The CraigsList Scam comes to the US?

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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:38 pm

Ok so I get a lot of obviously fake CraigsList scams when I email about apartments or merchandise I am legitimately interested in. Almost all the time they seller is located in the UK, and it typically falls into a "send me a Western Union/Money Gram" with this UK address on it.

However, I have started to notice now that there are US addresses.

Has anyone else noticed this, lately? I am assuming if I wire someone in the US money, they have to get it in the US. Right?

Now I have checked the addresses, but they are clearly fake addresses. They don't resolve when you look them up in the USPS website.

Has anyone had any insight on this? Does WU/MG allow you to show up with just an ID and get your money? Do you have to prove (or show) place of residency? If so, then, I guess a fake address is good in case the cops come a knocking.

This intrigues me and since Craigslist scams are my favorite to bait, I am wondering if the scammers are now US based...

Baiting Guru Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 2788

WU and Moneygram (afaik) can be picked up anywhere in the world irrespective of where the sender has specified.

As for WU and MG 'rules' i believe they vary from country to country and get tossed outta the window when the lad has an 'inside contact'.

With regards to where scammers are based~everywhere is the easiest answer. Being slightly more specific Canada, USA, UK, The Netherlands, Spain, West Africa, the Middle East, India, China, Far East and Russia (Vlads) come up on a 'regular' basis.

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:49 pm

Someone with a little (or a lot) more experience will probably tell you more, but here's how I see it:

It could be a US-based scammer. They do exist.

It could be a "check mule" - another scam victim is "employed" by the scammer to accept payments and send the bulk of them on to the scammer.

Or it could be that one doesn't have to be in the country they stipulated in order to pick up the money. As long as the MTCN and (perhaps) the question and answer match what was sent, it's all in the WU or MG computers.

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:08 pm

Has the board ever had an inside WU or MG person who could share/enlighten us in the process. I am truly curious, because MG and WU say on their websites you have to prove (1) residency at address and (2) identity. But we know that as not true.

Now what strikes me as odd is if I wire a lad money, can't WU and MG tell me where my money goes? I was told by their customer service that their answer is no. The reason why is that money could be going as alimony money and they protect the privacy of the people who pickup their money.

Ironic huh?

Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 5:57 am

In reality, you don't have to be in the same country the money was wired to, and ID is not a problem, as many lads with fake names/identities have shown. If you don't have ID and are claiming money, you do need the MTCN number and the question, and answer, though (which is why the lads are so desperate for it).

You also have to realize that in areas of significant corruption, WU employees may also be on the take, and in fact some scammers have bragged about having contacts within WU.

As Titania said, though, it could also be a US based scammer or there could be a mule in the US.

Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:35 pm

Interesting, the reason I was asking earlier was I have read many of everyones baits and a lot of time the lads are upset because they have to travel to different countries to get their WU/MG. If they can pick it up in their homeland, why would they be care about having names/addresses being changed?

Just was wondering.

Baiting Guru Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 2788

That's because they believe they have to pick it up there, and i'm guessing a baiter has already run them through the mill in their hometown/country-of course all these are backed up by v3rifys3c and other 'sites'. I'd also hazard a guess that the amount is 'larger' than the daily maximum allowed-also the possibility that the lad is already streded somewhere and the baiter puts the cash (albeit at a foreign WU/MG) nearer to the lad than home.

Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:02 pm

Of course, I could always just call WU/MG and ask the customer service rep if the person has to pick up the money in the country i send it. And if it can be picked up in the UK for example.

Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 2:14 pm

I realize my 1 a.m. post was disorganized at best--sorry just got home from a late night at work so I was tired!

As far as not having ID goes,
From WU's website:
Can the Test Question feature secure my funds or delay payment of a transaction?
The "Test Question" feature in the Western Union Money Transfer service is designed for emergency situations where the receiver does not have proper identification (e.g. his or her wallet and identification have been stolen).
So this easily allows them to get past the ID issue. I've never looked at MoneyGram but I'm sure they have a no ID provision also.

Scammers have shown many times that they can get hold of money sent to other countries, and some have bragged of connections in WU, but I believe that ability may vary depending on the scammer and location, or as Donato said, it may be what the baiter has convinced the scammer.

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:13 pm

See the topic just below this one for more info (MoneyGram Scam Procedures...).

My two scammers both gave US addresses (both in AZ). One is a vacant field; the other a valid location (I found TWO people shown as "residing" at that address.)

And...my primary scammer just gave me an address and a name (he is the one with the vacant lot as address..) ...nothing more. And he wanted me to use WalMart.

BTW, the address does come up as valid in Google maps. But..just a huge empty lot...

cheyenne

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:17 pm

I may as well post the name/address of my scammer..

(FAKE -- of course...) but you never know!!

NAME: Daniele L. Garcia
Add: 176 CAMPUS AVE
City: SIERRA VISTA
State: AZ
Zip: 85635

My last e-mail to him was not answered. After he shipped the fake check and UPS held it...(see topic below this one)...I tried to stall him...but he gave up after 5-6 e-mails and 6 days...

Google his "address..." on MAPS... nice place to live... community college right across the street...

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:37 pm

Yeah most likely the person is a "check mule" or a reshipper.

I have been seeing a fair bit of that lately. They are instant gratification so their interest is pretty short. As soon as they realize you are not giving them the money they jet.

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:19 pm

Funny side note, I just got one of my Craigslist Scammers desperately sending me about 2 - 3 emails a day now asking if I have submitted the payment via WU (makes me think this was in a Lad versus a Vlad because they Vlads have templates for TNT or other types of drop shipment of keys scams).

And I noticed that he signed his email with a different name.

At what point should I reply and be "what the hell?" For now I have ignored it until I need a stall.

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