So close to being a victim until I checked here. Double SCAM

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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm

I agree with what Gomer said. He'll move on to someone else in a hurry.

Most of these lads have a mortal fear of law enforcement and check lads seem to be particularly cowardly and skittish in that regard.

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 5:31 pm

If you would be so kind as to send me his phone number, I will be more than happy to make him regret his actions.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 2

Updating this Thread:

TWO ARRESTED IN SCAM: Two Dover residents were arrested this weekend for allegedly scamming people and businesses in various states for more than $13,000, police said. Tena Abernathy, 51, and John Moore, 57, both of Mast Circle, face felony charges after Wisconsin police contacted Delaware authorities to report a scam the two had going on Craigslist, said state police spokesman Jeff Whitmarsh. The pair allegedly sent a check for more than the price of a car listed on the Web site, telling the seller the check included a portion he should send back via Money Gram, Whitmarsh said. After sending the money, the seller found out the check was counterfeit and no one picked up the car. Police said victims were found in Wisconsin, Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky. Both suspects are charged with eight counts of felony theft by false pretenses, two counts of misdemeanor theft by false pretenses and two counts of unlawful use of a credit card, and were released after posting $20,000 bond. Police are asking anyone with information to call Troop 3 Financial Crimes Unit at 697-4454.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090727/NEWS05/907270324

My guess is that they are innocent mules. Tena was receiving the funds and sending them on to the scammer. The real scammer is safe and well in Nigeria (according to the OP). These are victims just as much as the people who sent money to them. Instead of losing money, they get a criminal record for fraud. John's only crime seems to be the misfortune to live with a fraud victim.

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:49 pm

^^ How do you figure that? I did some snooping and everything points to them setting up this operation for their own benefit. I really don't see any of the typical mule tells.

EDIT: http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=10794671

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

huckleberry wrote:

I checked the header and the email originated from nigeria

With mules there are levels of innocence and guilt, but I don't see any evidence that these two are guilty of anything more than falling for a scam. The credit card fraud would be part of that. The scammer gets the stuff delivered to their house and they ship it on to Nigeria. See the "To Catch an ID Thief" documentary (This episode shows the mule), which investigated an identical set-up.

When the police come calling it looks cut and dried - the Moneygram transfers lead to them and the credit cards lead to them.

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:31 pm

The MoneyGram part of it I get. What passes off as unmulish is this:

Quote:

As the investigation continued and more cases were linked together, detectives say they learned that in April and May, 51-year-old Tena Abernathy, and her accomplice, 57-year-old John T. Moore, both of Dover, had compromised multiple credit cards and began to make various online purchases primarily for office equipment.

I realize that we don't have the whole story and we certainly don't have their side of the story, but that part doesn't seem to benefit a Nigerian 419er too much.

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:36 pm

If the equipment was printers, check paper, and that special ink for printing checks, it would make sense. The scammer possibly gave them the details of a compromised credit card so they could purchase what they need to print the checks. They could also be purchasing and re-shipping to other victims/mules.

We dont, of course, know the whole story, and it's possible that they've branched out on their own once they saw how "easy" it was, but I still think they at least initially were victims.

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:54 pm

^^ If it really goes that deep, then these "mules" are just as responsible as the scammers (or almost, at least).

You can't possibly tell me that they were doing all of this stuff and had no idea that it was criminal.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

Yes I can. Watch the video.

The mule is a long-term victim, usually of the romance variety.

Their lover/lad says he (or she) is operating a business that requires shipment of parcels.

The lad buys the goods with stolen cards for delivery to the mule. The only address on record is the mule's. So far as the shop or the police can see, the mule has ordered the goods. In fact the first time the mule knows about the package is when it turns up on their doorstep.

The mule ships the goods to their lover in Africa. So far as they are concerned, everything is perfectly legal. They are just helping their lover get around a difficulty in shipping the packages direct.

Similarly, the lads get check victims to WU the money to the mule, and the mule sends it on to their lover. Or maybe the lad gets the mule to send money for the standard hospital/hotel/visa fees, and then pays back the mule using a check victim. That way the mule trusts that any money they send is eventually repaid. Or maybe the WU pays the shipping charges for the packages.

Some mules do know that they are breaking the law. Some of them are into printing checks and so forth. Even then many check printers think they are printing valid checks. But I see no evidence that this pair was even doing that. So far as I can see, the police followed the delivery addresses to their door and nailed them for the entire scam. I really hope that they look deeper.

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:05 pm

That is interesting. In all fairness, I'll admit I've not watched the video yet but shall do so at my next available interval.

As for the mules that know they are breaking the law (regardless of whether that is the case with these two), I don't believe they deserve a slap on the wrist. If you know that you are committing a crime but are doing it anyway, then to hell with you. Simply put: actus reus + mens rea = no excuse and no mercy. But I do believe I've begun treading the fine line between 419 discussion and politics, so I'll kick it down a notch.

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:18 pm

Quote:

Both suspects were released on a $20,000 unsecured bond.

Hmm...

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:35 am

Spot on, thud.

thud419 wrote:

Yes I can. Watch the video.

The mule is a long-term victim, usually of the romance variety.

Their lover/lad says he (or she) is operating a business that requires shipment of parcels.

The lad buys the goods with stolen cards for delivery to the mule. The only address on record is the mule's. So far as the shop or the police can see, the mule has ordered the goods. In fact the first time the mule knows about the package is when it turns up on their doorstep.

The mule ships the goods to their lover in Africa. So far as they are concerned, everything is perfectly legal. They are just helping their lover get around a difficulty in shipping the packages direct.

Similarly, the lads get check victims to WU the money to the mule, and the mule sends it on to their lover. Or maybe the lad gets the mule to send money for the standard hospital/hotel/visa fees, and then pays back the mule using a check victim. That way the mule trusts that any money they send is eventually repaid. Or maybe the WU pays the shipping charges for the packages.

Some mules do know that they are breaking the law. Some of them are into printing checks and so forth. Even then many check printers think they are printing valid checks. But I see no evidence that this pair was even doing that. So far as I can see, the police followed the delivery addresses to their door and nailed them for the entire scam. I really hope that they look deeper.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 2

There was a woman and a man arrested at that address for the scams. From the arrest photos, obviously neither are Nigerian. If it is a love scam, which one is the lover/mule? I would guess the female, so how is the male involved? I think they were both complicit in the scams and knew what was going on, even if they were mules.

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