i got scammed-what now?

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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:43 pm

I fell for a scam the other day and thank god the cheque bounced!

Here�s my story!

I put an ad on Gumtree looking for work, I received a email form a guy called Nelly Miller claiming to be a artist from the USA. He said he needed a agent in the UK to take payment for his paintings and cash the cheques and Weston union the cash to him in the states in return for 10%, I was sucked in for the whole money for sod all routine! So I filled out his silly little form and heard nothing more, till last week when I got a brown envelope in the post with scruffy hand writing the words (FAO Nelly Miller) on the back, the post mark was from London.

Inside was a royal bank of Scotland cheque from a current account in the channel islands for the amount of �8900, I thought nothing of it and put in in the bank last Tuesday. Now I have an Abbey account so it takes 5 working days to clear. He emailed me to find out if I had received the cheque, I said yes and that I had paid it in.

Friday I received a mail for him again addressed to Andrea? Now that�s not my name and I�m wondering why he addressed the mail to that name? still a mystery. Antway this message said how glad he was that I had received payment and that rather than transferring the money via Weston union could iu transfer the cash into a Halifax account and supplied the details, now this is where I though something was not right. The accout was in the name of kerry watt and it was Halifax bank in London! Now why couldn�t the cheque just of got paid into that account in the first place if the cheque came from London in the first place?

So I started looking into the truth behind all this! And found this site and realised how much of a sucker I had been. Lucky for me the cheque bounced this morning.

No for my problem! He knows my real address and name!

Now I emailed him today not letting on that I know he is a scammer but to inform him that his customers cheque had bounced and I need instructions on what he wants me to do next? Just to see what reply I might get from him if a get one at all.

What do I do guys? In a bit worried that I live in Bournemouth and he�s obviously only in London and that�s not a great distance is it?

Any advice? I should receive the cheque back in the next few days so I�ll have myself a nice trophy

Please help, you advice and experience is valued!

P

His details

Nelly Miller [email protected]

The details he wanted to transfer funds to: (sorry if I shouldn�t post these I just want to expose him for what he is!)
Bank Name...Halifax Bank Plc London
Account Name...Kerry Wat
Account Number.....135586**
Sord Code........111811
Bank Address...
LONDON OXFORD STREET ,
60 OXFORD STREET ,
W1D 1BJ
London

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:22 pm

Drop him. As you said, he knows you address and lives near you. You are in danger if you bait him. If you really want to bait him, get a new email addy and get a premier membership and a dropbox.

Master Baiter Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 199

I am glad that you did not get totaly taken..

As to what you should do:

1) Stop ALL communication with the scammer. Now that you know about baiting, do not even try to bait this guy even from another account.
2) Notify the police in your area that you were almost victim of a scam. They prolly will not care much, but they should be alerted.
3) Spread the word about scams to your friends and family. Scam proof them as much as you can.

Will he come after you? Not likely. There is no money in it. These guys are not usualy violent, just greedy. Be aware of your surroundings. Take a crime awareness and prevention class.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:31 pm

Hi, welcome, I am sure somebody will be along to offer you great advice, but the main thing is if the scammer has your real details, drop him. If he emails you back tell him you have found full-time work, thanks for the offer of work he gave you but you no longer need it, or just ignore him.
The bank details along with the message headers can be sent to [email protected] and he will sort that out.
Please do not let him know you have found out he is a scammer.
Great that you didn't lose any money.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:36 pm

thaks guys so my best be is to drop him and ignor him. prob my best bet then.

what does this fella do then? [email protected]

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:47 pm

Welcome Blinks 2001.

Kudos for talking about your experience. I think a lot of people would just keep it to themselves, but by sharing, you might help someone else avoid getting scammed.

I believe kills accounts scammers use to collect their riches from victims.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 79

I think the credit card and bank account numbers these scammers supply is generally stolen, so Alan takes care of that.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:14 pm

Are you sure the scammer is in london ?

Can you post the headers of his original email and also any contact details he gave you ?

PS, glad you found out

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:23 pm

That sucks, I definitely wouldn't bait him though, especially not from an address he knows. Best advice I have seen is just get out of it without letting him know you are a scammer. So yer from Bournemouth? Cool, I went to Bournemouth Uni, graduated last year.

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 135

I wouldn't start baiting till you've recovered emotionally from being scammed...

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:50 pm

i will gather as much info as i can about this dude. as for being emotionally scared, im not that much at all. just relieved i caught him out. i think if the cheque had cleared i would have gone to the police and reported it anyway. i must admit though im gonna get well into this scambaiting lark it sounds like alot of fun and i'd like nothing more than to cause these wankers as much grief as i can! its not a nice thing to do taking someone hard earned cash from them! specially as thier not even from this bloody country! arse holes! it really grips my shit! im fuming! aaaarrr!!!

as for is he in london? i reckon so! the cheque came from london and the account he wanted me to transfer into was in london? 2+2 = 5 if you know what im getting at!

cheers guys! lets get these fuckers and organise a big party for them, get them all in one room. lock the fucking doors and throw in a smoke grenade a crocadile and a basket full of scorpians and snakes! would be an interesting evening entertainment!

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 11:45 pm

@blinks2001

Just out of interest..... when you said that the cheque "bounced", did the bank send you the cancelled cheque back to you ???

If they did they would have written on it in RED LETTERS the reason for it being returned. ....what did they write on it ?? (maybe the reason for return was in a letter ).

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 11:46 pm

It might have been a partner he has living in London doing some dirty work for him. The advice is on the "money". Drop him, go invisible. If you're ready to bait, read all the sticky notes in the forums first. Knowledge is your best weapon. Go slow at first, and be stealthy. Read some of the baits that have been posted. And Welcome to the Eateruniversity! The courses are hilarious, yet serious at the same time. Confused

Glad you were not a victim. But it was close!

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

A few weeks ago I read about these kinds of scans in my computer class. I can't believe how much money these people make. I have to say it is a great scam, that sadly alot of people don't know about. I have actually recieved quite a few, but I was fortunatly too busy each time to get involved. I've had one claiming a rich relative in Africa died and I was last of kin, so I could get his mulit billion dollar inheratince if I gave them my information. I new this one was fake because I have TONS of relatives, and well...none of them are African.
Gosh, you said you were not scared. I think I would be.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

^^^ Kudos for your school for teaching about email scams.

@blinks, Cheques are usually posted in the country they are going to, it's cheaper that way. They are sent in bulk from wherever they are printed to one address in the destination country and then posted individually.

As for the bank account, it could belong to another scammer to whom your scammer owes some money. Or, to contradict myself, maybe it's the cheque printer.

[email protected] takes our anonymous tip-offs and makes sure the right authorities take action on them. He has enough standing where it matters to make sure something happens. You should forward (as attachment) the email that mentioned the bank account, together with any other information you can think of.

You have a choice of two alternatives with the scammer. Either totally ignore him, or send him one more email that politely tells him that you know it's a scam and the police have the cheque. Do not send him abuse; you don't want him angry. (Even angry, there's little chance you would be in any danger, but why take risks?)

If he has your bank account details, talk to your bank.

Be aware that now your email address is out there you may be targeted more in the future, including by a recovery scam where they pretend to be an organisation that can recover the money or bring the scammers to justice.

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:29 pm

Welcome Blinks:
I see that you are just full of warm emotions for the mugus Laughing

Just be glad the bank was able to find out that the check was no good.
I hope you read everything the Nurse will send you.

Welcome to the team.

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:43 pm

splooshy said :

Quote:

I wouldn't start baiting till you've recovered emotionally from being scammed...

Yeah, then blow them to hell and beyond Twisted Evil

Baiting Guru Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 2922

@blinks2001

Drop him!!!

Read the stickies, read them again, and again...

Then BAIT SAFE!!! Very Happy

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:42 pm

@blinks2001

You haven't seen the worst of it yet. I have only just started my first scam bait of a cheque mule. I chose this one for being one of my pet hates (understatement). What they think is scamming me into their trap is merely powering up my fire breathing vengeance. A few quotes from their reply to me today

Quote:

Thank you very much for your kind words. As you have wish to work in the vine yard of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray for you today that you shall begin to rip from where you did not plant and from today onwards you shall begin to experience good, were men and women go and fail, when you go there you will succeed in Jesus Name. Amen.

I'm getting angry

Quote:

Well beloved brother, we all are happy with you as our representative in United Kingdom. I must let you know the ugly and diplorable situation we are facing especially since the war Tom in Liberia, we have been suffering but we thank God for his infinit mercy he has provided for us. My brother, for now i will like us to go into mail for future record keeping

I won't show any mercy - and I'm feeling evil

Quote:

Furthermore, one of our Senior Pastor Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx is presently in London now to see our little kids in Hospital that are going through surgical operation. So you can call him right away and speak with him with this number

That was a big mistake.

Quote:

Finally, regarding donations we believe you and our donors will discuss on how you want donations to be made as we will provide our receiving Account in London were funds will be remitted after the deduction of your 10%.

This is not untypical blinks2001. Does it make you angry ?

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 135

slowfreddie wrote:

splooshy said :

Quote:

I wouldn't start baiting till you've recovered emotionally from being scammed...

Yeah, then blow them to hell and beyond Twisted Evil

Yep, but don't bait the one who scammed you. They already know what buttons to push to make you send dosh. Smile

You may want to PM Cherrie and ask him (yep, Cherrie is a guy) to match you up with a mentor. They're quite handy.