First scam-bait

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Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 11:46 am

I'm completely new to both scam-baiting and this forum, but after reading many of the scam-baits on this site and others, I could not resisting diving into this "hobby". My first baiting was some Italian Lotto and an Italian investment mail. I replied to them both with slightly different aliases, but got no longer than the first reply. Only later did I check the IP and saw that both mails originated from the same scammer in Rome, Italy. Lesson learned! Wink

My next scam-baiting has been MUCH more successful, but still I do not seem to really get anywhere which this extremely stupid scammer... I've attached our correspondence to date to amuse and hopefully get some pointers and hints from you for future scam-baits.
(If this is not the correct subforum for this, please move the message).

It all started with this extremely (?) convincing proposal:

Quote:

On Wednesday 31 August 2011 21:11:15 you wrote:
> Please Get Back To me as read this mail .
>
> I am Mr Douif Mohammed Salam from Ivory Coast presently in Europe.I am 44
> years and the only Son of Mr. Mohammed Aguo Salam, one of the opposition
> leaders to Incubent Laurent Gbagbo the Ivorian president.My hope is to
> look for a goodperson that will assist me to claim the consignment box
> that came through the help of"Immediate Confidential Cash Immunity
> Concept", waiting clearance here in Europe.,due to the local war going on
> in my councountry. My Father was killed in this war including some other
> members of my ffamily by the Incubent Laurent Gbagbo regime. LauLaurent
> Gbagbo, who has defied the international community by refusing to
> relrelinquish power.I made a strong effort to leave the country and I am
> in Europe now. Read this link about my country and more.
> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/ivory-coast-war-intensifies
> -as-battle-for-capital-looms-2257837.html
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110410/ap_on_re_af/af_ivory_coast
>
> The total fund is $15Million. I will give you 25% after assisting me to
> finish this business. Please I need your assistance to finalize this
> transaction. Upon receiving a positive response from you, all details will
> be made available to you on how to proceed. I wait to hear from you soon
> .Please reach me on this email as soon as you get this mail . My Contact
> email( [email protected] )
> Name :Mr Douif Mohammed Salam
>
> Send below information for contact
>
> 1. Full Name:
> 2. Telephone Numbers:
> 3. Your Age:
> 4. Your Sex:
> 5. Your Occupation:
> 6. Your Country:
> 7. City:
> 8. Your Home Address:
> 9. Marital Status:
>
> Remember I did not send this email to only you.I will keep looking for a
> God fearing person to help me.because of the time phase and I am already in
> Europe as refugee. This arrangement will be known to you and I alone.
> Please note this is a golden opportunity that comes once in life time and
> more so, if you are honest, this is one of the legacy we keep for our
> children. In case you don't accept please do not let me out to the
> security and international media as I am giving you this information in
> total trust and confidence I will greatly appreciate if you accept my
> proposal in good faith. I am aware of the consequences of this proposal.
> So I ask that if you find no interest in this project that you should
> discard this mail. I ask that you do not be vindictive and destructive.
> If my offer is of no appeal to you, delete this message and forget I ever
> contacted you. Do not destroy my family reputation because you do not
> approve of my proposal.
>
> Yours sincerely,
> Mr Douif Mohammed Salam

And from there on we communicated about once a day:

Quote:

Dear Mr Douif Mohammed Salam
Thank you for your proposal. I am so sorry to hear of your bad situation, I will do anything in my power to help you, as I believe it is the duty of any God-fearing person to help another in need.
Please, tell me what I can do to make sure you get what you deserve.

Yours,
Mr. Prefect

Unfortunately Mr. Prefect is not very good at remembering names, which will be seen in the next mails. Mr. Doufi takes no notice, though...

Quote:

Dear ,

First and foremost I must thanks you for quick responds to my mail and the same time you have to understands me very well ,that this business proposal is very safe and secure 100% risk free .Please you should not been confused ,just open up with me ,you will not be disappointed and is for real .

All I want from you is understanding and confident ,I do want to let you know that this money I am talking about will been in your position as the beneficiary of the total money on the Consignment. .
On behalf of me you are going to invest this fund in any area of your chose in the business world I and you will be partner in future .I repeat again I need full assurances from you I should have my trust on you as some one we can handle this together for the betterment of our future .

Please if you can just give me a quarantine that you will handle this process very well ,then I will be very sure you are in position to help me out ,then I will give every details of you to my lawyer here in Europe to finalize all the document and change ownership to your name as the beneficiary to effect the clearance with the security company where the money is being deposited in favor of your name .

Please you don't need to been worry ,all you have to do now is just to work with my directive and open up your mind ,let do this business together in good faith with a mutual mind of full understanding from both side ,you are going to been happy at the end of its all .

I want to hear from you as soon as possible .

Yours sincerely,
Mr Douif Mohammed Salam

Quote:

Dear Mr. Doufi (can I call you Doufi)?
Thank you so much for your confidence in me, I am very honoured. I can assure you I will do anything in my power to help you.
You noted in your message that I should invest the money in any area of my choice. This is great news, as I am currently looking for money for my research project - You see, I am an ornithologist, my specialty is the native Penguins of Greenland, which I am currently studying around Naasarsuaq.
With that said, I hereby give my guarantee that your money will be handled very well, and be used to further the research of the Penguin Greenlandius. Please go ahead and notify your lawyer.

I am looking forward to doing honest business with you
Yours sincerely
Ford Prefect (you can just call me Ford).

Quote:

Dear Ford ,
From the bottom of my heart I really want to appreciate you so much for making promised in helping me out on
my situation ,as you may understands this proposal is going to be of benefit for both of us in a very close future .As you have express confidence in your self as a honest person and I am very glade to have you as a partner in the investment .Right now I am in the camp here in the Netherlands as a refugee from Africa , as a matter of urgency I would love to know you very well and for this reasons you are expected to send to me all this information of yours that will enable me direct my lawyer here to effect change of ownership of this consignment to your name as the beneficiary,this is because this will help me to prepare all the legal document for us to moved this consignment from the courier service company here to any where you might feel is okay in your country to invest this money .
1. Full Name:
2. Telephone Numbers:
3. Your Age:
4. Your Sex:
5. Your Occupation:
6. Your Country:
7. City:
8. Your Home Address:
9. Marital Status:
10.Please If you can send me your international passport info page or driver licence with your face on its

I want to thanks you again for every things you are ready to do to help me out on this investment proposal and I do assure you again you should free your minds and lets work out things together in one faith and confident in each other as a good business partnership in a very near future .You should right assure you are very much 100% risk free .

Please for we to moved further this transaction just email me back with all this info and its help us getting this process
in right condition .

Have a very wonderful and blessed day ,hope to hear from you soon .
God bless you .

Yours sincerely,
Mr Douif Mohammed Salam

Quote:

Dear Doofi,
I am sorry for taking so long in replying to you, but we've had a bit of an emergency at our camp the last few days. You see, one of the penguins we are studying flew into our satellite antenna yesterday. I don't really blame him, he's a very young penguin and just learned to fly 2 weeks ago. However, the result was that we were without internet for all of yesterday and this morning.
The good news is that I've had time to fill in the details you requested:
1. Full Name: Ford Prefect
2. Telephone Numbers: +299 XXXXXX (this is the number of the camp, ask for F. Prefect) No it's not, it's the tourist information in Greenland
3. Your Age: 38
4. Your Sex: Male
5. Your Occupation: Ornithologist Extraordinaire
6. Your Country: UK (currently based in Greenland)
7. City: Ham and Sandwich (Kent)
8. Your Home Address: Mustard Mansion, Bread Square 4, Ham and Sandwich, Kent (United Kingdom)
9. Marital Status: Married
10.Please If you can send me your international passport info page or driver licence: This may unfortunately not be so easy, as I have no access to a scanner here in the camp. However, I should pass by Thule in about a week and can scan it and send to you by then.

Looking forward to your reply!
Yours,
Ford

Quote:

Dear Ford,
I am so sorry for the emergency situation in your camp .Please my dear friend I need your passprot info page for the
lawyer to effect change of ownership to your name as the beneficiay .I will been waiting for you for its ,before we can then proceed .I really appreciate you so much for try helping me out of my condition .I do hope you understands me ok.Where is this Greenland from and which country is this tel. no from + 299 XXXXXX Please I like to know its .

Best regards

Quote:

Dear Duffy,
thank you for your email. As I told you, until I get to Thule I will be unable to scan my passport, anyway, I gave you the information you required, please could you not do me the favour and begin the transaction. I promise you that I will send you my passport as soon as I can.
Regarding your last question, Greenland is in Greenland, a country stuck in-between Norway and Canada. It is a beautiful country, very lush an green (hence it's name). You should come here and visit me someday!
Another thing, as I told you I am studying Penguins, not only the Penguin Greenlandius, or as it is more formally known, Pingo Groenlandius Fagius. I would like you to do a little job for me, I am prepared to compensate you generously for it. Could you check if there are penguins living in your country, and if yes, take some pictures of them? Mind, the pictures have to be high-quality and clear, preferably from several different angles and should also demonstrate that the penguin is indeed from the Netherlands (perhaps with some famous landmark in the background?). I am prepared to pay you 1000$ for such pictures, if you are interested. They would further my research nicely.

Sincerest regards my friend,
Ford
Ornithologist Extraordinaire

P.S. Regarding the telephone number, it is for the camp where I work, just ask for Mr. Prefect or "the Penguin Man".

Quote:

Dear Ford ,
How are you doing hope all is fine by His Grace of God .Please as regards to what you demand from me I am very much willing to help 100% sure ,but the only problem I have now is that my camera is bad for now but I hope to borrow one from a friend and that my friend is not around's now ,hope to be back may be weekend .Please rest assure I will do my best to help ,I have to travel about 1hrs.45 minits from my camp to Amsterdam to take the picture because they have a very nice view,but you must understands I am not a professional photographer ,but I will try and do my best .I've been looking up his IP several times, but it seems to change location. In the beginning it was Taiwai, later USA. I suppose he might as well be in the Netherlands after all, if not Nigeria...

I try call you today the phone was rigging no one is pick the call and if possible with you can call me on this line 0031-684-728-915. Hope to hear from you .

Take care my dear friend .
Best regards.

From Douif.

Quote:

Dear Duffy Duck,
thank you so much for your email. I am very happy to hear you will try and photograph the native penguins of Amsterdam. Do you know which species it is? Perhaps the Pingo Districtus Luxus Erythraeus? According to the web Erythraeus means red in Latin, so it's the Red Light District Penguin... I have heard of that species but never seen one, getting a photo of that would be a major break-through in my research, and I would be willing to pay even more for it.
I am sorry to hear you camera broke, but I am sure you will be able to buy a new and much better one when this deal gets done.
At which time did you try and call me? Remember the difference in time zones, Greenland is GMT -3. Or it is also possible that we were out on an expedition when you called.

Now that we are going to be business partners, please could you send me a photo of you? Here in Greenland there is a saying: Sqammersuit shuut be-hitut wit herringut deaduit, which roughly translates to: Knowing the face of your business partner leads to mutual success.

Sincerest regards and I'm very glad to have met such an honourable man as you.
Ford

Quote:

Dear Mr Ford ,
Is a pitty I do not even know this birds you means,I was thinking is piggin I am so sorry I do not know its .For me to been very sure what you means ,please send me some of the birds you had on picture so that I will get understanding what am I looking for .Just call me on my phone any time I will pick its.Ok take care .
Best regards ,
Douif .

Quote:

My dearest Duff-man,
I am sorry you are so confused. No, I do not mean a pidgin, but a penguin. They are two VERY different creatures, the penguin being a noble and rare bird. I've attached a picture of Pongo the Penguin, my favourite penguin of the ones we are studying. Please ask around in your camp if somebody knows if they live in Amsterdam too. I am sure they do.
As I told you before, I do not have a mobile phone as there is no reception here in the wilderness. Have you tried calling me again? Remember, you just have to ask for "The Penguin Man" and they'll know who to look for.

Yours in prefect sincerity,
Ford

Quote:

Dear Ford,
I can now see what you means ,in my life I have never see this birds life ,I only see its on discovering cannel television .
I am sorry I do not thinks they have its here ,if some things I can do to be honest I will with out any compersation for me .Means while I will asked if is its here .Is a pitty, I was thinking of another things completely .You have same time with Canada and USA. I try again today no body is picking .

I wish you the best of Luck my dear friend .

Best regards ,
Mr.Douif.

Quote:

My dearest Duffman!
Well, to be honest, I am very disappointed to hear you will not be able to photograph the fabled Pingo Districto Luxus Erythraeus!!! I was so thrilled to get to see it, I´ve been searching for it for decades. Please, if there is ANY way you could track it down and photograph it, I would be eternally grateful and pay you HANDSOMELY!!!!
Until then, please would you send me your passport photo or just a regular photo so I can know you better, my friend? I´ve taken the liberty of attaching my photo so you can see me, together with my favourite stuffed penguin, his name is Pingo.
I give you another number to our camp, +299 XXXXXX Again, just ask for "The Penguin Man". I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerest,
Ford
I've attached a silly picture from Google Images, http://www.public-domain-photos.com/free-stock-photos-4-big/people/man-and-penguin-2.jpg. I checked, it's Public Domain

This is it for now, will he ever send me a cooked up photoshop image of a penguin in Amsterdam? I sure hope so...

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 83

This guy is too classic and might be a good target for your next bait:

Quote:

Good Day
Are you in any kind of financial difficulties? Your help comes now. Are you losing sleep at nights worrying how to get a Loan?Don't allow your dreams to die, Contact ([email protected]) for easy and reliable loan. following details:

BORROWERS INFORMATION
Your names ..........
Amount Needed.........
Duration:.............
Your country.........
Phone Number..........
Monthly Income........
Sex...................
Your Age..............
Contact E-mail: [email protected]
Sir Tony Prince

He's already given me a loan for $(10^24) offered to fund my project to use lemmings to clear a seaside town of sand and export in to Saudi Arabia and remains in contact with me after I've told him I'm a baiter, joker and shown him a fake MoneyGram receipt for $20 which I said I gave him for being such a good sport. He still thinks he get five grand out of me after all that.

Yeah, this guy is really a beginner and is easy to play with although being the beginner he is he can sometimes ask for his fee on his very first reply mail.

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 5:27 pm

Thanks, I'll drop him a mail later. I didn't think they could get any dumber, but this Sir Tony Prince guy must be... Smile

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 83

Quote:

I surpport you with what i have.. I will surpport by offering you a loan.. Tell me how much you want

Quote:

My main unicorn lemming accountant Angel is working on the figures, we haven't quite figured how much it will be yet, we'll be back in touch soon. By the way you never told me which part of the plan you liked best. How do you feel it can be improved? Any suggestions?

I swear on my life that is genuine Tony Prince correspondence. I have his genuine name and place of residence from that fake MoneyGram payemnt so he's going to mighty suprised when my pyschic lemming tells me his name in a few days time!

Also <a href = "http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z430/CoolBaitStore/contractscan.jpg">here's</a> the certificate for my loan. Just look at the terms of the contract. Unbelievable.

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 6:01 pm

Wow, this guy even has automated mail responses!
I sent him the following silly mail:

Quote:

Hello Sir Prince Tony,
I was forwarded this mail from my good friend Arthur Dent. I am really in need of money at the moment, would you be able to help me? I am starting up a new business, I've already raised 6bn$ but will need approximately 1,2x10¹²$ more, mainly for henchmen and arms. Would you be able to help me?
I've taken the liberty to fill in the required information already in order to speed things up.
BORROWERS INFORMATION
Your names .......... Ford Prefect or Jim Dummshyt He asked for names
Amount Needed......... 1,2x10¹²$
Duration:............. 10³² hours, depending on the success of my business.
Your country......... Greenland, although if my next military coup, aka business, succeeds, Canada
Phone Number.......... Yes
Monthly Income........ Around 150.000$
Sex................... Depends
Your Age.............. Older than I would like

Please get back to me ASAP.

And not a moment later I get this:

Quote:

We may be online or offline it doesn't matter but We will get back to you as soon as possible okey..

Okey.....

Baiting the scammers is much more fun than mailing my imaginary friends!

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 83

Oh yeah I forget about that. Cute huh?

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:39 pm

TwentyPercentCooler wrote:

... and remains in contact with me after I've told him I'm a baiter, joker and shown him a fake MoneyGram receipt for $20 which I said I gave him for being such a good sport.

Please, please, please DON'T burn lads. Especially have you have used baiter tools (such as a fake MG receipt) with them!!!

I don't care how stupid you think the lad is (and yes there are some slow ones, but they are making money at scamming, so they can't be too stupid, eh?), all you have done is now taught him about baiters/jokers and the tools we use. And guess what? When the next baiter comes along and sends him a fake MG receipt, he is going to know it is a baiter.

So by burning the lad, you are educating him and making it harder on the next baiter that encounters him.

Quote:

I have his genuine name and place of residence...

This would be very unusual.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 83

Well "place of residence" is an exaggeration, only the data on the MoneyGram form: Name: Joao Ferreira, Country: Spain, State: Malaga.

Also I never told him the receipt was a fake and he doesn't seem to suspect it is (his first e-mail after seeing was "I recieved the payment slip.. What is the amount you sent???") I've insisted that I have given him $20 for being such a good sport.

The reason I said I'm a "joker" is because I'm fed up with him e-mailing me now as he won't do anything I say, he just keeps telling me to send him five grand, he's still doing it now in fact, it was never intended as a "burn".

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:12 pm

^^^ Really? Laughing

By you telling the lad you were a joker you then let him know the slip was fake. And a burn simply cause you are tired of the lad is silly. Just stop replying to a lad if you are tired of them.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 83

I "told him I was a joker" in too many ways to count. I tried talking in lad speak, I tried coming up with the most preposterous stories I could (and I'm not talking just about the $10^24 loan) and then just told him explicitly that I was a joker about 20 times. No, really, about 20 times.

In the end I told him he had provided me with a great deal of fun, thanked him and asked him to leave me alone if I paid him $20 via MoneyGram. Unbelievable he gave me his details (presumably you can't pick up a MoneyGram payment with a false name) and doubly unbelievably he still believed he could get five grand out of me and was upset when I only sent him $20.

Anyway <a href="http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z430/CoolBaitStore/receipt.jpg">here's</a> the receipt. As I said I can only guess that it is his real real name unless MoneyGram are more lapse at security than I realized.

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:40 pm

Btw, welcome to Eater, Duffy Duck! Sorry I didn't mention that in my first post in this thread. Enjoy your baiting and please don't burn lads. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:49 pm

Quote:

then just told him explicitly that I was a joker about 20 times. No, really, about 20 times.

Why??

Which bit of baiting didn't you understand? Baiting is about wasting scammers time so I don't understand how you think that telling the lad "20 times" that he has been baited "wastes his time"

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 83

Christ, sorry I breathed...

Baiting Guru Joined: 10 Oct 2003 Posts: 4747

Welcome to eater!

Great job for your first bait. A point for you and a lot of other people.

Unless the mugu is watching over your shoulder when you send a response, he can not prove you did not send a passport or what condition it was in when he got it

For the most part I never admit I did not send it, and I never respond to their request on the first request.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:12 pm

TwentyPercentCooler wrote:

Christ, sorry I breathed...

Don't take that too hard, Twenty - I used to do it until I realised that you could get return business if the Lad never found out that he was being played.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 1:50 pm

Thanks for the welcomes!
I still haven't heard back from Mr. Duffman, I mean Douif, but I plan to drop him a mail in a couple of days asking why he hasn't confirmed receipt of my passport - thanks for the hint Buried Under 419 Mails! Cool

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:26 am

@Duffy Duck (sorry I misspelled your name in another thread), I agree with Dora regarding considering your lad dumb. There are many kinds of intelligence and scammers have found a way to survive and even make money by sending out emails pretending to have something they don't have, but asking you to believe it.

That doesn't make them dumb. English is not their first language, so it is easy to slip things by them and easy for them to make mistakes in English. That don't make them dum.

We do work to keep them busy responding to us instead of people who get caught in their lies. Those people are not dumb either. Keep in mind, you probably would not last a week in Nigeria. Respect your target and you will get a lot farther. I had a lad I (and others) baited for over a year come back and want to play again, just last week.

I loved it! Twisted Evil

We are re-establishing our roles now. Have fun and respect your prey. It will serve you well.

@20%, When we present something to you it really is to help you become a better baiter and to prevent scammers from becoming better scammers. When we tell them what we are doing, they learn and become better at their "trade".

We don't want that because their goal to to create more and more victims. We hate that they make victims. Come visit www.scamwarners.com and see the kind of damage they do in people's lives.

You seem to be intelligent and articulate. I like that. If you do not have Mentor, let me know and I would love to work with you. I know Cherrie and can get arranged.

Please start breathing again and don't take our guidance personally. Burning lads is something we have learned doesn't help in preventing victims from getting caught.

Hang in there with us and be willing to learn. We are really nice once you get past the crusty outside. We want active baiters here. Very Happy

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:37 am

Penguins in Greenland? I think this is going to get aukward ...

I think the ornithologist is a good touch. My characters are ichthyologists, and they are often on a boat when the mugu wants them to scan a passport or send some money. I have a few baits published.

Since this contains details of a current bait, should it be moved behind a login?

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 8:26 am

Hi Duffy, Paranoid and Dora, and others, Smile

As has already been said, we are here to help. If a baiter makes a mistake we sometimes get a bit emotional about it. If it happens to be an important one we can say things that cause a little heating under the collar.

Above all though, we welcome you Duffy D. and are here to guide you in your early times. I am relatively new and still ask for help. It always comes as quick response and is always well informed advice.

Paranoid wrote:

That doesn't make them dumb. English is not their first language, so it is easy to slip things by them and easy for them to make mistakes in English. That don't make them dum.

I speak a second language. I was once trying to communicate with an old lady who spoke only broken English. I found it frustrating to understand her. It was not hard to arrive at the conclusion that she was "dumb." Somehow I realised that she spoke my other languge. I suggested we both speak Estonian. Well! What a revelation that was. She made herself understood and told me jokes. She was a very clever woman.

From that day on I never conciously formed an opinion of a person on their command or non command of spoken communication.

Cheers and fun baiting Smile

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:34 am

Thank you all for your hints!
Yes, I understand your point about not expecting this scammer to be dumb, point well taken. Also, I fully understand that writing in another language can easily confuse things, after all, English is not my first language either so I also often confuse words.
That said, I wanted to see how far I could go with this guy until he saw through my bait, and since I've never received a reply from him after posting the above, this might have happened already... Or, he has visited 419eater and seen this thread, you never know!

Quote:

Penguins in Greenland? I think this is going to get aukward ...

I did have a cover-story prepared if he should ask, about the penguins having been imported by early explorers...

Quote:

ichthyologists

I had to look this up on wikipedia! A little... fishy, no? Laughing

Quote:

Duffy Duck (sorry I misspelled your name in another thread)

No offence taken, after all my alias F. Prefect also finds it hard to write names correctly, hence my nickname Duffy Duck.

By the way, I actually thought English WAS the first language of Nigeria, although with some different words and accents?

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:23 pm

English is official language in Nigeria, but the proportion of people whose first language is English is small. Most people's first language is Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, or any of various other indigenous languages.