Replied to scammer as joke - he's followed thru - need help

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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 3:36 pm

Hi - I'm new to this site forum, but familiar with the 419 idea.

I posted an item on Craigslist and sure enough the scammers started emailing me. Usually I reply with a simple eff off, but this time I decided to give him info he wanted. As per the emails below, I told him I am Stephen Harper (the Prime Minister of Canada) and gave him the address of his office in Ottawa. I also included the phone number of the RCMP (federal Police) for him to call. Sure enough, he fell for it.

Please read the emails. I'm looking for help on how to follow through further with this. Should I call the cops, or just play with it?

First Letter
Monday, November 17, 2008

Hello,
How are you doing today, I guess you having a nice time with your Family this new week. I saw the Advert of your Furniture available for sale on C/L and am really interested in buying it. I am satisfy with the conditions and the selling price of the Furniture. I want you to consider the Furniture sold to me and ignore all other buyers asking for it and also remove the Advert from the C/L page. I need you to email me any information that may be required to send the payment to you and regarding the shipping, I will be sending my Shipping Agent to come for the pick up because I won't be able to come for the pickup or look at it. My personal assistant will send you a Bank Cashier's Check, which will cover the money for the sale of the Furniture and money for the pickup which should be paid to the Shipping Agent that will take care of the pickup. As soon as you receive the Bank Cashier's Check I want you to cash it at your bank or any cashing outlet around you and deduct your money for the Furniture and send the balance to the Shipping Agent that will handle the pickup. The money will be Transfered to the Shipping Agent through Money Gram and I will provide you with the Shipping Agent Information that will be picking up the Furniture as soon as you have cashed the Bank Cashier's Check and once the money is received by the Shipping Agent , they will contact you immediately to arrange the pick up. Here is the Information needed to prepare the Bank Cashier's Check and issue out to you.

(1) Full Name
(2) Mailing Address, no P.O.Box please
(3) Direct Telephone Number, Home and Cell.?
(4) Acceptance Of My Offer?
(5) Final Price?

Once you get back to me with all the above Information to Issue the Bank Cashier's Check, the Bank Cashier's Check will be issued immediately and it will be sent to you. I will also be offering you extra $20 for keeping the Furniture for me till the Shipping Agent comes for the pick up. I will be expecting your response soonest.
Thanks and GOD Bless You.

Best Regards,

Mr Mark Mercado.

My First Response to him
Monday, November 17, 2008

1) Stephen Harper (Stephen Harper is the Prime Minister of Canada)
2) PMO Office, 80 Wellington Street, Ottawa, K1A 0A2 (PMO = Prime Minister’s Office)
3) 613-993-7267 (Phone Number of Ottawa RCMP – Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
4) Yes
5) $250 (Original Price for furniture)

Please call and say you need to send money to Stephen Harper

His second email
Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Hello Stephen,
How are you doing today, I guess you doing so good and thanks so much for accepting my offer. The payment as been proceeded and it will be prepared before the end of this week and send out to you. Like I said, I want you to consider the Furniture sold to me and Ignore all other buying asking for and also remove the Advert from the C/L page, I will update you with the tracking number for the mail of the Bank Cashier's Check and also the shipping agent details that will be coming for the pickup as soon as I have it before the weekend. all what you need to need to do when you receive the payment is to take it to your bank or any cashing outlet around you and cash it instantly and after you have cash the check will be deducting the payment for the Furniture $250 + extra $20 for the reservation of the Furniture and send the remaining money to the shipping agent that will be coming for the pickup. Thanks so much once again, Have a wonderful day and I hope to read from you soonest.

Regards,

Mr Mark Mercado.

His third email
Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Hello ,
How are you doing today and many thanks for your patient on this transaction. However I will like to inform you that the payment has already been mailed out to you which you should recieve it by Ups Courier Service anytime from today.

UPS TRACKING NUMBER: 46969024924

You will be receiving a Bank Cashier's Check of $5,800 and Like have said Earlier, I will want you go ahead and get the check cashed once its arrive so you can be able to complete the shipping agent portion by going to any Money Gram Outlet around you and make the transfer of the remaining fund sent after you must have deduct the cost of sale + the extra fee for reserving the Item for me. The remaining fund is not for only the shipping of the item am buying from you, I also have some other item at your locality that my shipping agent will be moving for me, so please I want you to get this done today and get back to me as soon as you have the money sent to the shipping agent through Money Gram.

THIS IS THE SHIPPING AGENT INFORMATION YOU WILL BE SENDING THE REST BALANCE BELLOW:

Name: Alicia Watkins
Address: 440 South Broadway,
Cortez, CO 81321.

Also you will be deducting Money Gram Transfer Charges from the Money you are sending to the shipping agent and after you must have complete the whole transfer please do get back to me with the Money Gram Details From the Money Gram Reciept. Get Back To Me With This Information Bellow:

REFERENCE NUMBER:

FULL SENDER'S NAME:

AMOUNT SENT AFTER TRANSFER CHARGES:

However I will be waiting for your fast responce today. Thanks so much and have a good day, God Bless You.

Cheers To You.

Mr Mark Mercado.

Sure enough, I checked the tracking number, and he did send a UPS package to the PMO’s office in Ottawa.
His fourth email
Friday, November 28, 2008

Hello,
How are you doing today. I confirmed from UPS that the Cashier's Check $5,800 as been delivered to you and you have not get back to me up till now. I want to know the situation of things with you, if you have cashed the check and send the remaining money to my Shipping Agent for the shipping of the item. Do acknowledge my email today and get back to me as soon as possible. Thanks and I will be looking forward to read from you soonest.

Mr Mark Mercado.

My reply – This time the phone number I include is the direct number to a RCMP detachment.
Friday, November 28, 2008

Hi Mark

Thanks for the email. Please call the staff at my office to discuss. I won't be in the office for a week, so make sure you tell them you sent a check for $5,800 to me (Stephen Harper). Ask them if they have cashed it already. They are very busy and they might not know who you are, so make sure you tell them all of your information including the UPS letter and the details for Shipping Agent that you gave me previously. That way they can make sure you get the money sent out right away. If you don't tell them all the details, they may not understand why you are calling and hang up on you. Please call 613-993-8887.

Thanks
Stephen Harper

His reply
Friday, November 28, 2008

Hello Stephen Harper,
How are you doing and thanks for getting back to me Asap. You should have done this your self before mailing me because you have the check issued on your name and you are the one that make the arrangement with me. I want you to please make all this arrangement your self because am very busy right now and get back to me as soon as possible. Thanks and I will be looking forward to read from you soonest.

Mr Cody Mercado.

Notice how it is now from CODY, not Mark
His follow up reply
Friday, November 28, 2008

Hello Stephen,
I just called the Phone Number you gave to me and I don't understand what they talking about, I want you to call your office your self and get back to me. Thanks and I will be looking forward to read from you soonest.

Mr Mark Mercado.

Where do I go from here?????

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:02 pm

If anything on the posting can lead back to your real life information (including email, if it was registered in your name; or any phone number info that is connected to the ad); then you need to walk away. Cease all contact and block them. You can tell them that the bank told you the check is fake if you would like. Scammers do at times have accomplices in Canada, and if they get ticked off enough, they might go back and follow the info that is already out there--messing with them could lead to harrassment or worse.

FYI, giving out phone numbers and addresses belonging to other people or organizations, including police or government agencies, violates the Innocent Third Party (ITP) rule--if they didn't ask for these things to be sent to them, they shouldn't get them.

But, what's done is done now. If you have absolutely no real life details connected to this, you can go in several different directions...

Set it up as a dollar chop (maybe one of the gomerboyz hacked his email, then intercepted the package, or one of your staff is less trustworthy than you thought--if it's the gomerboyz, of course a taunting email is in order). Tell him to stop payment on the check (after all, you are supposed to think it is real) and ask them to send a new one to (insert fake address here), as the other address can't be used again--or the person who intercepted may do so again.

Or tell him you got the check and you plan to send the merchandise P@rcel Direct instead of using his shipping agent--PD is much cheaper.

Or play along, then contact the "shipping agent" who is of course the same person, and then go back to him and demand he fire the shipping agent because he is rude/stupid/unreliable--you get the picture.

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