by the issuing source, via the consulate of the country of origin. Otherwise they are free to cancel the cashier's check (or whatever) and terminate the deal, after they compensate you for your present investment (hard currency only, shipped via courier to 3rd address, no moetary instruments accepted).

And if they agree to this, better be packing when you go to get paid.

Again, sorry. TO paraphrase a movie I saw aeons ago...

The only way to win the game... is not to play.

bb

I would never cash the check, I would never spend a dime, etc. If I jerk this guy around do you think they're really going to send someone to Texas to get $2,000? But I hear ya. I should probably end this just in case...

After 5 days of no replies from me, he just asked me to detail why there is such a long delay. I told him I lost the check and to please send me another. :D

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 10:06 am

While not nearly as funny as the P-P-P-P-Powerbook story, here is one that deals with the qchex scam.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/lax/119838685.html

Fun things to do with an internet scammer?

Fun things to do with an internet scammer?

Law

Re: Law

Re: Fun things to do with an internet scammer?

Re: Fun things to do with an internet scammer?

Use it to your advantage for once

Re: Use it to your advantage for once