You wanna waste more of my time with your spam? Two can play at that game. It’s on, Craigslist scammers!
You remember last time, right? Well, I got another obvious scam email yesterday in response to a Craigslist ad, so I thought I’d play the scammer along for a while 1a practice known as scam baiting, see Wiki for more info!. So my emails are in black, and the scammer’s are in red. The setup: I had an ad on Craigslist for a car. Got the following response:
From: Bill Adams [sholingtoon01@hotmail.com]
To: RobCRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money,cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.htmlHello Seller,
i saw your item at craigslist.org and i realy have interest in it i want you to mail me back as soon as possible if it still availabe so get back to me today Thanks
From: Rob
To: Bill Adams
Yep, the car is still available. Interested in seeing it?
From: Bill Adams [sholingtoon01@hotmail.com]
To: Rob
Sounds Good.I will like to proceed with payment asap and will like to handle shipment myself when you must have gotten your cash at hand. I am in no rush to pick up the item till funds are clear at the bank. My mode of payment will be via Electronic Cashier Check drawn on US bank. (Bank Of America). You will probarbly need a business check paper to print and cashor deposit the check today. The business check paper is sold for $20 at any stationery store,staples or at your local office supply outlet. I will add the cost of supplies to your asking price with an extra offer for accepting my mode of payment. I work with an auditing firm and will not have time to mail a check. Electronic Cashier checks is fast and secure. I will need your name and address with valid email address to send the Echeck to your email which you can print immediately when you must have purchase the supplies at staples or any stationery store. Kindly delete the advert of this item if my mode of payment is accepted. I will await your email asap.
Thanks.From: Rob
To: Bill AdamsDear, Madam. {I throw this in for obvious confusion, just to make sure he’s awake. I mean, who confuses “Bill” for a woman’s name?}
I am pleased that you are anxious to buy my car. I wonder if you would be interested in test driving the vehicle first, however, as it has many nice features with which you could use. For instance, it has an after-market ejection seat — a nice feature indeed when fleeing from the Columbian death squads, I can assure you! Also, there is a 10,000 volt security system that I had installed to ward off the drug lords. Please advise as to the shipping method. I’m not sure if UPS carries boxes big enough for a car.
From: Bill Adams
To: Rob
thanks concerning your email…the shipping copmany will be at your door step… for the pick of the vehicle.. just let me know when you get the business check paper… so we can proceed from there. thank….
Ugg, this guy is so bad at this. I mean, at least fake some interest in the actual item for sale! Who buys a car without test driving it first? Or looking at it even?!
From: Rob
To: Bill AdamsGreat news, this is! I finally will be able to get rid of this clunker!So you are not interested in test driving first? Because you may want to. The pedals stick somewhat. This one time, I was fleeing the police in my city of Albuquerque, and the brakes wouldn’t work at all. I manged to stop by running over old people, haha! I kid, I kid. They were all my age. But never fear, those brakes are all replaced now. So for this “business check paper”, can I use copier paper? Would that be sufficient?
From: Bill Adams
To: RobYou will probarbly need a business check paper to print and cash the check today. The business check paper is sold for $50 at any stationery store,staples or at your local office supply outlet. I will add the cost of supplies to your asking price with an extra offer for accepting my mode of payment thanks
From: Rob
To: Bill AdamsLet’s talk more about this so-called “extra offer”. Since I am bound to a wheel chair now (ever since the run in with the Columbian hoodlums), my health is in the shitter. I would be very grateful for your show of charity in this regard. What can you offer a poor soul who’s down on his luck? Ok, I am going to go buy some of this check paper now at OfficeMart {this bogus store name should have tipped him off, huh?}. They have the best prices in town! And they always have ample handicapped parking, I have found. Do not worry — I will not drive your future Camry-to-be to the OfficeMart. Wouldn’t that be bad luck if I crashed it on the way, what with my bum legs and all?! I shall take the city bus. Be back soon…
From: Bill Adams
To: RobLet me known as soon as you purchase that business check paper today
Thanks
From: Rob
To: Bill AdamsOk, I have returned! The good folks at OfficeMart did not know at first what I needed. They tried to sell me toilet paper, but I explained that wasn’t it, haha! For you are definitely not a sewage person, are you?So I finally found the business check paper. Now how do we proceed?Also, I would very much like to hear your offer for all my trouble.
Regards,
Chris Reeves {ok, bad handicapped joke name, I know, but he’s deceased so I figured the name was up for grabs}
From: Bill Adams
To: RobSIMPLE STEPS ON HOW TO PRINT.
Click on the attached file to this email and save the signature.
Download the latest version of InstiCheck 3.0 on your Computer by clicking on this link: http://www.insticheck.com/Download.htm (ensure what you download is Insticheck 3.0) After downloading go to start menu on your computer and click on insticheck 3.0 icon, enter your password.
Click on ADD CHECK on the new window. Fill in the account info below: Bank Info Company Name:
Talking Technology International, Inc.
6558 Lucas Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611
Account Number: xxxxx-xxxxx
ROUTING NUMBER: xxxxxxxxxMemo: Approved
Fractional Number should be ignored
Pay to the order of: Your nameBank of America
675 Anton Boulevard, 2nd Floor
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Save the check created and ready to print.
Click on tools on the insticheck window, go to module settings and select IC_Print_Std_3_Up under the print module, save then Print Email me as soon as you print out your check.
ThanksAmount: $4500( that is the minimum amount authorized, You will have to deduct your total amount and deduct check paper charge $50 send the extra for the shipping companyto come for pick up immediately and they will insured the car and also prepare bill of sales. You will have to sign all document with them at the NOTARY moreso!!!!!11 for all your troubles or stress deduct $100
Attach the signature you saved. Save the check created and ready to print.
Click on tools on the insticheck window, go to module settings and select IC_Print_Std_3_Up under the print module, save then Print Email me as soon as you print out your check.
Thanks
So we finally get the actual scam. This one’s a weird one. Though this “Insticheck” website looks pretty amateurish, I can’t find anything on the internet that shows it to be illegitimate. It appears to be on the level. However, the funding source of this guy’s transaction is out of left field. Talking Technology International? Turns out the company is real. They make telephony equipment. The account and bank routing numbers in Bill’s email were not x’d out though.
So I called up TTI and asked for Bill Adams. I was told that there was no one by that name there, of course. I then explained the whole scam and the person said I was the third person this week to call them about this! I asked him if he knew his company’s bank information might be compromised. He told me that that account had been closed already! So it appears that our good friend Bill Adams stole this company’s bank info and was using it to steal others’ on Craigslist.
So here’s the direction I took with Bill:
From: Rob
To: Bill AdamsDear Bill,
At this point, I need to inform you that all of our prior email traffic has been recorded by the Department of Homeland Security as part of their illegal wire tapping effort {having a little fun with current events!}, Internet Fraud Containment Project.I am an undercover agent. Under the DHS Article 15, Paragraph 6, Section 4.02E, you are hereby required to cease and desist all fraudulent activity. Furthermore, you are to unplug your computer from the internet. All of your liquid assets could be forfeited to the state to cover the legal fees in your impending lawsuit.
You are advised to enter your personal information at the Internet Crime Complain Center here:
http://www.ic3.gov/contact/
…or call the DHS at: 202-282-8000
An agent will arrive at your home shortly. Thank you.
From: Bill Adams
To: Robwoaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! u mad man com catch me if u can
From: Rob
To: Bill AdamsThe International Grammar and Punctuation Coalition would also like to have some words with you, and most likely some occasional capitalized letters and periods.
His eloquent reply:
From: Bill Adams
To: Robbull*%$& eat *%$& and die
I had the final word by sending our dialog and his email header 2to know more about how you too can fight internet email crime, read this fine article about “email headers” to abuse@hotmail.com
From: Rob
To: Bill AdamsEnjoy your spam account while you still have it, scammer!
Footnotes
- 1a practice known as scam baiting, see Wiki for more info!
- 2to know more about how you too can fight internet email crime, read this fine article about “email headers”
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