Scammer claims that I have paid the money already

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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:35 pm

Been baiting a Benin based scammer since christmas time. The scam is the diplomatic consignment case trick.

He asked me to send the money to a bank account based in Colorado, USA. I guess this was a mule account, and duly reported it.

Now I have claimed that I have sent the money to the account. He's come back to confirm this. He's now sending the consignment key to me.

So here's the questions:
1. Does he know that I haven't wired the money? Or does he think that the Mule has cheated him.
2. Is he going to send consigment key to my false address? (which, looking at google streetview, is a large office block in Seattle, with good door security on the front to minimise any possible unpleasantness)
3. Where is the scam in this? How is he planning to get money out of me?

Big thanks to bware419ers for his help on this scam! Good show! Very Happy

As requested, here's a concise email trail. This is the email with the details of the mule account:

Quote:

Attn: Steve

SMr. Steve since you preffer to send the fund by account then you can go ahead to send the $280 to below account information:

Banking

Bank Name : ACADEMY BANK
Bank Address : 707 South 8th Street.Colorado Springs, Colorado. 80905. USA.
Toll Free: 877-712-2265
Bank Phone : 719-634-3920
Bank Fax: xxxxxxxxxxx
Account Name : Cxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx5
Routing #: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Swift Code :
Web: www.academybankco.com

Try and deposit the $280 today to the above account Info and get back to me after you send it and also attach the Deposit Slip to me for confirmation so that we will ship the KEY to you once they receive the money in USA...

Thank you,
MR. CHARLES
0229-9908-6917
DIRECTOR-IN-CHARGE
CASH PROCESSING UNIT (UBA)

I sent this reply:

Quote:

Good Afternoon Charles,

Thank you very much for getting back to you. I am very confused about what is happening.

As you asked I sent the money to your designated account. I thought I had made a mistake when you said that they haven't received the money. Yesterday, I went to see the bank about it and they have assured me that the money has arrived at the account.

Charles, they even called up the bank where the money went to. They confirmed that the money is with the designated account. So the money is with Mr xxxxxxxxxxxxxl, so you need to contact him and get the money from him. I have done everything as you asked. So please get in contact with that person and please come back to me.

Yours sincerely
Steve

So I got this reply:

Quote:

UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA BENIN
AGBOKOU STREET, COTONOU
P.M.B. 0127, AGBOKOU, COTONOU

Attn: Steve

I am writing this very email to inform you that the money you transfer has been received and I will be shipping your Consignment Box KEY first thing tomorrow morning and I will give you the Tracking number after making your Key shipment to your address and please we don't make mistake when shipping the Key and I want you to provide/gill below

information:
Full Name:..
Country:....
Home Address:..
Direct Phone:...

You need to see that you fill the above required Info correctly because like I said I will be shipping your Consignment Box Key to required address immediately you provide it and I am waiting to hear from you.

Thank you,
MR. CHARLES
0229-9908-6917
DIRECTOR-IN-CHARGE
CASH PROCESSING UNIT (UBA)

Edited out a few last names - bware419ers

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:39 pm

If you can post some of the "back and forth" it will be a bit easier to give feedback on the situation.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:47 pm

The scammer may think you actually paid the money, perhaps due to communication breakdown with whoever owns the account..... in which case you may get an enraged message later on once the scammer discovers you haven't paid.

Anyway, you shouldn't expect him to send a consignment key anywhere. Instead, the next step will almost certainly be some kind of last minute hitch with some minor bureaucratic issue that needs to be sorted out before you can collect the consignment, with a fee attached. For example, if your original payment was supposed to cover storage costs, the secondary one might be for legal services incurred by the consignment company. Telling you he's "sending the key" is just a trick to make you believe the money is practically in your hands.

edit: see below, I'm wrong as some scammers do send items as convincers. Somehow I'd missed that!

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:22 pm

kellysheroes1 wrote:

my false address? (which, looking at google streetview, is a large office block in Seattle, with good door security on the front to minimise any possible unpleasantness)

There shouldn't be any chance of any unpleasantness at all as you shouldn't be using an address that exists - what if he sends something illegal there or similar? Even just a strange package being delivered from overseas, addressed to a non-existent person could cause security problems

Either make up a totally non-existent street or use a number that doesn't exist in a real street, that way there's no chance of an ITP being involved/inconvenienced by your bait.

@f5 - not necessarily. I've had 2 occurrences where a scammer has actually sent something. Once it was claimed to be a key and the other time an ATM Card. Both times I was able to track it on legitimate post sites arriving in Switzerland and then a week or so later, being returned.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:25 pm

If an address does not exist, but is between two addresses that do exist on a street that exists, Google Maps street view can show it as an oblique view of a real building.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:22 pm

B8er wrote:

kellysheroes1 wrote:

my false address? (which, looking at google streetview, is a large office block in Seattle, with good door security on the front to minimise any possible unpleasantness)

There shouldn't be any chance of any unpleasantness at all as you shouldn't be using an address that exists - what if he sends something illegal there or similar? Even just a strange package being delivered from overseas, addressed to a non-existent person could cause security problems

Either make up a totally non-existent street or use a number that doesn't exist in a real street, that way there's no chance of an ITP being involved/inconvenienced by your bait.

@f5 - not necessarily. I've had 2 occurrences where a scammer has actually sent something. Once it was claimed to be a key and the other time an ATM Card. Both times I was able to track it on legitimate post sites arriving in Switzerland and then a week or so later, being returned.

That's a fair point. I did not think that until I raised it. I was hoping that because its on the North West Coast of America, it would be far away from the scammer visiting it.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:33 pm

As B8er mentioned, it's not just about scammers visiting, but involving ITPs. You have posted the exchanges (thanks) and it seems this could go a number of different ways.

Perhaps they send you a tracking number for a fake courier company they have set up and attempt to phish you. They will, undoubtedly, request more money for some fee.

I suggest playing along with the whole "I paid bit" to see where it goes.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:44 pm

This is going the same way as the bait I briefly mentioned before. I didn't make any attempt to pay anything, I actually ended the bait by telling the lad that my accountand had told me not to. The lad then came back some time later to say that he had paid the fee and was sending the key.

My guess is that the key is a convincer. The key turns up and then it is time for the trunk to be delivered, which is where the fees start.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:00 pm

Here is where I use every time I need an address.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:33 pm

Ah yes, that makes sense. What I have done is to pretend that I have waited for the key but it hasn't arrived.

Thanks for the theories on how it will play out. It all makes sense now.

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:40 pm

Okay, just got an email from him now.

He's claiming the consigment key is on his way to my character (in seattle). He's given me a DHL courier reference code, checked on the DHL website.
It's shows up as genuine on the site. From Benin to Seattle.
(happy to provide reference on here, if you want)

He wants a $2100, so I will protest against that. The only problem is that what happens when he finds the address to be false?

Quote:

UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA BENIN
AGBOKOU STREET, COTONOU
P.M.B. 0127, AGBOKOU, COTONOU

Attn: Steve Schweize

Mr. Steven the truth is that this has taking much time because it's getting to a month and now I have finally made the Key shipment to your provided address and you can check it with DHL Website and Tracking detailed below:

Website:.. www.dhl.com
Tracking number:.. 268

Mr. Steven after confirming the shipment with the above DHL info then you tell me and again did you hear from Mr. Andrew Riveer the diplomatic agent who is coming to deliver your package to after you receive the KEY.

I want to use this very opportunity to inform you of my conversation with UN Courier Manager who send Mr. Andrew to deliver the Package to you, I was told by UN Manager that Mr. Andrew Hotel Accommodation lodge has expire since last week and he will pay an additional $2100, So Mr. Steven since the KEY is coming you need to make an arrangement to send the $2,100 to Mr. Andrew Riveer to enable him commence to you as soon as you receive the KEY, Therefore you have to tell me when you will send him the fee because I have told him to be getting ready to deliver your Package to you because your KEY will get to you in three or four working days.

Thank you,
MR.
DIRECTOR-IN-CHARGE

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:44 pm

Should that happen, be outraged. Of course your address is real - is it your fault that DHL is using an outdated database?

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:59 pm

Pass the tracking number to a mod, so that the mod can pass it on to DHL, who can find out what stolen credit card was used to pay for it and get it canceled. The fact that the address does not exist should be good evidence that the tip came from a baiter.

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 9:24 pm

I did check to think if it was a fake courier website. But no, it website and reference does check out. I have passed the info to my mentor. If we block it then it might help with the next step in the bait.

Diolch yn fawr (welsh for thank you) for your help on this.

Show Me The Goodies Joined: 18 Oct 2014 Posts: 301

JumpinJayJay wrote:

Here is where I use every time I need an address.

Works great for me as well .

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