craigslist car scammer baited - my first time

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 09 May 2008 Posts: 7

This starts off with an ad for a Honda Accord priced well under blue book value, obvious scam here. So I start with

Quote:

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Honda Accord
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 16:56:44 -0400

I'm very interested, where can I see this car?

His first reply:

Quote:

Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 05:04:36 +0300
> From: [email protected]
> To:
> Subject: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
>
> Hello,
>
> Sorry for the late response but I work in the US Air Force and it's very
> hard for me to reply faster. I wanted to let you know that the car is
> still available, i had a buyer but his loan did not get approved. If you
> are still interested please let me know asap, here is a link with more
> photos: http://tomanderson2004.faithweb.com/My%20Honda/?thumb=1
> At this time the car is in Helena, MT with me and we can use the eBay
> Vehicle Purchase Protection service to handle this deal if you're not
> able to come pick this up. Let me know if you have any questions, for
> some reasons your previous email did not load on my screen.
>
> Thank you,
> Tom Anderson, TSgt, USAF

Now I know its a scam for sure. Included in his email was a personal website, which consists of a picture of his fake family. The site is dead now. So I get into character, I decided to be a swinger. Sounds fun. Note my name "Robert Van Winkle" Yes friends, that is the real name of rapper Vanilla Ice

Quote:

From: Robert Van Winkle <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: "Tom Anderson" <[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 1:56 PM

I can come pick it up this weekend. Give me the details.

I'll be bringing my wife, and we saw the picture of you two on your website, very attractive. Please don't be offended, but do you two swing by chance?

He replies oblivious to what I just asked him. Obvious auto reply

Quote:

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 09:27:11 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]

Hello,
This Honda Accord is a real 'head turner' and it will make you proud, it is in excelent condition, never been involved in accidents,
only 79,990 miles, vin # is 1hgcg66882a057313, clean and clear title, no mechanical problems, no smells and odors, no rust, no leaks,
power options all functional and it will need nothing in the near future.
I inherited it from my uncle who had health issues and took great care of this car, always garaged and never offroad.
We are in a training mission here until 15th of july but if you're not able to pick this up I have some great news for you.
The shipping will take 4-5 days thru DAS and it will be free, my previous buyer already paid for it and DAS didnt want to refund
him so I have the car sealed at DAS terminal ready to be shipped out.
If we cannot meet face2face I would like to use ebay motors vehicle purchase protection to take care of this deal, smooth and safe.
Let me know if you have any other questions, hope i didnt miss anything, if we use ebay program this is not a sight unseen deal anymore.
Thank you,
Tom Anderson, TSgt, USAF

I persist and turn it up a notch:

Quote:

From: Robert Van Winkle <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 8:33 PM

Hey Tom,
Like I said in my previous email, we can come pick it up. I need your information, address, directions, etc...

Also, I am sorry if I've offended you about the swinging question. However, my wife is very interested in your wife, and I'm very interested in you. Have you ever been with another man? Maybe we can get together for dinner and drinks while we are there? Then see where it goes perhaps?

-Robert

I'm ignored again

Quote:

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 13:45:03 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]

Here is how it works if you have never used eBay vehicle purchase protection program.
You send me your full name and your shipping address so I can initiate the transaction on eBay.
eBay contacts you with further details regarding the payment and shipping process.You submit the payment to eBay,
eBay confirms the payment and asks me to release the shipment.
I ship the car which should be at your door within the next 5 business days.
You have a 3 days inspection period before you confirm the deal and eBay forwards the payment to me or you cancel the deal
and you get your money back and return the vehicle free of charge.
Basicaly ebay holds your money safe until you confirm that the car is what you have expected and you want to buy it.
It is not a sight unseen deal. On the other hand I can ship the car nowing ebay has your money and you wont dissapear with my Honda.
We are both covered.Sorry for the long emails I have tried to touch all bases.
Thank you,
Tom Anderson, TSgt, USAF

This one I actually laughed as I was typing it

Quote:

From: Robert Van Winkle <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 8:52 PM

Tom,
I told you I can come pick up the car. Maybe while I'm there, I can have sex with your lovely wife. Whats up?

Oh, that got his attention!

Quote:

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 14:41:56 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]

FUCK OFF YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE YOU *DELETED* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time for damage control

Quote:

From: Robert Van Winkle <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 9:48 PM

Tom,
I apologize, I was WAY out of line. My wife and I are swingers, and are always looking for new friends to play with. Please forget I mentioned it.

However, I would still like to come pick up the car. Or do you prefer to ship it to me now?

The scammer accuses me of scamming him. haha

Quote:

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 14:57:26 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]

well i don`t know what to say...i don`t really trust you. Maybe you are a scamer...and you try to fool me, anyway if you still whant the car you know what to do, because i told you allready.
Thanks,
Tom

it continues

Quote:

From: Robert Van Winkle <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 10:01 PM

Tom,
I have not tried to fool you. I don't know what gave you the idea. I saw the picture of your family when you sent me the pictures of the Honda. My wife is very into women and she commented that while we are up in Montana picking up the car, we should all get together for drinks. Forget I mentioned it.

Now, can I still come pick up the car or do you prefer to ship it to me?

Again, very sorry if I offended you. I hope this hasn't ruined my chances of purchasing the car from you. My wife is going to be very mad at me! The car was supposed to be for her.

Again, please let me know if I can still come get it or if you prefer to ship it to me. I can come with cash, no need for ebay. But if you want to ship it, thats fine too.

Of course he does:

Quote:

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 15:12:17 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]

I really prefer to be shipped.You have to send me your full name and your shipping address so I can initiate the transaction on eBay, and they wil contact you with further details.
Thanks.

So I give him my fake address. "Scayming Way" haha

Quote:

From: Robert Van Winkle <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 10:14 PM

Thanks Tom. Here is my info:

Robert Van Winkle
4352 Scayming Way
Bugaha, NE 68132

How do we proceed?

That's where I screwed up. This address has been working with my other baits, but not this guy.

Quote:

Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 15:25:50 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
To: [email protected]

Yeah right!

My next reply: I give him an actual city.

Quote:

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2002 Honda Accord $5000
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 18:27:55 -0400

oh crap, I put Bugaha as my city! Haha. I'm an idiot, thats the nickname of my town. Its OMAHA! Sorry.

No response to that, but I think I did well for my first time. I managed to really piss him off and waste some of his time. This is fun!