Selling my wifes minivan on Craigslist. Received an inquiry that left me a little suspicious. I decided to have a little fun. I forwarded the suspicous email to my anonymous email address and then replied to the "buyer" from there.
My suspicions were valid - it's going to be the old I'll send you a check/cashiers check for more than your asking price - you cash it - send the balance to the "shipper" who will pick up the van.
Quote:
Thanks for your email. Very well then $2000 its going to be.
What is the name and address that the payment should be made out to?
I am located at MN. I would like to have your phone # just in case i need to call you pls.
Also attach photos of the engine and the interior, I want to have a final look.
I await your response.
Lino
NB: A Certified Check would be mailed to you as payment , so when you get payment you cash it and send any excess to my shipper based in New Jersey, which would be meant for shipping. as soon is the shipper's get the funds will set up a pick-up date and time. I do not have the final quote from the shippers yet, but as soon as I have it I will let you know or better still it will be included in the payment to you
Who's not going to jump at the chance to sell your item? Notice his location in the first email is MN - Minnesota?
Here's the second email I received from "Lino Brown"
Quote:
Thanks for your email, I have your address now, I would forward it to the shipper's who should come up with a final quote for shipping this car to my client and as soon as I get the quote, your payment will be made out to you, pls do get back to me when you have received the payment so that we can get to the next level, which is shipping okay!.
As you are already aware all you are required to do here is to cash your payment, deduct $2000 for the vehicle and send to the shipper's their funds which will be included in the payment you will be getting.
I would like to know how long it will take your bank to clear the money order and make cash available to you so that I can know what date and time to plan the pick-up pls.
Pls do advise on the Full name to make out the payment to asap. Because what you provided to me is just JB.
I am sorry about the delay. Your Payment is on it way to you.
I would like you to pls update me on the payment that I sent to you. Has it been delivered to you? pls do let me know ASAP so that I can get across to you the payment information that you would be using to sent out the balance after deduction of your cost for the vehicle.
If you have not yet received it by now, I am sure its on its way to you, pls do update me when you have got it and have it deposited/cashed at your bank okay!
The Fedex tracking # is 863486249179
Rapid reply when I let “Lino” know that I received payment! Here’s a scan of the check I received. It is actual check stock from INTUIT, but the print quality sucks! I was hoping for a high quality Cashiers Check to add to my collection of counterfeit money we’ve taken at work. I feel ripped off!
Thank you for your reply. The payment arrived today. I will cash it tomorrow. Do I send the balance to the address on the check?
Jem Buer.
Quote:
Hello Jem,
Thanks, pls do update me asap when you make it back from the bank when funds would be made available to you ok, so that I can plan on the pick-up date and time.
I will email you the shipper's Payment Instruction later today or first thing in the morning, so that you can have the shipper's funds that is included in the payment you got sent out to the shipper's okay.
Pls do not mail out the payment with the address on the check, will be sending you the shipper's payment Instruction that you will be using to send out the payment later in the morning okay.
Most likely he will want the funds sent via Western Union or some other non traceable means. Based on the check, this guy was going to spend almost as much to ship the van aas he was paying for it?
He must be so excited to think he's got a live one on the line, I can't imagine this scam works very often. It's great you're keeping him busy, that's time he's not spending trying to scam someone else!
Man, what a nut job. Even if you miss all the other painfully obvious clues, doesn't this knuckelhead realize where the area code breaks to? Here's a big hint, 315 ain't NY, NY.
Jim
__________________
Do or Do Not. There is No Try --Yoda
Most likely he will want the funds sent via Western Union or some other non traceable means. Based on the check, this guy was going to spend almost as much to ship the van aas he was paying for it?
I'm anxiously awaiting his instruction.
Notice the original email, he was in Minnesota. The check address is New York, and I just traced the package thru FedEx - it was picked up in North Carolina!
He's smart enough to avoid using the US Post Office - that could get you some serious prison time. However I was suprised to see it was picked up from the sender! The airbill says "James Wilson" at the US AUTO NET in New York, but it was clearly picked up from a location in North Carolina.
History
Date/Time
Status
Location
2007-09-18 13:19:00
Delivered
COLVILLE, WA
2007-09-18 13:19:00
Package delivered to recipient address - release authorized
Man, what a nut job. Even if you miss all the other painfully obvious clues, doesn't this knuckelhead realize where the area code breaks to? Here's a big hint, 315 ain't NY, NY.
Jim
Results for Phone Number 315-849-5748Area Code315Prefix849CitySYRACUSE StateNew York
I haven't tried calling the number - I don't want to dash my dreams of getting rich
What I find even funnier is I happen to be friends with the head of the local WaMu bank branch. I'm going to take it by for her to see.
There's surely enough info the right law enforcement could track him down and arrest him, the problem is I don't know of any that would want to be bothered with it - not their jurisdiction. That's exactly why so many of these nut cases continue get away with it
Quick Links
. I forwarded the suspicous email to my anonymous email address and then replied to the "buyer" from there.
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. However I was suprised to see it was picked up from the sender! The airbill says "James Wilson" at the US AUTO NET in New York, but it was clearly picked up from a location in North Carolina.
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