eBay purchase scam...

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 6

Hi all..
I have been lurking for a long time, posted a bit a while back but had to retreat to do work and all but I am back... for a good reason.

My kids posted their PS3 on eBay and had a buy it now price. So we got a buyer as we often might when we post on eBay.. Unfortunately the buyer is a scammer, and more unfortunately this guy exposed himself to me [he doesnt know it] well after I was conversing with him in email so he does have my regular email.
He became unregistered on eBay the day after the purchase of course. Interestingly and expected, he threw an extra $100 on the purchase price for shipment to an address in Lagos. Of course. I realized I was probably dealing with a spammer, so I 'innocently' told him I would ship to the American address he gave me originally as in his eBay information... his response:

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I am out of State for a Church program in UK, and there is Nobody in my House, i want the it to be ship to my son address he is the one i want to ship it to, and i will be waiting for the shipment tracking number i do not want you to ship it to my house in UK okay i want it to be ship to my son in Nigeria okay...That was why i added $100 for you for the shipment ...Thanks and i will be waiting for you
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But of course...

So I told him I will ship it to the UK no problem... [grin]. His response:

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No i want you to ship out the item to my son adderss in Nigera here is the adderss blow

Name.............................. Kola Williams
Address............................10 Oba Akinjobi st
City.................................Ikeja
Zip code..........................23401
State.................................Lagos
Country............................Nigeria
Phone Number.......................234-7084958875
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I said in response, Oh ok... Nicaragua. No problem. I will send it out tomorrow. I liked the country name he provided - "Nigera" and the "adderss blow" ....

He then sent two PayPal money payment confirmation emails which of course were fake. That is, they are unless the PayPal people now phrase their 'official' emails in a strange grammar-free dialect as he sent and come from strange IP addresses. Hey, as long as HE thinks its working, I wont tell him eh?

So my thought was ... can I hand this off to someone who can 'take it from here' as the "shipping agent" and put me out of the loop... I envision someone sending him on a safari to the wrong address to pick up the package. He claims he will [ha ha] deposit the money as soon as I send him a tracking number... So I am willing to send him a small box say 3"x2"x2" in size with a photo of a PS3 in it. That way the tracking number will be valid. Then I can provide a 'typo' in the address so he has to drive 150 miles to pick it up...

I want you all to know up front. I understand the issues with exposing yourself to these wads and now wish I had just waited a bit longer to send him an email but he looked completely legitimate until I saw the 'extra' $100, fake emails from "paypal" and the address . So in this case, he got my regular email long before he exposed himself as a scammer. So... That said, this is the reason I ask if anyone wants to be a shipper agent for me and take it from here. I can claim I am out of the loop.

That is... unless he reads THIS forum... heh heh.

If you think it best that I just let it go.. then I will do just that.

Thanks for the assist in advance, but boy I SURE would love to send him on a safari to a place with a streaming webcam and then have a party when he arrives...

Ron

Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:45 am

i am sure somebody will help you with this if you put in some work in it as well,unfortenly i dont have much time these days otherwise i would be glad to help you,but as said sure enough some people around here will help you out.

Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:51 am

We strongly discourage baiting scammers from your real life email address.
Read the stickies about baiting safely.
Google on your email address, and you might be surprised how much personal info you find.

Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:40 pm

Welcome back Ronspectre!

Quote:

he got my regular email long before he exposed himself as a scammer. So... That said, this is the reason I ask if anyone wants to be a shipper agent for me and take it from here.

Good to know that you're aware of the safety issues regarding your RL details. Might I suggest that you post all the details again (excluding your own of course) in Miscellaneous scams here, as I know you'd like this lad to be baited, and given some proper attention. Evil or Very Mad

I'm pretty sure there are some ebay (overpayment) scams in there and someone might pick him up for you. Smile

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 689

Tell him the truth ... there's no money in your paypal account for some unkown reason .... and he should send the cash by Western Union and once you've picked it up you will mail the item he purchased. That should make him squirm a little.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 7

That address he gave you also seems to relate to a "charity" website for children with "Down Syndrome" http://www.hoghospice.org/downsyndrome.html

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:14 am

the simplest thing is to DROP him. do not keep conversing with him on that email address, it's not worth any risk there might be there.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 6

[quote="JumpinJayJay"]the simplest thing is to DROP him. do not keep conversing with him on that email address, it's not worth any risk there might be there.[/quote]

Thanks for all the tips folks.. I simply play it like the business man... You dont have the cash you dont get the stash...

Ahhh but if I only picked up on the scam earlier... DANG I would sure have loved to send him on a freakin' safari to the wrong address... Heck I woulda told him I threw in a second whole PS3 that was just lying around and it was his lucky day as i wanted to dump it. Its funny how he forgot who he was baiting in one email as he called himself James in one email and Scott in another... Idiot.

But eh... it aint the first time its happened... I get those lovely scam bait letters perhaps one to two a day. Just deleted one moments ago in fact. So when I am ready to turn some criminal's life upside down I will be ready... heh heh...

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:58 am

Please PM me his address and I'll be glad to safari him for you.