I didn't know there was a community for this. Here's my bait

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 2

I've gotten plenty of the typical scam emails but never did anythign with them until this landed in my lap a couple of years ago. It all started out when I posted an ad on Craig's List selling a bike. I guess I priced it too high because no one responded for a few days until I got this:

from brad russell
date Sun, Jun 15, 2008 at 4:07 AM

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

Still available??
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I love how the email Craig's List sends has a warning about money order scams in each email. Hopefully it works for some folks.

I replied the next morning to say yes it's available and gave my phone number. Now since I'm selling this in Austin and it's only $350 I figure only local folks will reply and I only gave my 5 digit number since everything in Austin is 512. Well another day passes and he doesn't call, instead I get the email that tipped me off that this was a scam. From here I'll just post our emails back and forth so you can see how I bait him in to sending more money.

from brad russell
date Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 3:04 AM

Hi,
Thanks for your response, I just told my accountant to send out your payment as soon you provide your full name and address. I will pay via money order . Please let me know where to send your payment to because i would'nt want to lose it to someone else. I dont mind adding twenty dollars so you can keep it in my favor. As for the pick-up, I already have an arrangement for that.
Brad

from Tim
to [email protected]
date Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 7:39 AM

Brad,

You can send payment for $370 total to:

8940 Rxxxxx Blvd
200
Austin, TX 78758

-Tim

from brad russell
to Tim
date Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 12:56 PM

Hi Tim,
You should get your payment this week. I will appreciate if you can get the ad off craigslist so i can be sure you are keeping it in my favor. Please let me know as soon as you receive it so i can start making arrangement for the pick-up. I am off to a business trip.
Thanks
Brad

from Tim
to [email protected]
date Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 1:44 PM

Sounds great. I just took the ad off of Craig's List. I'll keep an eye out for your payment and email when it arrives.

-Tim

from brad russell
reply-to [email protected]
to Tim
date Sun, Jun 22, 2008 at 3:00 AM
subject Important

Hi Tim,
I have a problem in the payment my assistant sent to you, after a reconciliation of my account, I discovered that She sent an over payment to you. The payment meant for another item was sent to you in error. I have been trying to retrieve it but to no avail. I am very worried. Please as soon as you recieve the money orders cash them, deduct your payment and send the balance via western union to the details i will provide you with. I need to contact the other client as soon as possible. Please let me know if i can count on you to do this for me.
Brad

from Tim
to [email protected]
date Sun, Jun 22, 2008 at 12:10 PM
subject Re: Important

Oh man, what a pain in the butt! I know exactly how you feel because I've done something similar in the past when paying for stuff on eBay. Luckily I used PayPal and was able to fix things quickly.

But, the good news for you is that my roommate works for a Western Union office and I can send payments for up to $1000 without any fees. So as long as the payment you sent in error isn't more than $1370 there will be no problem in sending you the difference. I'll email you as soon as I receive the payment that was sent in error. In the mean time, find a new assistant that will treat your money with more caution.

Regards,

Tim

from brad russell
to Tim
date Sun, Jun 22, 2008 at 6:59 PM
subject Re: Important

Thanks for putting my mind at rest. I am sure you will get it early this week. Please let me know as soon as you receive it.
Brad

from brad russell
to Tim
date Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 5:48 AM
subject TODAY

Hi Tim,
I have been notified my Fedex that payment will reach you today. The delay was as a result of the fire outbreak from where it was previously sent from in Cali. I am really sorry for the delay. Please as soon as get it, get them cashed at your bank, deduct your payment and send the balance via western union to the following details.

NAME OF RECEIVER: BRAD RUSSELL
CITY: LONDON
COUNTRY: UNITED KINGDOM.

You can deduct the western union charges and make sure you send me the transfer details after doing that so i can reactivate my Fedex account and effect pick-up. Thanks once again for your understanding.
Brad

from Tim
to "[email protected]"
date Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 12:07 AM
subject Re: TODAY

Well, Fedex never came by today. Maybe tomorrow. Don't worry though, I've got everything taken care of.

-Tim

from brad russell
to Tim
date Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 4:56 AM

It has been delivered. Here is the tracking number i was given 864402xxxxxx.
It was signed By T.Black.
Please make sure you get it all resolved today.
Waiting to read from you.
Brad

I had already left work when Fedex showed up but sure enough, the next morning I get to my desk and there's a Fedex envelope from B. Russel at 1421 Acton St, Berkley, CA, 94702 with two very good counterfit money orders inside. I compared them to an actual Moneygram Money Order and there are several things wrong with them that some Joe Schmoe probably wouldn't notice. He got greedy really and sent $2,355. Now like every good story there had to be an ending. I mean this guy's expecting me to send him $1,985 through Western Union right? So here's what I came up with:

from Tim
to [email protected]
date Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 9:08 AM
subject Re: TODAY

Brad,

I don't know what's going on! I came to my office this morning and the Department of Homeland Security was waiting for me with the Fedex envelope. They made me open it and explain why I was receiving the money orders. The took my laptop computer that I was corresponding with you on, and they took my cell phone as well! No one would explain to me why I was being interviewed and they made me look through a bunch of photographs of foreign looking gentlemen asking if I recognized anyone.

Who's payment did you send to me in error? What were you purchasing from them that would make the government so concerned?

I will not be arranging pickup of the bicycle until I receive the correct payment.

-Tim

I never heard anything back.

Shocking, I know.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 9:17 pm

Hi Scooterboy and welcome to Eater!

Nice little overpayment/fake check scam. Very typical of Craigslist and the such. And as you can see, the scammer wasn't at all interested in what you were selling, just that you would send him back the overpayment. Wink

A couple things -- we don't recommend you baiting with any personal details. Though the chances that anything could go wrong are slim, there is always the chance, so why take chances? Don't bait from your RL email addy -- make a new one with fake details and bait from that only.

Also don't recommend having the fake checks sent to any address that can be traced back to you or any other ITPs (Innocent Third Parties) -- police stations, football stadiums, or the White House, for example. You can either give a completely fake address and it will just be undeliverable (Is it your fault the delivery got messed up by UPS?) or you can become a Premium Member here on Eater and make use of the anonymous drop box available to those members.

So sign up for a mentor, read the stickies, bait safe and enjoy!

Again, nice job and welcome! Very Happy

Oh and PS: Just mark a nice big FAKE on those checks you have and keep them as little trophies.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 2

Thanks for the tips!

I knew I was talking a bit of a chance with sending the payments to my work address, but I knew I was leaving there in a month so I figured what the heck. That's also why I had time to post on CL and email back & forth, I was blowing off work because I knew I was leaving. ;o)

I actually stumbled on to this forum because I have someone emailing me to sell stuff for them on eBay & I was trying to figure out what their angle was so I could work it better. Looks like I need a new email addy to play these games.

-Scoot!

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 9:25 pm

Welcome to Eater, Scooterboy!

Like Dora said: You need to bait safely.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:04 pm

Welcome to eater Scooterboy. Gmail account make good baiting accounts as you can have several and they strip the originating IP.

insults and more · Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:06 pm

Welcome to the madhouse!

Create a catcher account and fill it with all the scams you can want by signing a certain guestbook.

You can also use that account to post horrible ads on dating services that no sane person would respond to ("I may be 800 pounds, a chronic bedwetter, a registered sex offender, and a psychopath, but my victims say I'm great in the sack."), etc.

Once you've got a supply of scams, you can create baiting accounts to forward selected formats to.

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 2:55 pm

@ Scooterboy Many of us don't even set up catcher accents. We just go to Surplus Letters here on Eater and pick and choose. It is like a supermarket of lads. The link below is for Surplus Letters.

http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=18

And WELCOME

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