My First YIM Bait: Windy Tom's Phones - Safari to Abuja

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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:24 pm

My first YIM mugu and what a shrewed business man that he is.

He wants to sell me some Samsung E720 mobiles which Yahoo shopping is shows as going between $350-$500 at $350.

I talk him down to $125 and then screw up the calculation to even less.

Then he says the magic words:

Western Union and Advance Fee
Rolling Eyes

Quote:

ciscossytem: what kind?
windytomm: mobile phones
ciscossytem: what brands?
ciscossytem: are you there?
windytomm: ya
windytomm: samsung
ciscossytem: which model?
windytomm: wait
ciscossytem: wait for what?
ciscossytem: what are you doing?
ciscossytem: i'm looking for about 2 dozen for my shop
windytomm: ya
windytomm: i ;m ready
ciscossytem: I need picture phones
windytomm: that means camera
ciscossytem: yes
windytomm: YES WE HAVE THAT
ciscossytem: what model?
windytomm: SAMSUNG
ciscossytem: which model
windytomm: OK
windytomm: SAMSUNG E720
ciscossytem: how much are you looking for them
ciscossytem: look if your not interested then tell me
windytomm: I AM
windytomm: OK
windytomm: IT ;S 350$ PER PHONE
ciscossytem: you must be joking I can get that for less on the high street
windytomm: OK
windytomm: HOW MUCH WILL U LIKE TO BUY?
ciscossytem: 100$ each
windytomm: NO 150$
ciscossytem: $125
windytomm: OK
windytomm: LETS TAKE 130$
ciscossytem: no lets say 125
windytomm: OK HOW MANY DO U WANT TO BUY?
ciscossytem: 5 lots of 10 Shocked

windytomm: 10 OR 5 Confused

ciscossytem: I want 5 lots of 10 that is 50
windytomm: OK
windytomm: OK CALCULATE 125 PER PHONE AND TELL ME
ciscossytem: $5200 Wink

windytomm: OK
windytomm: CAN U SEND THE ADVANCE FOR SHIPPING AND BILLING
ciscossytem: what cash discount will you give?
ciscossytem: look I want to do business not become chat buddies
windytomm: I KNOW
ciscossytem: you will give me the standard 10% discount for cash?
windytomm: 4500$ Surprised

ciscossytem: fair enough
windytomm: ARE U READY TO BUY THE PHONE
ciscossytem: As the price sounds fair sure
windytomm: SURE
windytomm: ARE U READY
ciscossytem: What do I do?
windytomm: OK
windytomm: U WILL SEND THE ADVANCE Shocked

windytomm: IF THE PHONE SHOULD GET TO U ,U WILL NOW SEND THE BALANCE
windytomm: IT IS OK BY YOU
ciscossytem: Fine
ciscossytem: how much of an advance?
ciscossytem: Are you there
windytomm: YES
ciscossytem: how much
windytomm: THAT IS 2500$
ciscossytem: Too much, Most of my suppliers ask for 20% up front
windytomm: OK
windytomm: 2000$ Shocked

ciscossytem: no that is $1000
windytomm: PLS WE WANT TO ATTEND TO SOME CUSTOMERS
windytomm: U CAN WRITE HOW MAIL ADD DOWN
windytomm:
windytomm: OR CALL A Lagos mobile number ( I wonder if he is using a samsung)
windytomm: ARE U REALLY READY
ciscossytem: Yes, at that price I want them
windytomm: OK U CAN SEND THE 1000$ Laughing

ciscossytem: where can I send the money
windytomm: OK
windytomm: THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER faboured by 9 out of 10 mugus in Lagos
ciscossytem: what? Why cant you give me a real address?
windytomm: THAT IS HOW WE RECEIVE MONEY FROM OTHER COUNTRY
windytomm: WE DON;T USE ADD HERE........
ciscossytem: Well I guess its okay then
ciscossytem: how do I send it then
windytomm: SO WHEN ARE U SENDING THEN
ciscossytem: I think you should send me an invoice first
ciscossytem: Are you there?
windytomm: OK USE THIS NAME TO SEND THE MONEY MARIAN DIDIE
windytomm: SORRY MARIAN DIBIE Confused

ciscossytem: You need to send me an invoice first. I can't just send money out from the business without a piece of paper you know.
windytomm: WE WILL SEND THE INVOICE WITH THE PHONE TOGETHER
ciscossytem: I can only send money after recieving an invoice
windytomm: DON;T WORRY THE BUSINESS IS SECURED WE WILL GIVE U THE COMPANY;S ADDRESS
ciscossytem: I need an invoice first
windytomm: WE CAN SEND AN INVOIVE BECAUSE IT WILL ALSO COST US MONEY FOR SHIPPING
windytomm: IT IS A PRIVATE SO WE CAN JUST LET YOU DOWN
ciscossytem: Look I need an ivoice to enable me to send you the money
windytomm: DON;T WORRY UR GOODS WILL BE SENT IMMEDAITELY WHEN WE RECEIVE THE MONEY
ciscossytem: You dont seem to understand how business is done. We do not send any money without an invoice
windytomm: OK
windytomm: GIVE US YOUR HOME ADDRESS
ciscossytem: I would rather give my business address
windytomm: OK
ciscossytem: 32 Shoppe Street
ciscossytem: CilShannon Ireland
windytomm: OK
ciscossytem: Look you could scan the invoice and email it to me
ciscossytem: I need to have a copy for the files that is all
windytomm: OK
windytomm: SO WHEN U RECEIVE THE INVOICE HOPING WE WILL RECEIVEING THEMONEY TOO
windytomm: PLS GIVE UR MAIL ADD ^ TEL NUMBER
ciscossytem: After I get the invoice I can send you the money in a couple of days
windytomm: OK
windytomm: UR NAME
windytomm: TEL NUMBER
windytomm: EMAIL ADD
ciscossytem: send it to my email address [email protected]
ciscossytem: The company name is Mik Cisco Systems Ltd.
windytomm: OK
windytomm: TEL NUMBER
windytomm: HOPE U HAVE WRITTEN OURS
ciscossytem: Include it in your invoice.
ciscossytem: I'll give you a ring after I see the invoice.
windytomm: OK
windytomm: CAN U ADD US
ciscossytem: when should I expect it
ciscossytem: what is Add us mean?
windytomm: ADD THE NAME WRITTEN THERE IN UR YAHOO MSSG
ciscossytem: no I need you to send me an invoice to the company address [email protected]
windytomm: OK
windytomm: UR NAME
ciscossytem: Mik Cisco
ciscossytem: what is wrong with you?
windytomm: OK
windytomm: WE WILL SEND IT ON FRIDAY
ciscossytem: tell me what address you will send it to?
windytomm: TO YOUR OFFICE ADDRESS
ciscossytem: write it to confirm it
windytomm: 32 SHOPPE STREET CILSHANNON IRELAND.
ciscossytem: what email address will you send it too?
windytomm: [email protected]
ciscossytem: And what is the name of the business?
windytomm: MINE OR YOURS? Confused

ciscossytem: mine
windytomm: MIK CISCO SYSTEMS LTD.
ciscossytem: excelent
ciscossytem: Look I am sorry for being so pedantic but it is important to get the invoice right
windytomm: OK
windytomm: YES
ciscossytem: So I will expect the invoice on Friday then?
windytomm: YES
windytomm: BYEEEEEEE
windytomm: TILL FRIDAY
ciscossytem: Thank you
windytomm: THNKS TOO
windytomm: BYEEEEEEEEEEEE 4 NOW

Hopefully a nice Invoice will be arriving on Friday Very Happy

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:27 am

So nothing comes on Friday as he promised

Me to Windy
Subject: Where is the Invoice?

Quote:

What happened to the invoice you promised to send me today.

I told you I will not send you an advance until I get an invoice.

He sent me an Invoice late Friday. Looks like a real 3rd world cash reciept for electronics that was doctored up for my benefit.
Real ones are hand written at point of sale.

Nice touch, the "Not Yet PAID"

He follows it up with an email

Windy to Me
Subject: PHONE SELLER............

Quote:

Sorry for the delay, in sending the invoice on time........It was due to technical problems we had in the office

today.........Sorry for the inconvienience..............Pls we will be expecting your reply with 2days . so that we go and

collect the advance in the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.Pls mail us back so that we can give you the name that you will use

to send the money.
Thanks
CAPITOL COMPUTER INVESTMENT...........

Never mind about cheating me out of my advance, he is also jacking up the price of the nonexistant phones. That is just not on.

Me to Windy
Subject: Re: PHONE SELLER............

Quote:

Are you trying to pull a fast one on me?

We agreed on $4500 and now you are trying to charge me $6250. I don't
know how you do business on your end but that just won't do here.

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:37 am

That is the worst invoice I've ever seen. Rolling Eyes

Note that the invoice has the real phone numbers of CCI. Tell mugu you called and they didn't know what you were talking about, didn't know Marian Dibie.

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 10:04 am

Considering that all the lad wanted me to do was WUXFER him the advance fee and that would be the end of him. I will give him some marks on originality for comming up with "an invoice" as I am the one that insisted on an invoice.

Pity that the lad tried to "scam" me by putting down the wrong price on this invoice. He is going to have to send me a new one. Twisted Evil

I have plans for this lad. Laughing

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 10:56 am

Mik Cisco wrote:

I will give him some marks on originality for comming up with "an invoice".

Yeah... I had a bait where I inisisted on an invoice from the 'security company with the two trunk boxes'. After a bit of to and froing with the 'Operations Manager', during which I claimed to have studied accountancy at the London School of Economics (which was just round the corner from the supposed location of the security company, but that's another story), I got passed to the 'Security Company Director'. Neither of these 'businesspeople' had the remotest idea of how a business operates. And the scammer pretending to be them just didn't have the nous to go and get an invoice from the local computer shop and Photoshop it.

Makes you wonder... don't the lads buy stuff that comes with invoices?

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:08 am

If they had money to buy stuff they wouldnt be trying to steal it from us Smile

Besides, i tend to thing that 3rd world countries arent at the top of the list for well run buisnesses, just a guess.

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:10 am

I suspect the lads "buy" things from the "after market".

This particular lad is not the sharpest tool in the shed as you can see from the YIM. He was in one of the YIM small business rooms repeating himself: Phones for Sale. I must have shocked him when I bit.

There was actually quite a long pause when he went to find out what name to use in the WUXFER and then he got that wrong. He must have run to find his Oga.

You are right they probably don't know what an invoice is, but the brain trust of the group must have thought that a receipt would work just as well. Afterall if I'm dumb enough to buy mobiles on Yahoo from a guy in Lagos, I must be a Mugu Rolling Eyes

.

Not like I'm going to tell them any of their mistakes, mind you. The last thing I want to do is help them improve their scamming techniques. I just want them to send me a couple of more invoices before I try and take it to the next level.

And I'll post it on this thread to it's bitter end.

419Eater is my life Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 344

hit 'em up for NET 30 Wink

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:20 am

Dont forget once he fixes his mistake and sends a second invoce to complain about lack of tax. Tell him you cant deal with a company which doesnt add appropriate tax; it can get you in trouble. Get a third invoice out of him that way. The more the merrier

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 3:39 pm

Well the lad is appologetic. Confused

Windy to Me

Quote:

We are sorry about that,we agreed on $4500 but i forgot when we calculated the whole items and didn't remove the discount,am sorry for that.we are not trying to pull fast on you..........we just had a miscalculation here, we have changed the record here .........
we are sorry for the inconvinience,plz as soon u send the money ur goods we be shipped to ur address within 3 working Days.
We will be expecting the money lastest on MONDAY Shocked

.............
You can send the money through this name MARIAN DIBIE.......,LAGOS - NIGERIA...AND You will be given a control number pls just send it immediately to our mail address so as for safety...........We will be expecting your reply...........
THANKS,
CAPITOL COMPUTER INVESTMENT............

Fine and dandy, but I still need a new invoice Twisted Evil

Me to Windy

Quote:

Tom,

That is fine, I believe you, but now you have put me at a problem. I need to have the correct invoice to offset the money that I send out. If it shows differently, I can be accused of stealing from the company. So please, you need to send me a new invoice, with the correct amount on it.

Look, I hate doing this to you but I realy need the right invoice to offset the money I send you.

Can you resend it tonight? That way I can send you the money first thing Monday morning.

Awaiting your revised invoice

Mik

419Eater is my life Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 344

then hit him with a Purchase Order number - laf

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 10:08 pm

Bless the little scammer, he tries to please. And it only took him about 12 hours to get it redone. Rolling Eyes

He must really think that the Western Union Money Transfer will soon be on its way into his thieving little hands Sad

Pity that

Me to Windy Tom

Quote:

Tom,

I can't show that! Do you want me to get in trouble with the VAT people here? They would think that I changed the invoice to try and cheat them. They are cracking down on that sort of thing now.

You need to make me out a new invoice.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 60

Tell him that you tried the invoice as it was and it made you look foolish!!

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 1:03 am

@Mik: Don't forget to mention that when you took the form to your accountant, he told you that all invoices must be in euros for tax purposes in Ireland. You can't use this one as dollars are a foreign currency. Time for him to whip out the tipp-ex again. Smile

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 4:11 am

I want him to get a new invoice. I just hope that getting the invoice will be easy for him to do and not scare him off just yet.

As for the Euro thing, I was thinking more on the lines of having him write me a letter, on Capitol Computer Letter Head, acknowledging the euro/ dollar conversion rate to be used on our transaction. Laughing

But as I've found in my experience that most lads tend to be hesitant on using real letter heads Confused

, I'm thinking of trying to get him to have a picture taken in front of this computer shop. Wink

I just hope he is dumb enough and greedy enough to follow my script Laughing

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:07 am

Can't use that invoice... it has a different number from the first one.

Quote:

Be advised that this procedure is illegal under International Law, because it could lead to multiple, inconsistent invoices for the same goods or services. Therefore you must issue an amended version of the invoice, with the same number as the original, along with registering the change with Irish Customs using form 272A, a stamped copy of which must accompany the amended invoice.

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 3:58 am

The lad aims to please his "customers" Rolling Eyes

This came in Sunday night (8PM by the time stamp)

Windy to Me

Quote:

Hello mik, sorry about that,i got ur mssg,don;t worry i will send you the new invoice by tomorrow noon.But ensure that when we send you the new invoice, that as you promise still send the money on monday. because will can fail u, and we will like to start the transaction tomorrow....
CAPITOL COMPUTER INVESTMENT LTD.............

I'm sure they would like to start the transaction tomorrow Confused

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 4:07 am

Mik Cisco wrote:

He must have run to find his Oga.

I thought that when the lad went 'caps ballistic'...looked like a different operator? How long between replies, Mic?

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 4:49 am

There is a bit of lag in replies, but I think that is mainly due to Yahoos new policy of "filtering" messages with out an originating IP. And I am using fastmail which doesn't provide them. So far the emails have gotten through Confused

So far all I have done is request for new invoices so it that is the real time waster.

Keep in mind that the lad does not have a script (all he wants is an advance payment for some non-existent mobiles and that is the end of him). All he want's to do is keep me on the hook until I WUXFER hime the money.

I, on the other hand, am trying to get him to send me a trophy picture Wink

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 5:05 am

It looked as if the replies became 'more fluent' as the conversation went on....excellent effort tho'....i think you've got him well and truly hooked....!

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 5:31 am

Nicely spotted. Laughing

I certainly didn't Crying or Very sad

But then again I have long gotten past the point where I actually read the dribble that they write Confused

The IM occured in one of the yahoo small business rooms. I would think that there were a group of "begginer" lads at a Lagos internet cafe trolling the chat rooms with one sentence messages like: "Mobile Phones for Sale" .

Once they know they have a serious buyer on their hands they probably call the senior scammer on call to close the deal.

I need to read it again to see at what point the senior scammer took over. A more experienced lad is certainly sending the emails.

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:59 pm

As there was no new invoice today I got him on YIM again:

Quote:

Mik Cisco: tom are you there
Windy Tom: HI
Windy Tom: MIK CISCO
Mik Cisco: where is my new invoice?
Windy Tom: SORRY I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SEND THE NEW INVOICE BUT THE SCANNER IS NOT WORKING WELL
Windy Tom: I WANT TO GET THE NEW ONE
Mik Cisco: when will it be ready
Mik Cisco: its important that I have one you see
Windy Tom: I PROMISE IT WILL BE READY TOMORROW
Mik Cisco: ok then tom
Mik Cisco: I will wait till tommorow
Windy Tom: BUT HOPE WHEN WE SEND U THE INVOICE TOMOROW WILL U BE ABLE TO SEND THE MONEY TOMORROW COZ I DON;T WANT TO DELAY THE TRANSACTIN
Windy Tom: SORRY 4 THE DELAY
Mik Cisco: once i have the invoice then yes
Windy Tom: U WILL TOMORROW
Mik Cisco: okay
Mik Cisco: until tommorow then

Just as I was about trolling for more mugus, he pops back up. As if I would forget the name of the person I would be sending money to. The nerve. Confused

Quote:

Windy Tom: PLS DO U STILL REMEMBER THE NAME
Mik Cisco: Tom
Mik Cisco: yes
Windy Tom: NO
Mik Cisco: what name
Windy Tom: THE NAME U WILL USE TO SEND THE MONEY
Mik Cisco: yes i wrote it down
Windy Tom: OK TELL ME
Mik Cisco: just send it with the email OK?
Windy Tom: OK WRITE IT DOWN AGAIN
Mik Cisco: send the invoice first
Windy Tom: MARIAN DIBIE
Mik Cisco: yes Marian Dibie - is that you?
Windy Tom: DON;T WORRY U WILL SEE THE INVOICE TOMMORROW
Mik Cisco: You promise?
Windy Tom: YA THAT IS THE NAME
Mik Cisco: What kind of name is Marian?
Mik Cisco: sounds like a girls name
Windy Tom: YES I WILL
Windy Tom: NO
Windy Tom: THAT IS THE NAME OF PERSON THAT RECEIVES MONEY FOR THE COMPANY
Mik Cisco: is she a girl?
Mik Cisco: is she?
Windy Tom: IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION REQUIRE DON;T ESSITATE TO MAIL; US
Mik Cisco: ok but is Marian a girl?
Windy Tom: NO
Windy Tom: A MARRIED WOMAN
Mik Cisco: cool down all I wanted to know if she was female. I am married myself you know
Mik Cisco: Is that your wife?
Windy Tom: NO
Mik Cisco: bosses wife?
Windy Tom: A STAFF OF THE COMPANY
Mik Cisco: what is your position there?
Windy Tom: SALES EXCUTIVE
Mik Cisco: I see
Mik Cisco: Okay. I need to go now.
Windy Tom: YES
Windy Tom: OK
Windy Tom: BYEEEEEEEEE
Mik Cisco: I will expect the invoice in the morning then
Windy Tom: TILL TOMOROOW
Windy Tom: NICE CHATTING WITH U
Mik Cisco: same here
Mik Cisco: till tomorow
Windy Tom: THANKZ

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 10:59 am

The Lad delivered:

Hard to tell if this a real invoice or he went through the trouble of making it up Confused

So I shoot him this reply:

Me to Windy

Quote:

Thanks Tom,

I'll cut a cheque and go down to the Western Union this after noon

Mik

Pity some complications will develop this evening Rolling Eyes

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:18 am

Nice invoice Smile

there are enough subtle differences between them that I tend to think the lad sat there (or got someone to do it) and re-did the whole thing as a template...

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:33 am

kwae,

I think you're right. As I asked for a new one on Saturday and I got this one about their noontime on Tuesday, somebody must have put some effort into this. Very Happy

As they did such a good job, I think I'm going to let the invoice stand for a while.

I think I will introduce my wife/business partner into the YIM session tonight. She probably will need more convincing then myself. Wink

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