Have you ever sent a scammer money or the like?

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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:22 pm

lakeside77 wrote:

Maybe I am imagining things, but I seem to recall a baiter who said he sent a lad an envelope with one end slit open and inside was a note that read, "here is your money, when do I collect my funds?"

I did that once, at the time I thought it was the most brilliant idea ever. (Maybe I don't have such great imagination). This was after quite a bit of back-and-forth when eventually he agreed I could send him cash via DHL or Fedex instead of Western Union. To save money my character just sent it by regular post saying the cash was tucked into a birthday card (wrinkling the envelope to look like it had once contained banknotes, and then slicing it open before sending it). Unfortunately, it didn't really do my bait any good at all. Connie hit the nail on the head:

Connie L. Gus wrote:

...While I don't see the harm in sending an open envelope to a lad while you are on vacation, I don't see the point. It would cost you something and your time and effort would be better spent filling out a MoneyGram form and sending that to the lad. Having received the fake form the scammer would have to get out of his chair, go to the outlet, stand in line and then told to go away by the clerk....

In my case, I was only out a small amount (airmail postage, I think I had a big box of cards already). But what happened - once I revealed the details, that I had sent it by regular airmail, the lad just raged at me for stupidly failing to follow his instructions, even before he would have received the card. Then he received the card and raged at me some more for being such an idiot. I tried to blame it on the lad but it was clear he didn't believe there was actually money in the envelope in the first place.

So, it was fun for a bit (lad rage often is) but I had very clearly established that my character was a time-waster, right at that crucial stage (payment) where time-wasters reveal themselves. The bait never went any further, from that point the lad would not really budge from saying "Make the payment" - by sending this envelope I had outed myself as a time-waster.

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:50 pm

Connie L. Gus wrote:

We don't send things that could hurt ITPs at anytime.

Of course. The point I wanted to make is that there was once a time when we were all brand new, and that ethics evolved over time as we worked out the implications of the tactics. Which is why we don't see freight baits any more, or other tactics that could rebound on innocent parties.

I once asked here for a photoshop of a picture a lad had sent me. His sign went from the garbled version of my trophy request to a homosexual inference. His white robe gained a pair of fairy wings, his hand a wand and his head a fairy halo. This was posted on to a Nigerian Gay dating site with his phone number inviting calls. Shortly afterwards 'his profile' had a message with a phone number attached - {the number was a lad}. The message was "I can make you straight", that profile photo was of a female model. The baiter responsible had a good laugh with me when we found each other on here.

Thinking about it now. I don't think that it was a good move to do. Obviously I do not need to go into details about it. I think that ultimately it put the site owner to a lot more trouble than it did the lad. It's something that I am not very happy with myself for doing. That is why I think that some tactics do need to be discussed because there are plenty of issues that others can think of.

Connie, I love the avatar by the way.

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:19 pm

Changing the topic slightly but under the same title, now it's understood by all (I hope) that we do not send money during our scambaiting activities, I do wonder sometimes though how many people here have actually fallen victim and lost out in the past.

Personally, I have never fallen for an email promising me millions, but I have been scammed by another means before. About a decade ago I fell for a fake website claiming to sell fun gadgets. As I recall, I found that site because the scammers advertised in a magazine that they were selling these little desktop RC tanks and the ad gave the site address. They emptied my card of every last penny. I never got that little tank either. Sad

Thankfully most of the money was recovered, but ever since then I've restricted my online shopping to just eBay or Amazon. I never go anywhere else now...

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 6:21 pm

Ex-wife bought some Playstation games from an Ebay seller. I sent the Money order for about $40.00. Never did get those games.

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 6:36 pm

Back in 2002 or 2003 I was at a very low ebb. I received a letter saying I had won the New Zealand Lottery and all I had to was send off about 70 to 80 quid to claim my thousands. As I said, very low ebb, I considered it for a short time but as I didn't have a tenner I had to pass.

Having been in that position I can see only too well how some one who is extremely vulnerable can fall for these bastards. You are desperately looking around for a life line and then something like that pops up. You are too low for questions to be asked.

Then about five weeks ago I had a charity appeal text message sent to my mobile. How someone got hold of that number, I don't know because I don't know the number and have rarely sent a text message on it. It gave no details of where it was from but appealing for money for a disaster.

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 6:46 pm

I never have but contacted a scammer about a car for sale on yahoo. I was in the market for a 65 Mustang Convertible and looking online. Came across a yahoo ad for one for sale in Forth Worth, Tx for $6500. Amazing price for the condition. Beautiful car. I was not stupid enough to buy a car sight unseen of course. I emailed the guy and got no response. I was eager because this had always been my dream car. I emailed again and finally got... A weird form letter. I knew nothing of scams, only that they existed.

So I replied and asked pointed questions. Is the car still available? Can I travel to see it? Is it road ready or will it need mods? Is there any rust? What's the VIN? Etc, etc. The guy responded back with the standard, the car isn't in Texas it's overseas because I'm in the military blah blah blah. He couldn't afford to pay the fees or whatever crap to drive it there BUT he was willing to airfreight it back to me. Right. So I pushed still for a VIN. Which he eventually gave. One google search brought up a 65 convertible of a different color for sale in California. Still, I thought, maybe? Maybe it was repainted or something? So I called the dealer in CA and asked if he had it. He said it was sold but still there getting work done. I told him what had happened and then reported the ass to yahoo. I was pissed and never did get my classic. Yet.

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:44 am

Why bother spending real money to send a real item to a lad when telling them that you've sent something & watching him jump through hoops to get the non-existent package is so much fun? Packages get lost and misdirected all the time around here... many safaris were born that way Laughing

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:59 pm

^ Exactly

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:38 pm

I had a lad who for some reason was convinced
That I had cheap apple products to sell him.
The greedy lil so and so even sent me cash for
Postage, now I'm guessing he thought I had iPhones
And tabs...... Tut tut tut
Would have loved to have seen his face when he opened
Up the " Granny Smith " I sent him!!

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:51 pm

^^^ Heehee... Good one!! Laughing

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:57 am

What are people's thoughts on sending a fake cheque, that must be cashed at a specific bank ? (typically across a border haha)

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:01 am

^No.

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:02 am

^No. Don't do it.

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:03 am

Never send a lad anything that he can reproduce and send to a victim.

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:04 am

^ a firm NO. He will send it to a victim to cash and they will take the hit...

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:09 am

Ah yes, of course. Thanks for the responses.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18312

Not to mention, sending a fraudulent check is a crime. Wink

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 5:45 am

^^^um, yes. Not only is it a crime in almost every country in the world but you're liable to get a visit from whatever your version of Homeland Security if the check is of any size at all and the check is intercepted in the mail. Money laundering and terrorism support are not just things on our funny forms, they are dead serious to those who can throw you in jail. The probability of that happening is low but not zero, and one night in the Gold Star Hotel would have anyone rethinking that plan.

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