Is there really NO way to stop these assholes??

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Master Baiter Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 117

I watched the Dateline special, and I know that a lot of these people are in internet cafes and thus are incredibly difficult to track down, but there has to be SOME way to catch these guys. Being aware that these people are using public computers in most cases to commit these crimes, aren't there ways to monitor their activity? I don't know, like I said I understand these people are incredibly difficult to catch, but the american and nigerian feds ought to be teaming up to catch these guys. I mean for heaven's sake if ordinary people can bait them and get their bank accounts shut down, the FBI is more than capable of taking it further I would think.

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 6:14 am

The thing is, they're a lot more willing to give out bank accounts (which can be closed at worst) than their real addresses.

Is it illegal in Nigeria for an unmarked police officer to pretend to join a lad group to get evidence against them? I imagine they'd be less protective around people they think are friends.

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 6:28 am

It can be stopped in less then a day, If money transfers, required solid identification, before any money changed hands. But that won't happen
while there making money on the transfer.
The other way is for these governments to ban the use of Western onion or Money grab. And force the agency's to close.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 90

Unfortunately no. Like it has been posted before, not every scammer is from africa. They are spread all over the world. Laws are different everywhere. While I am not saying what they are doing is condoned by law anywhere, the focus on this type of crime might not as tight as else where. Get one arrested, and 3 more pop up. They go to different internet cafes. I dream of a time where everyone is baiting the same lad because he/she is the only one left. But it won't happen this year or the next.
The only thing we can do is try to protect the unknowing by wasting the time of the lads and educating the public.
The fake checks/money orders I have received I have taken to work to be used in our bank teller training. (After I blacked out all ITP information). The trainer was happy to have them so that it can be stopped on the front line before someone gets hurt.

Master Baiter Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 117

bumsnacks wrote:

The fake checks/money orders I have received I have taken to work to be used in our bank teller training. (After I blacked out all ITP information). The trainer was happy to have them so that it can be stopped on the front line before someone gets hurt.

That is pretty cool! do you really have them send you fake checks? how does that work? do u set up a PO box? I thought they were pretty insistent on getting a real money clearance from their victim and after that was solid and squared away you never hear from them again?

but the ones that do send fake checks to real victims.... oh holy hell that's gotta cause some hardcore issues for the victim trying to cash a fake check.... *sigh*

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:06 am

wannab8 wrote:

but the ones that do send fake checks to real victims.... oh holy hell that's gotta cause some hardcore issues for the victim trying to cash a fake check.... *sigh*

The idea is that they send you a certain amount then ask you to send half of that back to them. By the time the check bounces they've already got half of the nonexistent money, and you get stuck having to pay it back.

Random thought: Not that I condone cashing fake checks at all, but I'm curious: what if you took the check into a non-bank place (most corner stores around here cash checks, for example) and cashed it there? Would it still be somehow linked to you or your bank account?

Master Baiter Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 117

Quote:

The idea is that they send you a certain amount then ask you to send half of that back to them. By the time the check bounces they've already got half of the nonexistent money, and you get stuck having to pay it back.

yeah that almost happened to me. I actually just posted about it lol it was for a nanny job i found on craigslist

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:47 am

I think one of the best weapons against scammers is education of the general public about online scamming. Here in the UK, the government have starting looking teaching school children about the dangers of the internet and how to safely surf online.

Clicky

Perhaps for the older children they could include information about online scams too. If more people were educated about these scams, there would be far fewer victims.

But for now that's all wishful thinking. So in the meantime, here is my solution on how to stop these assholes.

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:52 am

foo123 wrote:

... Random thought: Not that I condone cashing fake checks at all, but I'm curious: what if you took the check into a non-bank place (most corner stores around here cash checks, for example) and cashed it there? Would it still be somehow linked to you or your bank account?

At least where I live, one would have to show valid photo ID in order to cash the cheque or receive an advance on it. Most small businesses no longer accept cheques as an unacceptable proportion end up being dishonoured but there are some non bank finance agencies (loan and credit sharks) who would. I'm absolutely certain that a bad cheque would come around to repeatedly bite your ass not too long after Wink

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

wannab8 wrote:

That is pretty cool! do you really have them send you fake checks? how does that work? do u set up a PO box?

Yes, although a PO box is usually not anonymous enough. It requires research and great care.

Quote:

I thought they were pretty insistent on getting a real money clearance from their victim and after that was solid and squared away you never hear from them again?

If only it were that easy. Once the scammers find a willing victim they cling on tight until they have bled them dry. If the victim stops responding to the first scam, then they try others, such as the Recovery scam where they pretend to be Law Enforcement and say they can recover the lost money... for a fee.

Quote:

but the ones that do send fake checks to real victims.... oh holy hell that's gotta cause some hardcore issues for the victim trying to cash a fake check.... *sigh*

To my mind it is the most evil of all the scams. When using WU, all the scammers can do is take money until their victim has maxed out credit for themselves, their family and their friends. With one bad check the victim can be in such debt that they can never recover. We have seen cases where victims are out well over $100,000. Then the bank calls in the feds and accuses the victim of fraud. If they are lucky then someone recognises the signs of advance fee fraud. If they are unlucky they go to prison.

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 3:53 pm

^^^ Sure way to stop them un-invent electricity. Confused

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 4:53 pm

Hi Wannab8! Welcome to Eater! if you want to collect up fake cheques and have other things sent to you by scammers there is a safe and easy way to do that. Check this out for more info...<a href="/forum/donate.php">[Click here to donate to 419Eater.com]</a>
Happy baiting!

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:43 pm

wannab8 wrote:

Being aware that these people are using public computers in most cases to commit these crimes, aren't there ways to monitor their activity?

It's a very different story in Africa than it is in the West.
There's a BBC video out somewhere (can't find it at the moment) that shows a raid on a cyber-cafe in Lagos. The cops had to go in tooled up like SWAT and when they came out, they had to come out shooting as a crowd had gathered and started stoning them. They departed quickly in thier vehicles with rocks raining down on them and bullets spraying wildly.
If I can find the video, I'll post it.

In the meantime, you'll find another one here. This one is a Australian and a little tamer:

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/scam-free-internet-dont-get-scammed/368ee806259688f9cc50fc601964b53b

As you can see from the 1st video, the response to the raid is pretty much the same as the scenario in the BBC one that I've described - crowds throwing stones and cops shooting.

Unfortunately, it's a lot more complicated than just going into the cyber-cafes and dragging them out. Going to arrest a lad is literally a military operation.

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:47 pm

Here's the BBC video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISMgGdaGOJM

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:55 pm

@Devil Woman: They don't need electricity to scam, they'll just start sending out letters by post (again).

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:14 pm

We are only normal citizens and all volunteers. Education is best - baiting is also very good. Even if it stresses other aspects, it also educates readers, who originally came to this subject/website to find out about that carved C64/those mean Abeche safaris.
I´m certain that I, in summer 2006, would not have read a bone-dry article about online fraud - I definitely and repeatedly studied other texts : To find out about Ahmed Sadiq´s tattoo, the George W. Bush bait and the Shiver artwork baits. Just alongside that I got to know about everything Scamwarners is all about. And many thousands of other people since then.

Master Baiter Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 120 Location: USA

In the unlikely event you can get them to disclose their real identity and have evidence linking them to a crime, yes they can be stopped. See this thread: http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175826

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 90

@wanna
It does cause some hardcore issues when cashing a fake check. Especially if the check looks legit. I don't know where you live, but around here you can go to any office supply store and get some blank checks where you can print anything on them using a computer. The paper is real, what is written on them is not. There was a gentleman I know that lost thousands of dollars using the check scam. The FBI contacted him because they found some counterfiet money orders with his name and address on them. The money orders hadn't even been mailed to him yet. He was being set up again.

Intentionally cashing a counterfeit/fraudulent check could be considered a felony (depending on the money and where it is cashed). Attempt to defraud, adding and abeitng the commission of a felony, felony theft just to name a few of the charges.

That is what the cops could do. What your financial institution could do is pretty much give your account and any account you would like to open, a death sentence.

It is just best to mark the checks as void, fake, counterfeit or make it impossible to cash ASAP. That way no one gets in trouble with them. Hell, if you want to, set them on fire and dance around them naked if you fell like it. Smile

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:18 am

or collect them and use to wallpaper your house Laughing

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:08 am

^^^MOP

Quote:

they'll just start sending out letters by post (again).

More work that theyh jhave ever done before, and just think of the cost of snail mail!

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:10 pm

bumsnacks wrote:

Hell, if you want to, set them on fire and dance around them naked if you fell like it. Smile

and be sure to post the video Smile

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:18 pm

wannab8 wrote:

...the FBI is more than capable of taking it further I would think.

The one sentence answer to that is: The FBI have no jurisdiction over Nigeria or any other West African countries.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 15

That was some video posted by slightlyoutofit, shows what we are up against, not just criminals but a culture of criminality accepted and protected by the Nigerian public Mad

, I think the guy right at the end is a little self deluded when he claims that they are winning the war though Shocked

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:26 pm

^^ As long as the cash keeps flowing and the authorities remain apathetic, they are winning the "war".

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:37 pm

They are trying BUT who would like to be a policeman armed or not when walking home alone?

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