I'm scambaiting...what to do next?

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 28 Dec 2009 Posts: 26

A friend of mine who often sells various items on the internet. Such as used movies and video games on websites like Ebay and Craigslist to make some side money while attending college. One day he got an email from a a man who was interested in buying an electronic item he was selling, however he did a trace on the email and found out that it was sent from Nigeria. He smelled a scam and baited him for a while, and eventually cut off contact.

So I decided just for the sake of it, to try myself to see if I could attract a scammer. So I decided to post a false sale an item on Craigslist. Since it is known as a hunting ground for scammers of all types, and sure enough I have managed to attract at least a couple of scams in which they want the item to be shipped to Nigeria, and in which I have been told I will be paid via paypal. Going on this I'm baiting them as long as possible in order to turn the hunter into the hunted by reporting them to the proper public and private authorities.

However I'm wondering, what should I do next and should I report them, since I've scambaited them? Which is advised by some not to do if you plan on reporting the scammers.

So what should I do next?

Thanks,

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 8:24 am

First, the usual response: don't bait with your real email address.

With that out of the way, there's really not much you can do in the area of reporting the scammer. However, if you manage to get a bank account out of him you can report that to Alan, and if you provide enough evidence of scamminess he can get the account closed (and the money in it confiscated?)

(Completely off-topic thought: yay, my 123rd post!)

Not quite a Newb Joined: 28 Dec 2009 Posts: 26

Mod edit - edited to remove quote, no need to quote the full post directly above, we can see it just there ^^^ Wink

- SP

To answer your first response I'm using the email I always use when I post on Craigslist, which is not my main email nor does it contain my real name in the title.

To the second issue,

He has not given me any link to his paypal account or anything, however he has given me a shipping address. Which is in Nigeria if that is of any use?

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 8:37 am

The important thing is that it can't possibly be traced back to you, in case one lad happens to own a teleportation machine and a large firearm (or any number of more likely but less severe possiblities). I recommend creating a completely separate account just for baiting and always replying to them with a fake name.

Shipping addresses are pretty much useless (and quite possibly fake), bank accounts and websites are the only things that we can really shut down.

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:39 am

@matador: That shipping address is maybe fake, or maybe existing but not his. He is probably not interesting in the goods you might ship to him. He will pay by cheque, with a too high amount on it, and ask you to send the rest of the money back via western union. The cheque is fake and will eventually bounce.

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:14 pm

If you use that address for normal craigslist activity, it gets a heap easier to cross-reference and find your real details, so start with a cleanskin address. Read up around the site for 'overpayment' and 'cheque'/'check' scams and you'll see how they work, which will give you ideas for how to proceed! Have a look in Eater University too.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 28 Dec 2009 Posts: 26

Mod edit - edited to remove quote, no need to quote the full post directly above, we can see it just there ^^^ Wink

- SP

Well I just established a new email address for Craigslist activity, to better protect myself from the lads.

Next I'll take a look at the Eater University.

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