MosesZuma
Not quite a Newb
Joined: 22 Oct 2009
Posts: 35
Submit This Thread To:
 Digg It
 Del.icio.us
 Slashdot It!
|
 Posted:
Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:42 pm |
  |
Well, I'm finished with my first-time. I made a few mistakes, but overall, "Operation Zuma" was a success.
It all started on October 9, when I received an email from "Moses Zuma." His email was from <moseszumaabsa@gala.net>, but requested reply to <moseszuma121@gmail.com>. His story was similar to everyone else's story... He "works for Amalgamated Bank of South Africa..." his German client died in a plane crash over UK, and left millions in his South African bank account. He needs my help to free up these funds, as international and South African laws are hindering him from disposing of them. If I don't help him, the gov't of South Africa will get it all.
He included a fake form from ABSA bank, and a copy of the death certificate. The certificate was well-done, but the ABSA form was terrible--requesting my name, address, phone number, bank name, and bank account number. In the email, he also asked for a copy of my passport.
I of course replied, telling him that I'm very interested...giving him the address, and phone number for the White House (Mistake number 1: don't get third parties involved). I don't know if he called or not, but he replied to my email. Over the next week and a half, I slowly built his trust, sending him photos of "me," etc. By the end, I was totally in character, even convincing myself at times that I was actually travelling to Johannesburg to meet him.
I even modified an old itinerary from Travelocity. This itinerary was the real deal! It had me flying on real flights, with real flight numbers, real departure and arrival times, real everything except for a real passenger with a real name, real confirmation number, or real last four CC number.
To gain his trust, I re-activated an old pre-paid cell phone, and purchased a phone card to talk to him. We had many conversations on the phone (for anyone interested, his number is +27 71 554 31 80). As my departure date came closer and closer, he became greedier, and hungrier. At the same time, he made several mistakes:
First, he had me confused with another one of his victims... questioning me about several things that another victim (baiter, I hope) had told him.
Second, while we were on the phone, another "Moses Zuma" called me. I asked him "How are you Moses Zuma, if I'm already on the phone with another Moses Zuma?" (Mistake 2--shouldn't have called him out on his mistake).
At some point, I began forwarding all of our emails to the real ABSA Bank (forensics 419 department). Each email I forwarded to them resulted in his email account being shut down. I stopped counting his email accounts when he started using the seventh.
He requested that I bring $18,700 transaction fee for the bank managers, and new cell phones as presents. His friend (the other Moses Zuma, who sounded to be about 16 years old) also called and requested that I bring nice watches, and a pair of leather shoes for the bank managers. It was really humorous that both men claimed to be "Moses Zuma," yet one man had a deep voice, and spoke english with a "queen's accent," and sounded to be in his thirties, while the other one had a high voice, spoke english with an Afrikaans accent, and sounded to be about 16.
My third mistake was forgetting my "departure time" according to my fake itinerary. I accidentally called them while I was supposed to be enroute to Dulles Airport. I'm not sure if they noticed this mistake or not. Maybe not...due to the eight hour time difference between us. It was during this phone call that I may have made my fourth mistake... I'm not sure if it's a mistake or not...
He asked me again for the form. I relayed my "account information" to him over the phone, so the lawyers and the bank managers could have "all the paperwork ready when I arrive." I looked up the routing number for Illinois branch of Bank Of America online, and sent him this. I told him "my routing number is _________," for "Illinois Branch of Bank of America." It was the real routing number... but I don't bank there. He can't do anything with this information, nevertheless, it might have been a mistake. Either way, he was more than happy to receive this, and didn't seem to know that tens of thousands of people have the same routing number.
At that point, I turned off my cell phone, and waited for my "arrival time" in Johannesburg. I went to the nearest airport to my house (for the ambient noise), and called him, about an hour after my arrival time. (I accouted for the time difference, and added an hour to allow me to retrieve my bags, and proceed through passport control).
He had told me that he wouldn't be able to make it to the airport, but to call him when I arrive, so his driver--a female named Quinn--could pick me up and take me to his house. On the phone with him, I told him that I had arrived, and was ready for his driver to pick me up. He said that "Quinn" was holding a sign with my "name" on it, near the American Express counter (or maybe he said American Experts).
During our conversation, the younger man claiming to be "Moses Zuma" changed his name to "Kevin Smith." I told them that I was in Terminal 1A, that I was wearing jeans, and I was a bit lost. All international South African Airways flights fly into Terminal 1A of JNB airport. So far my story was checking out. He began getting upset with me, and told me not to move...just look for Quinn, who was now walking around the terminal with my sign. 
After about 20 minutes, and 20 phone calls, he asked me "Where are you now?" I told him "I think I'm in Terminal B." Mistake 5: Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo Airport doesn't have a Terminal B, which he agrily inormed me. At that point, I was sure that they were looking for me, I became concerned that they might involve an innocent person, so I hopped in my car--safe and sound in good ol' US of A--and told him "No problem, OK? I take a taxi, ok?"
He saw his plans (I think plans to kidnap me) disintegrating. He asked me where I was going, so I told him the Taxi Driver was taking me to the Garden Court Hotel, as he had previously emailed me a "Reservation Confirmation" for this hotel. I told him "I will meet you there, no problem, OK?" He got PISSED! Started yelling at me on the phone, telling me that he could lose his job for this, that I am in his country, and he is responsible for my security, blah blah blah. I've got to hand it to the lad, he stayed in character, while getting upset that he might not be able to kidnap me. So we arranged to meet at the Garden Court Hotel.
At this time, I think the younger "Moses Zuma" began getting suspicious, so he called me, using his other alias "Kevin Smith." He asked me what room I was staying in, and asked if I had brought the money, the watches, the cell phones, and the other gifts. I told him, yes, yes, yes. I was driving from my local airport, back to work in my car... claiming to be in a Johannesburg Taxi, on my way to the Hotel they had booked for me. Once again, capturing the ambient noise on the phone. He asked to speak with the taxi driver, but I refused to allow him to do so.
By the time I had gotten back to work, the older Zuma called me back, and told me that he was at the hotel, in the lobby. He demanded to know what room I was in, and that we meet, so we can go to his house. I told him that I was no longer at the Garden Court Hotel--that they couldn't find my "reservation" that he had made for me. I told him that I was staying at the Hotel Intercontinental, in Johannesburg. He was IRATE! Told me to stay put, or I'd get hurt (there's actually three Intercontinental's in JHB!). When he arrived at one of them, he called me back, to ask where I was. By this time, it was 3pm here (11pm there), so I told him I was eating dinner in the Hotel Restaurant. He went there to look for me, and couldn't find me, so he called me back. He wanted to speak with the waiter, or the hotel receptionist. I told him that I was finished with dinner, and was in my room--so that wasn't possible.
Once again, he became irate, and began yelling at me over the phone. At this point, I took charge. I told him that I don't trust him, that no one had met me at the airport as he had promised; that his hotel reservation didn't work, as he had promised. I told him that "I am in charge now." He didn't understand this, so I told him "I am the boss. I give the instructions. We will do this my way or not at all. I don't want to go to your house. If we don't do it my way, I'm out." This calmed him down (at least he portrayed himself as calm, when he realized that he might lose his victim). I told him "it's nearly midnight, so I'm going to sleep now" (midnight his time = 4pm my time). He was upset, but we arranged to meet in the lobby the next morning.
Unfortunately, the next morning for him was 3AM my time. Damn. That son of a biscuit called and called and called me during the night. When I woke up (4AM my time = noon his time), I saw 19 missed calls on my cell phone. I called him back when I got to work, and just laughed and laughed and laughed at him. He demanded to know what room I was in, so I told him room 419. The whole office was laughing at him. Afraid that he might go to the real room 419, I confessed to him that I wasn't in JHB, and that I had never been in his country. He was so pissed, yelling at me on the phone. I think my laughter made him more upset. I'm not sure if he was speaking english or not, but I couldn't understand a word he was saying, which made me laugh harder, which made him angrier.
I told him "whatever your name is, you're a small, small man. You tried to 419 me, but I 419'd you... had you running all over Johannesburg yestreday looking for me." Of the things that I could understand, he said that if I ever came to South Africa for real, he would kill me. He also said that I could be arrested for giving false information to the airlines (I never gave false information to the airlines--just to him), and that my shenanigans could get him fired from the bank (that he doesn't work at).
Anyway, thanks for reading this long, long post. I'd appreciate any positive and/or negative feedback, and any tips from veteran baiters. Thanks! |
|
|
SmartFeed
If you're going to continue to call lads you may want to consider using skype with recording software so that you can share the angy lad rants with us here on the forum. 
x 81 
2 Years
