Victim story -- when it hits close to home

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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:37 pm

A friend and coworker sought me out today because he remembered that I was into scambaiting and knew a lot about advanced fee fraud. Like many people I talk to, he always had a hard time understanding how anyone can fall for such obvious scams... until this weekend.

He was visiting his family, and his father-in-law asked him to look at his brother's computer. The family feared that the brother had become addicted to Internet gambling, and he had already borrowed thousands of dollars from them for mysterious "projects".

When my friend looked through his uncle-in-law's e-mail, he discovered long-running involvement in a classic 419 scam (with a bit of wash-wash thrown in for good measure) that went back over a year and a half... and $9600 begged and borrowed from relatives, including his own mother.

I don't know all the details, but I should know more shortly. The police have been notified, but apparently this guy is still holding out hope that the consignment is on its way and he'll be able to pay everybody back for their "investment".

I hope to post the whole story sometime soon. There are some details that lead me to think that the scammers may have had baiter contact at some point (baiter-ish names, possibly a reused baiter fake passport), but I can't confirm that yet.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:43 pm

Very sorry to hear that MC. Hopefully the victim will see the scam for what it is soon. It must be difficult to be honest with yourself after being a victim for so long. It is easier to believe that one day, soon, this consignment will come into your account than to admit you lost all the money you already invested.

When you say the police have been contacted, does this mean he stopped communicating with the scammers or do the family fear he is still in contact in some way? Over the phone maybe?

All the best to your friend's family.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:13 pm

Well, I just checked and it turns out the only evidence we have that it has been reported to the police is an e-mail the victim sent to one of the scammers claiming that he had reported it.

This gets worse and worse Rolling Eyes

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:19 pm

Can your relative get the scammers email?

Maybe a joint attack from people here might make him stop for a while.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:20 pm

I have all of the scammer e-mails (and phone numbers), but I'm still teasing out the full story. I have assurances that it has stopped, but I can't say more just yet.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:29 pm

Unfortunately Nalei, scammer will not stop scamming a well-paying victim for new victims. They KNOW the first one pays, so they will keep at it. They might twig on some new real ones for which they are not sure that that there is a pay cheque.

MC, good to hear your friend's uncle-in-law is out of the scam at the moment.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:32 pm

This does hit close to home, and gives us another reason to keep baiting...

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:42 pm

persephone: what about revenge? This is a target too!

If ten of us or even more will take him as a special project...

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:50 pm

Let me know, it's why we do this. The stinkin bastards that did this should pay!!

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:54 pm

Hi Nalei, that would be an entirely different thing. Baiting him to stop a well-paying vic, would be a bit of a far-fetching scenario, but making sure this lad gets what he deserves, no problem with that. I think MC will have a look at it, maybe bait the scammer himself (herself?). Piling on a scammer is usually counter-productive. One or two really good baiters working their magic will be a better idea.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

Yeah, piling on at worst makes the mugu shut down that email address and then you lose sight of him. It's better to have a couple of good baiters work the lad to his raw edges and thoroughly run roughshod over him. Twisted Evil

EDIT: Same goes for Ethan's suggestion below -- all you do is push him further underground with box-flooding.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:08 pm

Well if we somehow flood his mailbox (10 mails from each baiter + some subscribed pr0n) should give at least some problems for him... And if we can make this lad have a horrible time (i'll leave the details up to your imagination) he at least has a bit of a problem... It's the least we can do i think. (and forgive me for being a young and jumpy dog, i think it will wear off in some years)

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

Flooding his box won't accomplish anything but mildly annoy him for the two minutes it takes to open a new box.

JM and Pers have the right idea- a couple of skilled baiters messing with him for the next several months.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:11 pm

Is it possible for an excellent baiter to lure the little shit to the US (or the country where this poor victim is in) where he can be arrested?

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:17 pm

^That would mean convincing the lad without ever sending him money to scrape together the money for the travel, the hotel, the visa...... I wouldn't put it past YW, but I think it is highly unlikely without paying him to come to the States.

Plus, to get him arrested you will need to know his real name and you need to prove without a shadow of a doubt that this is the guy who scammed MC's friend's uncle-in-law. Lad can also contact a friend in the States.

be assured though - once MC starts baiting him with or without the help of some very experienced evil-minded members here, the lad WILL pay. Twisted Evil

Baiting Guru Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 5905

@ Mugu_cultist

Sorry to hear about what happened at least it sounds like the victim has a lot of caring family members around him who can give him support and get him through this. Being a baiter you will know the kind of things the scammers will try and do to get the victim to believe again.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:29 pm

That's why I found my way here also Mugu Cultist. Someone I know was taken in a love scam. I think of him and all the pain and suffering he's been through and take it out on my lads.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:04 pm

I've made contact with the scammer from one of my baiting accounts and I will be proceeding very carefully. There are a couple of mystery elements to this that I want to tease out a bit if I can.

The best and brightest baiters are right here; I'll be tapping into that in the near future, and I almost (but not quite) feel pity for this bastard for the misery he's about to go through.

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:10 pm

A friend's wife's entire family was financially ruined because her brother got hooked in a standard 419 scam and, like MC's acquaintance, borrowed from everyone he knew in the expectation that he'd pay them off later. They literally lost the family farm in Illinois, which was in the family for a century, because the parents' entire life savings went into the scam. The only person who came out unscathed was my friend's wife, who smelled a rat from the beginning and refused to loan her brother money.

That's just one reason why I have no sympathy for those who criticize baiters for being so cruel to these "poor, unfortunate souls." Mad

Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:31 am

It must be torture to see a family member or friend being bled dry and there's nothing you can do about it except try to convince them it's a scam. My mother very nearly got sucked into a straight 419 scam and thank God she asked me about it just before she was about to send some money. She's a naive and trusting soul (ie the perfect victim) and it took me a LONG time to convince her that she was being scammed and I confess I did check her email outbox for a while to make sure she wasn't keeping in touch with them. Thankfully she heeded my advice and stopped all contact but they did barrage her with pleading emails for a long time afterwards.

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