James Fallows has a scam he can't quite figure out

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 11 Apr 2004 Posts: 43

The esteemed journalist James Fallows of the Atlantic Magazine is puzzled about something in his inbox.

Quote:

Hello,

I will like to place an advert about my puppies for adoption using the below details.

AD TEXT: Family Pets M / F Akc Reg. English Bulldog & Terrier Yorkshires for adoption. Please email me at [xxxx]@yahoo.com contact asap if interested.

DURATION:2 weeks

Kindly get back to me with the total cost for the duration mentioned that's if you can run it for free. Once i read from you i will forward you my credit card details for the payment of the ad.

Regards,

Quote:

The probability that this is legit seems very low. But what's the angle? Is it the first step in some Spanish Prisoner-style long con? Could merely replying to the mail address somehow compromise your computer? Or could this, against the odds, be what it purports to be, an innocent query from someone who loves little dogs? I may reveal the address later on if you want to take the next research step on your own.

It looks to me like a charity scam. But I haven't scambaited for a few years now. Has anybody received an email like this? (Suspected answer: yes, quite a few actually). http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/05/a-scam-i-cant-quite-figure-out/257269/

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 6:53 am

Hi chatterbot! Where have you been and why haven't you written? Laughing

This looks like a typical CC scam...you give an amount and the lad will add on his fees. Can you give us the original headers and email?

What you have provided so far does not indicate a charity scam to me.

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 7:12 am

As stated above, it looks like a CC scam. You should get a few black piggies from this lad. Wink

Please report any credit card details you receive to a mod, who will forward them to the relevant people.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 11 Apr 2004 Posts: 43

So... CC details are provided by the scammer. The ad is placed, (or not). Then what? It's not like the scammer is ordering laptops or something. Question

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 12:17 pm

I guess I'm confused as to why anyone is confused.

It's a bog-standard puppy scammer, attempting to be clever and find a new place to advertise his nonexistent puppies. He probably bought/stole/harvested a list of emails that are supposedly connected to advertising options and just generically contacted everyone on the list.

That he's a puppy scammer is quite clear from the obvious African English, not to mention the fact that EB and yorkie are the #1 and #2 breeds for puppy scammers (and no real breeder or owner would flip the words in Yorkshire Terrier.) And many puppy scammers have learned to use "adoption" instead of "for sale" as it makes them seem more honest.

If he were offered a chance for an ad, he would likely pay with a stolen credit card, but in this case, it is not a play for cash--he really wants an advertisement, and the cash will come with the responses to the bogus ad.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 11 Apr 2004 Posts: 43

Heh. As I said, it has been a while. For the benefit of googlers, I'll quote from here: http://www.scambusters.org/puppyscams.html

Quote:

In one version of the scheme, the scam artist posts an ad in a newspaper or news website for a puppy he will give away free to a loving home. All you have to do to help the poor little pooch is pay the $400 shipping cost. Victims send the money -- but their puppy never arrives. ...

I suppose there's a certain logic to emailing a reporter, as an inquiry forwarded by a reporter might have minutely greater success than a spam sent directly to the ad dept.

Thanks Dorothy! And salutations of the day! Laughing

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 8:36 pm

I would much rather make someone else say "no", than do so myself. For example, advertising rates vary. If the price were in the $10K range the offer would likely be declined.

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 10:07 pm

Pet scamming is big business. We have a whole subforum dedicated to pet scammers at scamwarners.

Shipping fees are only the start. If the scammer gets that money, he will move on to shipping insurance, veterinary certificates, etc. etc.

Here's our summary in the scamwarners forum
http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=3149

Quote:

I suppose there's a certain logic to emailing a reporter, as an inquiry forwarded by a reporter might have minutely greater success than a spam sent directly to the ad dept.

You're giving him a bit too much credit. He's not really thinking about these things. He's like a phone lad--just trying to get his ads placed in as many places as possible--especially new places where he has no competition (some pet classified sites have more scammers than real sellers, and competition for victims' attention is fierce.) He either went to the magazine site and clicked on the first contact address he could find, or more likely, he got hold of a media email list (may have bought one for cheap), and he just spammed that same message to all of them. Pet scammers have been known to use targeted email lists before--for a while they were spamming pet scam emails to purchased lists of animal organizations (not actually the brightest move, as your average shelter or rescue is not exactly looking to pick up more animals...)

Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 7:26 am

↑↑↑ Dorothy is right again. I couldn't see the wood for the trees... Doh!

Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 12:23 pm

I think it's a side effect of baiting, really--we get to the point that we don't take anything at face value.

You know he's a scammer - so you assume he is lying.
You start looking for the underlying scam, or trying to figure out what he really wants, and miss the simple answer--what he is asking for is what he really wants.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

You're probably right (because I have yet to see you be wrong Laughing

) but you're also too modest, Dorothy. You have a superb ability to figure out the angles of scams attempts when they're not immediately evident. I'm regularly impressed with your insight in your posts both here and ScamWarners.

Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 12:16 am

^^^
Me as well.

Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 2:40 am

^Count me in as well.....I think I love you Dorothy. (Don't tell Corona... Embarassed

)

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