I don't know where to post this really

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 20

I just thought some might like to hear the story.

I have an older brother who has learning disabilities, fairly mild in his case, he has a job and lives independently with help from the family. A good life for the most part.

He enjoys computers and playing games on them but could not afford one of his own. 10 months ago I upgraded my own computer (a mac) and decided to give my brother my old machine which was in perfect condition. I wiped its hard drive, set it up for him and like an IDIOT did not think about scammers.

You guessed it. My brother got a scam email, from what I can make out a "Maryam Abacha" one. To cut a long story short he lost some �2,500 before our sister made inquiries about his "friend" and shut the email accounts down.

I have only just found out about this brilliant scambaiting community and I wish I had heard of you folks earlier. I feel such a fool for giving my brother the computer and NOT thinking something like that could happen.

Kudos to you all! You are doing a real public service here

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 6:56 pm

So sorry that happened. My aging mother lives with us and although she thinks she's worldly wise, she's actually a scammers dream come true. I have to keep a constant eye on her - and that's probably not enough.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

Sorry to hear about what happened to your brother, Ridcully.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jan 2006 Posts: 2021

Sorry to hear that mate, feel free to post the scammer,s email here and i for one will make sure he gets some "special attention"

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 7:11 pm

Really sorry to hear that mate, reminds me that this is why we do this.

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 7:14 pm

Ridcully - If you know the e-mail address of the individual who scammed your brother, sharing it with friends on 419eater.com would be a good step towards getting even. . .

Bruin

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 7:21 pm

yeah lets see if we can get them a 'mugu shitbag' tattoo

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 7:23 pm

bombardier wrote:

Sorry to hear that mate, feel free to post the scammer,s email here and i for one will make sure he gets some "special attention"

My thoughts exactly! Evil or Very Mad

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 7:58 pm

I'm never too busy to fit in one more mugu shitbag.

@Ridcully,

Give us the scammers addy and we'll spend a little "quality time" with him.

Always,
B. A. Ware

Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 20

Sorry folks I don't know. I wish I did. You lot would run rings round the asshole. I'd give cash to see you do it.
After all this time I would think the original email address is defunct anyway.

My sister and I have set up Networks for our brothers address so now I can see emails he gets (just a harrmless thing macs can do) If anything nasty ever appears in his inbox
I will be asking for your help. ASAP

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jan 2006 Posts: 2021

Runs off to collect Mariam addies, back in a bit

Edit: Heres a few, must be in there somewhere, just ASEM them and make them all suffer Twisted Evil

Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 20

Good lord

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 9:43 pm

Ridcully, if you find the addy, I would be glad to include the shitbag in the ranks of my new Twisted Evil

Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 20

I am sorry I really cannot tell All my sister tells me that it was a yahoo address and she got it shut down.

I doubt you can trace the original lad. I'd be grateful if you could

But 12 weeks on?

Unlikely

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 10:29 pm

Further proof, if any were needed, about how low these douchebags will go. I'm very sorry this happened but don't beat yourself up about it. At least you found out before your brother lost even more money. Many vulnerable victims don't have family and friends looking out for them like you are and they lose a LOT more.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 11:41 am

If you can find ANY information about the individual scumbag your brother dealt with, post it. I'm with the rest of the guys here, I'll find a minute or two to **** *** **** ****** ****

Ok, calm now. Please, let us play with him for a while. It's why I'm here.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 12:02 pm

I'll have a go!

We'll all screw him!

Together! Wink

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 12:16 am

I think i have a recent Maryam email in my catcher account. i'll look then edit this post.

EDIT: Sorry guys, all i got when i searched was a "REAL BUSINESS TRANSACTION" with a mention of abacha as dead.

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 4:03 am

You might get a "recovery scam" type mail sometime, if he goes back thru his old vics.

Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 5:24 am

^^^GOOD POINT

@Ridcully,

A common theme with these shitbags is to go back to some vics. Watch for something that shows familiarity. Even if the name has changed somewhat. If that happens let us know.

Thanks for bringing that up IP

Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 20

I most certainly will do that. I'm watching my brother's email like a hawk, I know it is invading his privacy and all but I really don't want this to happen again.

I did change the account address too but you good folks will be the first to know if anything dodgy turns up again.

Thanks to all for help and advice.

Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 2:56 am

^^^

Quote:

I know it is invading his privacy and all but I really don't want this to happen again.

Thats not always a bad thing. Take care of your family, you won't get another one.

Always,
B. A. Ware

Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 4:19 am

Ridcully wrote:

I did change the account address too but you good folks will be the first to know if anything dodgy turns up again.

If you changed his email addy, the original scammers have probably lost the scent, as long as they don't have his phone number, at least. As I've not seen it mentioned yet, your brother should be discouraged from putting his new email addy or any real details anywhere on the net, as they will be picked up by spiders used to harvest the information for spam and scams.

That said, some recovery scammers use a "shotgun" approach. The email will purport to be from the EFCC, the Met, the FBI, or some other LEA and make vague references to having caught several scammers and impounded millions of dollars, some of which (the victim is told) they are due. If responded to, they will request all the details of the scam including names and email addresses. Surprise surprise, the scammer that you lost a bunch of money to is one of the people they have caught! We all know what happens next. Evil or Very Mad

These scammers are the lowest of the low, trolling the net hoping to suck in people who have already lost money to an internet scam. Should one of these emails pop into your brother's mailbox, please do let us know. There are several folks here who would take such a thing just a bit personally.

As for invading your brother's privacy, this is one of those times when you have to keep someone you love from hurting himself. Having a bit of experience with some of the nastier scams, the thought of a love scammer or cheque lad getting his claws into your brother, and the aftermath of that, is enough to give me nightmares. You are certainly doing the right thing.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 61

Ridcully,
Just a thought...how did he pay the �2,500? If he used W.U the "name" on the transfer may be getting baited by other eater members.

Dan

Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 20

God help us but all of it was posted in cash. Not the whole amount at once but in smaller sums over a period of time, rarely exceeding about �100 at a time.

I reckon the scammers quickly caught on that Peter (my brother) was a bit slow and that complicated stuff like international money transfers were a bit beyond him. He took money from his building society account and actually sent cash to the "poor widow who has no money to get food"

Our sister only came across this entirely by luck when he asked her for money to send to his "friend" and she looked into it and immediately shut the email accounts down. Peter himself is responsible for deleting most of the original emails, a habit I myself am guilty of as I NEVER keep mails and advised him to do the same.

The Lads must have been delighted to get someone who sent them actual cash....

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