Have I got myself a UK based lad?

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Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 2:23 am

Got this in my catcher account recently. Seems to be a pretty standard run-up for the "I'll send a cheque and you send me the overpayment by WU" type modality.
He was stupid enough to give a Liverpool postcode for a supposedly Oxford based company but he was kind enough to provide a UK mobile phone number. I haven't called it yet as I wanted to know what the experts think.

Header:

Quote:

Delivered-To: "mycatcheraccount"@gmail.com
Received: by 10.70.38.15 with SMTP id l15cs143355wxl;
Sat, 5 May 2007 12:04:51 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.67.28.9 with SMTP id f9mr3699612ugj.1178391860404;
Sat, 05 May 2007 12:04:20 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.67.95.13 with HTTP; Sat, 5 May 2007 12:04:19 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, 5 May 2007 20:04:19 +0100
From: "clever mugu" <mugu@gmail.com>
Subject: U.S REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="----=_Part_32278_2812459.1178391859723"

The bits in bold are the ones I've changed to foil a google search.

Text of message as follows:

Quote:

HOUSE OF MUGU AND TEXTILES INDUSTRY LTD
10 Newport Avenue, Scoff ford Area,
Oxford, L349HA, +44 731 925 009.

ATTN:
I'm a Mugu, Human Resources head of HOUSE OF Mugu Based in Oxford, UK. We are currently in search of a book-keeper/ company representative in the states. Our website is currently under construction and which should be ready in the month of November, 2007. Your Job description is as follows:

1) You would receive payment on our behalf from any of our various clients which would come in the form of cashiers checks, traveller's checks and money orders.

2) You then get the payments cashed/deposited at your bank.

3) As soon as the payment has been cleared by your bank, you then deduct a commission of 10% of each payment you would be receiving on our behalf which you are entitled to as been our Representative.

4) You thus send the remainder funds back via western union to details you would be given as soon as it has been confirmed you have received payment. Our payments will be issued out in your name as we would inform our clients to do. Therefore the following details would be needed from you via email.

1) Your Full name
2) Your Physical Address with your state, city and zip code
3) Your Phone number
4) Your Age
5) Your Occupation
6) Your Nationality
7) Do you have a Checking Account? YES or NO

Once we have all confirmed your details, it would be forwarded to one of our clients and they will start making payments to you as the company's representative in the states. We would notify you as soon as we confirm that one of our clients has mailed out payment to you.

I await your response.

Mugu.

Being relatively new to this game I have never baited a cheque mule scam and I have the following questions:

Is it safe to call him via skype or should I get myself a throwaway UK sim card?

How do I find a safe physical postal address he can send the cheques to?

Is he actually based in the UK or is this a good bluff by a semi intelligent lad? He was sharp enough to use a Gmail account.

Is it safe to bait him as I am also based in UK? (No, he doesn't have any of my RL details)

Up to now I have just sent the standard request for more information, so if this is a bait which may be too advanced for me then I would be happy to pass it along to one of the more experienced baiters.
Any help very much appreciated.

Sidney out.

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 6:29 am

There's only one problem - he wants a US based victim. I very much doubt he's in the UK, though if he were, as long as you're baiting safe, and it sounds as if you are, I wouldn't care a fig.

Yesterday I was given a Lotto courier address about 10 miles from where I live - just a coincidence, it turns out. I presume you didn't put your real life details on skype, and if so, no problem.

I have only baited one cheque mule scammer and I gave them an invented address and let them get lost in the mail system. Join eater as a member and you'll have access to a drop box.

I tried to get mine to scan the cheques and send copies to me to avoid fuss, but they'll rarely agree to that believing you'll check them out and discover they're fakes.

I'd go ahead, and you'll find out really how intelligent he is - probably not so smart.

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 7:25 am

The Postcode on the letter is from the Holiday Inn, Ribblers Lane, Prescot, Liverpool.
First 3 hits on the address all go to scambaiting and fraud warning sites

Looks like the Scammer googles appropriate companies and uses their name along with a bastardized address.

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 7:48 am

Although it's possible, I wouldn't expect a UK lad to have a Gmail address ...it's more than likely to be Googlemail.

Although your UK Google addie may have been changed in the header to a Gmail looking one ([email protected]) the <From> address of your Lad in the header won't be changed.

Snips from a header of a mail I sent between two of my Googlemail accounts

Quote:

Delivered-To: [email protected]gmail.com
.
.
.
.
.
From: exxxx <[email protected]googlemail.com>
To: [email protected]googlemail.com

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