Scammer has address, phone #s & email. Am I in danger?

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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:25 am

I posted a few scams that came my way earlier in the week. I received some fake money orders in the mail and I called the police. The scammer has been constantly contacting me and telling me "he's going to get me!"

Should I be concerned?

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:39 am

Block him from your email, block him from your phone, consider moving to another state

We aren't joking when we continuously tell people to bait safe

You'e dealing with scumbag criminals, who have contacts all around the world.

Cut him off from your email and phone, if you see someone with a gun walking down your street, get worried

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:48 am

huckleberry wrote:

Should I be concerned?

If you were baiting him, you wouldn't have used your real life information, so you're safe.

If you were baiting and you were using your real life information (I'll whack you with a fish) and then I suggest you block him and ignore him. He'll get bored and go away, and then I'm coming over to give you a stern talking too about our baiting safe procedures, which were in the initial private message you received when you joined, and in just about every thread on this forum. Very Happy

Not quite a Newb Joined: 26 Jan 2009 Posts: 77

I'm a newb here and have a fake phone VM/fax number (thanx for the guy who brought up K7) and have a private (no WHOIS) domain for my "web site".

PLEASE tell me you didn't actually give out your real info! This will seem different coming from a fellow newb, but it is PARAMOUNT that you never give any RL info to a lad! The "threats of violence and fish hitting" from the previous posters are to tattoo into your mind this very concept. If you do not "bait safe" there can be real world consequences for your actions.

Follow their advice. Even kill your old email addresses (that this guy can have access to) and set up new ones. ALWAYS keep your baiting life seperate from your real life. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:16 am

While the chances of a lad to actually expend time, money, and effort to personally visit you and intimidate you into relinquishing your money, that doesn't mean he might have associates in the same country as you reside. It's best to play it safe and disconnect from the scammer. He's only saying that crap to try to scare you similar to the hitman scamming modality. The scammers know full well they won't likely be caught so they'll try anything to get you.

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:04 am

Bait safe

but

keep it in perspective.

These guys are useless lazy wimps who will not do anything unless there is a clear and present financial reward.
Just ignore the twit and be more careful in future.

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:15 am

I think I understand from your other posts huckleberry that you weren't baiting this scammer, but had nearly fallen for this scam, so you haven't gone against our forum guidelines.

You are effectively atill a victim - though not one who has lost money.

Should you worry ? I wouldn't lie awake at night about it. The one thing you shouldn't do is get into a conversation with him.

If someone rang you up and said "If you don't pay me $1,000 I'll get you" - how would you react ?

It's exactly the same situation. He is a criminal and has no rights. That's why he's threatening you. By responding to him you are encouraging him to think he can put pressure on you.

When he rings and you recognise his voice, put the phone on the table and let him talk to fresh air. It is 90% certain that he is calling from West Africa, and he won't waste phone money on a lost cause.

The cheques were fake - there is no money - you owe him nothing - he wants to steal from you.

If you hadn't diveulged your identity I'd give different advice, but you aren't wanting to provoke him into tormenting you any more.

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:44 pm

Thanks Gomer. Yes, I was almost a victim which is what led me to this site. I have involved the local police, the Postal Inspector and now the FBI has called me. I was contacted in 2 separate Craigslist scams that have affected many in the area I live in.

The interesting thing is that the authorities have asked me to keep in contact with him in hopes of getting more information.

Trophy Videos · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:06 pm

@huckleberry - I'm curious. What are they asking you to do, exactly? Record conversations? Act like you are giving in to them, and are going to pay? Confused

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:24 pm

@Huckleberry

I would ask the authorities to clarify just "what" kind of information they are hoping you will retrieve from the scammer.

Another thing you are more than welcome to do (for your own peace of mind) is to post up the headers from his emails.
Some of the gurus here can pick it apart and tell you exactly where this guy is located.

Like I said, it may help you with some peace of mind knowing for a "fact" that this guy is more than likely a half a world away.

Master Baiter Joined: 26 Aug 2008 Posts: 139

So the scammer got your real-life info, and since then he's been calling you? Aside from alerting the authorities, which you have done, just ignore the dude. Also, post the e-mail header so we can tell you where he's located at. As for the police asking you to keep contact with the scammer - are you serious? That sounds...interesting, to say the least. Consider yourself a secret agent Smile

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:19 pm

Often civilians are asked to play along in order to setup a sting op, but even the FBI know how futile that is concerning this particular scammer (although they do have the resources to catch the guy). I too am interested in their motives for asking you to do that.

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:29 pm

Huck, I know that there are some LEOs here. I can't imagine that the real police would want you to keep in touch with him on your own. They wouldn't want an untrained person screwing up their court case (which you WOULD do).

Please, please, please make sure that you are talking to REAL law enforcement. Scammers pose as all kinds of entities. Did YOU contact the FBI, or did they contact you?

If you got a call from someone claiming to be from the FBI,I would be very skeptical that it is actually from the FBI. More likely it is that lad or a confederate trying to get you back into the scam.

Do talk to a Mod about what you are dealing with here. It seems to me that you are still vulnerable to being scammed by these criminals.

Be safe out there! Confused

Master Baiter Joined: 26 Aug 2008 Posts: 139

^ I second that. Because they have your number, the scammers could pose as anyone - including the FBI. In fact, convincing you that they are a legitimate authority might allow them to extract more information out of you. Do be careful.

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:02 pm

Civilians don't mess with criminals, who know their details, unless law enforcement are closely involved - and I recommend you adhere to that advice.

I won't dramatise the situation, but if you aren't in a hole, it seems reckless to start digging one now.

You have become involved in the world of scamming and baitng from the victim side, and it's always a difficult way to get introduced. There's always a danger you don't fully understand what's going on. So take your time and follow some of the scams through that people post up.

There are a lot of cynical wizened old bastards on this forum - me ? I'm a furry innocent little pussy cat Very Happy

Listen to the wizened old bastards here who tell you like it is.

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:13 pm

I called and filed a report with Local Police at my house. I also setup a call with the Postal Inspector. The local police set up the call with the FBI. Nothing big, just standard questions. I think they wanted me to get more information from the lad because so many folks in the area were targeted. It's not like a huge watergate type probe, just more info. I was able to get them:

3 bank account numbers that belonged to real people
1 cell phone number in Nigeria and 1 in London (prob. routed to Nigeria)
2 email address and I checked the headers and all were from Nigeria
3 names and addresses of domestic victims or accomplices

The police felt it was okay to contact them because everything pointed to Nigeria. I have stopped all communication at this point.

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:38 pm

As a practical matter, a scammer is not out for revenge - he is out to get money. Once he realizes you have wised up to him, he will drop you and move on to other, juicier, targets.

This does not mean that one should not be cautious - just keep it in prospective.

Bruin

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:43 pm

Congratulations ^^^^

I am glad things have worked out fine and you have done your civic duty.

All the members advice above was given with your personal safety in mind.

We all bait safe for good reasons and our priority with victims is always the same and for sound reasons.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

I believe one of his accomplices lives here. Bwahahahaha!!! Being serious. I took a picture of her address. Twisted Evil

Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:10 am

Thanks to all the words from those who posted on this thread. Seems like he has stopped.

Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:24 am

And I hope he gets caught. Scammers hope their victims are clueless, frightened, intimidated and capable of being manipulated. You proved to be none of those to the dirtbag. Good job.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 5

That is pretty scary. Glad he stopped, though I am somewhat shocked that the law enforcement groups essentially tried to use you as 'bait'.

I had to write a bunch of articles on scams a couple of years ago and all of the investigating groups I interviewed made a point that I should note to my readers that one should stop contact immediately and not be tempted to make threats like "I've contacted the police". They also emphasized that law enforcement would not encourage the victim to continue contact as it may lead to (though not likely) unnecessary danger, should the scammer have a contact in the victim's vicinity. Should this or any similar situation turn for the worse, heads would roll.

Many years ago, a police agency baited a civilian that ended up getting raped. Huge scandal came of it. People lost jobs and millions paid out. And most importantly, someone got hurt that did not need to be. They obviously changed their policies to make it clear this couldn't happen again, but I guess other agencies have yet to learn their lesson.

Glad you are safe.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

Huckleberry - sent you an email. Let me know if you got it.

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