How do scammers get caught?

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*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

How do scammers get caught? How do the people mailing the checks get caught? Do they pay for the postage by credit card? That can be traced!
Please give me some insight!

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 7:26 pm

I am unsure what you mean. But if you are referring to scammers that send fake checks to mules they do not often get caught. The scammer send a fake check to a mule who is then asked to send all or part of that amount back to him or to an accomplice using WU for example. While it is possible to see where the checks was sent from, at least country and city it is impossible to see who sent it. And the scammer is not likely to pay postage in a way that can be traced.
When the mule or victim draw on the check it will not bounce right away so therefore he/she will have time to send the money withdrawn using the check away. And when it bounce, and it will, the mule victim will be stuck with paying back the bank money for the check and questions from the police why a fake check have been used.

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 7:35 pm

scamming is relatively safe for them, the only way to get caught is getting caught red handed behind the computer in their home country, happens, but not often enough for my taste Smile

Or when visiting a victim who has informed the police first, risky but then the police are professionals. Getting them convicted on facts found on the internet, chance nil.
They are smart enough to sent the cheques to mules so they don't do anything wrong, the mule does and can get convicted. Having a fake cheque in your possession is already enough, so the drop box idea is fine, ask the receiver to sent you a picture and destroy the original, then you can collect your trophy's in that way.

As scamming is a safe thing for scammers anyone can and will do it especially if the general opinion is that if you asked for it and the victim gave it to you, their mistake, not your fault.

They have been around for ages and will be around even longer.

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:47 am

Sam is in Nigeria. He hires Chester to print checks, Larry to launder money, and Paisley as a package mule. Chester sends Larry a check drawn on Acme Widgets Corporation. Larry cashes the check and sends most of the money to one of Sam's aliases by WU. Sam buys a laptop with a stolen credit card and has it sent to Paisley, with instructions to forward it to another of Sam's aliases.

Alice, the accountant at Acme, notices that a check number is reused or in the future. She contacts the bank, where Bob finds that the check was cashed by Larry. Silva and Gould question him; he shows them the envelope where Chester sent it to him. Silva and Gould also question Paisley after getting a list of suspicious purchases from the owner of the credit card. Chester, Larry, and Paisley are all arrested in America, but Sam uses the money Larry sent him to bribe the postman to say nothing about his aliases, sells the laptop, and accumulates enough to buy a mansion.

Sam might get arrested if he safaris to Burkina Faso, where he doesn't know the language and tells the police a story that doesn't make sense. But as long as he stays in Nigeria, he's probably safe.

Elite Baiter Joined: 10 Mar 2013 Posts: 1486

^^^ He might also get arrested if he doesn't pay bribes to right people.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

Do the mystery shopper scammers pay people to print the fraudulent checks or do they rip them off as well? How could the scammers pay the printers real money? I am having the scammers send checks to real addresses but I change the names so hopefully the people who get the checks refuse the envelopes and have it sent (back) to the person on the return address. I feel this isn't wrong because it lets the person on the return address know he is being used somehow. I also want the scammers to pay a little for the shipping for no reason. Is this wrong?

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 4:18 am

That's the Innocent Third Party rule, never do that again, you might be the cause that one of those ITP's goes to jail!

PM a mod with the addresses and names please

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

What is an ITP's?

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 4:21 am

Quote:

Innocent Third Party

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 4:51 am

thrasher4 wrote:

I am having the scammers send checks to real addresses

As I said elsewhere, you are endangering innocent people with this foolish scheme. Please stop immediately.

Members engaging in unethical and irresponsible behavior toward ITPs and scam victims will be summarily banned from this forum.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

Okay,I will stop and I haven't been doing it for long anyways.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

I did that out of ignorance. Now I know better.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

I did that out of ignorance. I will stop.

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:54 am

The answers to most of what you have asked here, can be found in the various stickies around the forum. Please take time to read the stickies carefully, as they contain important information on baiting in general, and what is condoned (and what is not) on this forum in particular.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 24 Dec 2012 Posts: 69

I do hope that you listened to Bill2 and turned names and address's over to mod's.

Elite Baiter Joined: 10 Mar 2013 Posts: 1486

Hey T4! I hope you didn't do anything else stupid? Like giving them your or someone elses address? Question here is if your dropbox is safe. If it is safe then others might be interested to know how you did arrange this dropbox? And it might be best if you don't reveal here how it was done just be ready to tell others by PM.

Edit: i missread the part about how you do the trick.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

What trick? I don't think I understand your question!

Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:26 am

^ The bit about you using a real address but the wrong name.
Most recipients would be likely to mark the envelope 'not known at this address' or 'return to sender'

Some might open the envelope, an even smaller percentage might then try to cash the cheque.

Best trick, if you want to bring in the fake cheques is to go premium and use the drop box, get the fakies off the street.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 177

Why would someone try to forge signature? The bank could call the police!

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 12:14 am

You are assuming the bank would notice-they don't . A news program in the states a few years back negotiated a bunch of checks signed "Mickey Mouse". About 2 in 10 were caught.

Elite Baiter Joined: 10 Mar 2013 Posts: 1486

Capone wrote:

You are assuming the bank would notice-they don't . A news program in the states a few years back negotiated a bunch of checks signed "Mickey Mouse". About 2 in 10 were caught.

And that is with checks with obiviously false name on them. If it has some ordinary name then how would anyone know those are false? Would the teller have anything to compare with?

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 1:19 am

these cheques are on non existing accounts so until it hits the end bank where the account is supposed to exits they go through, then that bank tells your bank they're not getting the money and your bank takes the money out of your account again. You have paid your friend from your own money a big part and was thinking that the difference was yours, the cops will tell you that you are responsible for all the money en handling fake cheques which could go up to court and prison.

There is no signature to compare as there is no account.

Smart move from them and once the first one goes through fine (for them, they get their money) you'll get a load in a short time until the police shuts you down as the forger.
Nasty business

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2013 1:27 am

The reality is, most scammers DO NOT get caught. Those who have fallen victim, and sent money to them, VERY RARELY IF EVER have ANY chance of seeing the scammer arrested - let alone of getting their money back. Once you send it via WU or MG, it is GONE. VERY RARELY a dedicated baiter is able to gather enough evidence, and circumstances work out in a way that s/he is able to involve the police, and the scammer makes some mistakes and is able to be caught. I have been here for five or six years and seen it happen ONCE.

Elite Baiter Joined: 10 Mar 2013 Posts: 1486

^^^ It would seem that those with badges on their sig-line aren't sharing the info of their achievements either. Not neccessarily bad idea considering that lad might be able to connect a real name on them but kind of frustrating.

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1066

^If you're curious as to how a certain badge was earned, you can always ask. Most baiters will gladly offer any non-sensitive info. We're all about sharing info and techniques here.

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