Scammer - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

raeanna74 · 05-26-2005, 06:16 AM

This may be a stupid question but I have looked around and not found the answer yet. A person contacted me on Yahoo today asking me to cash a check for them and then send them the cash to South Africa. It sounded so much like a scam. I could have just cut them off to begin with but I was curious to see how far he would take his explanation. He never answered any of my questions satisfactorily. Which I had expected. My question is this. Is there a way to report this person at least to Yahoo?? I know Yahoo is quite annonymous and so tracing them would be nearly impossible. Yet there's always that possibility that he could be at least slowed down from continuing this scam. Would it be worth it even. I'm not sure if I can include the nickname here but I'm tempted to. If it's ok please let me know. I'd love to give him a hard time. He got cranky and defensive when I started asking pointed questions. Any comments?

Ustwo · 05-26-2005, 06:24 AM

Since I have been flooded lately with 'Phishing' (note the uberleet ph) for bank card numbers on hotmail and yahoo lately, I don't think they would do much with something like this. At best they would ban the email address like junk mail.

05-26-2005, 06:25 AM

It's the old bounced check ruse - An overseas check can take a number of days to clear - meanwhile you send the cash (thinking you have the check in your bank - and perhaps taking a handsome cut of your own). Later, when the bank realise that the check will bounce, your account is readjusted, and you are normally charged a small fee. Of course, the guy is receiving your cash and is very happy indeed.

Yes it is a scam.

05-26-2005, 06:27 AM

If you report him, he will have to get a new email address - it wont stop him, but it might slow him down. If you get as much information as you can about him, you might be able to report him to the South African police.

raveneye · 05-26-2005, 06:28 AM

It's a scam. I get those email practically every day, I have no idea how they found my address, or if they just send them out randomly.

If you google a long text string from the email, you'll find several scam sites where the email was reported by other people. Chances are Yahoo is already fully aware of that particular scam.

I swear I get these every day, and they can be very imaginative. Here's one that just came in this morning:

Quote:

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Daniel Ford the son of the late Terry Ford, a farmer In
Zimbabwe; I am contacting you for assistance due to the recent problems
that my family is facing in Zimbabwe.After the last general elections
in my

country when the incumbent President Mr. Robert Mugabe won he adopted a
very aggressive land reform programme. During this period of the Land
Reform Act of which many rich White farmers were killed, our farmland
was attacked, looted and burnt down by militants sponsored by the
dictator President Robert Mugabe and in the process my father was
killed.

Before his death, he had traveled to Europe to deposit the sum of
$23,000,000.00 (Twenty Three Million United States Dollars) with a
security/finance company in Europe, as he foresaw the Looming dangers
in Zimbabwe. The amount was meant for the purchase of new machineries
and Chemicals proposed for new farms in Zimbabwe. This cash was kept
with the Security Company for fear of seizure by the Government, as
President Mugabe had declared war on white farmers.

We have been unable to travel to Europe due to the recent problems in
our country Zimbabwe we cannot secure a visa. It is due to this
situation that we have decided to contact you for assistance to make
claims of this fund from the security firm in Europe on behalf of my
family. As soon as you claim this fund you will transfer it into your
account, deduct your share and secure our share until we come over to
your country.

For your assistance you will be entitled to 10% of the total fund,
While 3% will be used for any expenses that we may incur in the course
of this transaction.

Note that you will assist us invest our share of this funds in a
profitable business in your country with your supervision. Please get
back to me immediately so we can proceed.

please contact me via this Email: danielford@eqqu.com

Regards and God Bless.

Daniel Ford.

NB: For more information on the death of my father and the problems in

Zimbabwe see the links below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/afr ica/772524.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/afr ica/1878846.stm

http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/ africa/03/18/zimbabwe.farmer

http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbab we/article/0,2763,181153,00.html

http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/ africa/08/09/zimbabwe.farmers

I never answer these, although sometimes I google them to see how widespread they are.

BigBen · 05-26-2005, 06:31 AM

You have fallen for a series of traps here:

1. Never respond to spam. You have verified to that person that you have a valid and working e-mail address, and therefore this spammer can now sell that information (even for a few pennies) to another spam e-mail list. Please be prepared to get more spam. Alot more.

2. Why would you ask questions from a Phisher? When bank account information is solicited, all the person is doing is playing the law of Large Numbers. If there are 10 million e-mail accounts, and 1 person in a million is a fucking idiot, then the Phisher will sucessfully retrieve 10 people's account information.

3. The U.S. government is trying to crack down on internet fraud, and also trying to track down the offenders and convict them. How sucessful do you think they will be in trying someone in South Africa? not very.

Rest assured, all you (or anyone) can do is to inform themselves (and their loved ones) on internet crime and to avoid dangerous activities as much as possible!

I would not walk in a dangerous neighbourhood with a fist full of twenties.
I would not tease a dangerous looking dog on a flimsy leash.
I would not ignore warning signs posted.

and I would never respond to spam. Ever.

Talk to your local (provincial/state/regional/district/national) political representative and voice your concerns.

Cynthetiq · 05-26-2005, 06:33 AM

I have a check from one of them that wanted to buy my DVD media storage cabinet.

It was fun to email back and forth with him. Even threatened to report me to the FBI for not depositing his check without double checking funds from originating bank.

raeanna74 · 05-26-2005, 06:33 AM

This wasn't an e-mail - it was on chat.

I did manage to get an address in South Africa - it could be just as bogus but they have to give a point of contact somewhere. I haven't just cut him off yet. I don't intend to go through with it but I am stringing him along and letting him think that I will. If nothing comes of this fine but I'm curious to see how far he'll take it.

Who would I contact to report this? Yahoo has forms for reporting almost anything else but I don't see something for this.

Cynthetiq · 05-26-2005, 06:35 AM

from my email with the con...

Quote:

HI,
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU NO THAT WILL START THE TRANSACTION WITH TRUST
AND UNDERSTANDING I DONT NO WHY YOU REFUSED TO ANSWER ME IS it BECAUSE
YOU HAVE RECIVED THE PAYMENT YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH MY INTERLIGENT I HAVE INFORM MY CLIENT AND SHE HAS SAID SHE WILL INFORM HIS LAWYER,I GIVE YOU 24 HOURS TO WIRE THE REMAING FUNDS TO MY SHIPPER IF YOU DONT WANT THE FBI TO COME TO YOUR LOCATION BECAUSE I KNOWN ALL YOUR INFORMATION YOU CAN NOT HIDE SO I AWAIT THE WIRE INFORMATION.

----- Original Message -----
From: cynthetiq <cynthetiq@gmail.com>
To: kelly smith <kelly002@fastermail.com>
Subject: Fwd: SUBJECT TO { MR KELLY SMITH'S SHIPPMENT }
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 01:05:37 -0400

>
> my apologies, I thought that I had cc'd you on this email.
>
> Once the check clears I will forward the monies as requested.
>
> cynthetiq
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: cynthetiq <cynthetiq@gmail.com>
> Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2004 18:07:51 -0400
> Subject: Re: SUBJECT TO { MR KELLY SMITH'S SHIPPMENT }
> To: Shippers World <shippersworld1990@deliveryman.com>
>
>
> My assistant took the check to the bank to cash it. She was unable to
> cash it since I did not have sufficient funds at that bank so she just
> deposited it. The hold time on the check is 7 days maxiumum as
> outlined by the Federal governemnt. Since the check is an out of state
> check I could not convince tha bank to float it and cash it against
> one of my other accounts.
>
> Mr. Stephen Mark called me a few minutes ago but we had a bad
> connection and I requested that he call me back. Once we spoke on the
> phone, I let him know of the situation and that I will contact him
> once the check has cleared. Mr. Stephen requested that I front the
> funds from my personal account and I declined. Once the check clears I
> will forward the funds as requested. I apologize for the delay.
>
> cynthetiq

Vincentt · 05-26-2005, 07:27 AM

hmmm, interesting.

Did he really send you a check? And you really tried to cash it?

Cynthetiq · 05-26-2005, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vincentt

hmmm, interesting.

Did he really send you a check? And you really tried to cash it?

yes he sent me a check but...

ummm no.. why would i try to cash a check that I KNOW is fraudulent?

so that I can pay the bank $30 bounced check fee?

raeanna74 · 05-26-2005, 10:17 AM

Am I allowed to post the scammer's yahoo nickname her?? I thought maybe some of you would have fun giving him a hard time. Dunno - just a thought I had.

dlish · 05-26-2005, 03:36 PM

it would be an honour to give this freak a hard time. could you send it to me in private message raeanna? im not sure if u can or cant post in here, but i dont see why it wouldnt be allowed or why it would be illegal. i guess u can try to post, and if the moderators think its inappropriate, they can always just remove it.

ShaniFaye · 05-26-2005, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

yes he sent me a check but...

ummm no.. why would i try to cash a check that I KNOW is fraudulent?

so that I can pay the bank $30 bounced check fee?

hmmm..I've never had to pay a fee if a check written to me and was deposited and then bounced...does your bank do that to you?

cj2112 · 05-26-2005, 04:12 PM

Yahoo is rampant with scammers right now, I have another friend who almost got scammed by one of these guys, it went as far as her agreeing to cash some money orders for him. Fortunately for her, the bank teller recognized them as forgeries.

RoadRage · 05-27-2005, 04:24 PM

Have you considered making a fake check and sending THAT to them?

Back before moving last winter, I lost my wallet and had to get replacement credit cards with new account numbers because of the possibility of theft. I found my wallet last month, and I've held onto the old useless cards for one simple reason, I provide the complete information off of those cards to any and all phishers who eMail me. They get the bad info and pass it along to whomever hired them, who tries to scam someone in a CNP (card not present, the most common credit-card fraud) or CP (card present, "safe") transaction. The card comes back as "stolen" and the fraudster is busted, later his "associates" look up the phisher and do bad things to him.

These are among the things you learn when you deal with delivery drivers all day.

Cynthetiq · 05-28-2005, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaniFaye

hmmm..I've never had to pay a fee if a check written to me and was deposited and then bounced...does your bank do that to you?

yes, anything I deposit and it bounces, I get charged a fee. this has been all major banks I've been with in the past 2 decades. I can sometimes get it waived if I talk fast to the bank manager, but usually not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlishsguy

it would be an honour to give this freak a hard time. could you send it to me in private message raeanna? im not sure if u can or cant post in here, but i dont see why it wouldnt be allowed or why it would be illegal. i guess u can try to post, and if the moderators think its inappropriate, they can always just remove it.

PLEASE DO NOT POST IT HERE. THANK YOU.

bermuDa · 05-28-2005, 05:07 AM

welcome to the wonderful world of the nigerian love letter. it's a scam that can cost you anywhere from nothing to your life savings, depending on how trusting you are in someone you've never met.

Here is a website of people who fight back against these scammers the only way they can; by humiliating and berating them: http://www.419eater.com/ I wouldn't recommend doing this, but perhaps you could send this yahoo contact their way, I'm sure they would love to help this guy cash his check

ShaniFaye · 05-28-2005, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

yes, anything I deposit and it bounces, I get charged a fee. this has been all major banks I've been with in the past 2 decades. I can sometimes get it waived if I talk fast to the bank manager, but usually not.

thats just wild, I've been with the same major bank for 16 years and they've never done that to me

Marvelous Marv · 05-28-2005, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaniFaye

thats just wild, I've been with the same major bank for 16 years and they've never done that to me

In my business, we deposit checks from customers, and there is always a fee (to us) if one bounces.

Are you sure you have actually made a deposit that bounced?

ShaniFaye · 05-28-2005, 06:56 AM

oh yes, Im quite sure in fact the last time it happened right after christmas with a check a friend wrote for some shopping I'd done....it bounced pretty as you please...no charges on my end

pattycakes · 05-30-2005, 05:02 AM

ofer to send him computes because you need cash and you will give him computers at discount prices. then convince him to pay shipping.

then send him 800 lbs of rocks or bricks...LOL

turbofish · 06-01-2005, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattycakes

ofer to send him computes because you need cash and you will give him computers at discount prices. then convince him to pay shipping.

then send him 800 lbs of rocks or bricks...LOL

And hopefully also customs!

05-26-2005, 06:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	Scammer This may be a stupid question but I have looked around and not found the answer yet. A person contacted me on Yahoo today asking me to cash a check for them and then send them the cash to South Africa. It sounded so much like a scam. I could have just cut them off to begin with but I was curious to see how far he would take his explanation. He never answered any of my questions satisfactorily. Which I had expected. My question is this. Is there a way to report this person at least to Yahoo?? I know Yahoo is quite annonymous and so tracing them would be nearly impossible. Yet there's always that possibility that he could be at least slowed down from continuing this scam. Would it be worth it even. I'm not sure if I can include the nickname here but I'm tempted to. If it's ok please let me know. I'd love to give him a hard time. He got cranky and defensive when I started asking pointed questions. Any comments? __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

05-26-2005, 06:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ustwo Pissing in the cornflakes	Since I have been flooded lately with 'Phishing' (note the uberleet ph) for bank card numbers on hotmail and yahoo lately, I don't think they would do much with something like this. At best they would ban the email address like junk mail. __________________ Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.

05-26-2005, 06:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
BigBen Comedian Location: Use the search button	You have fallen for a series of traps here: 1. Never respond to spam. You have verified to that person that you have a valid and working e-mail address, and therefore this spammer can now sell that information (even for a few pennies) to another spam e-mail list. Please be prepared to get more spam. Alot more. 2. Why would you ask questions from a Phisher? When bank account information is solicited, all the person is doing is playing the law of Large Numbers. If there are 10 million e-mail accounts, and 1 person in a million is a fucking idiot, then the Phisher will sucessfully retrieve 10 people's account information. 3. The U.S. government is trying to crack down on internet fraud, and also trying to track down the offenders and convict them. How sucessful do you think they will be in trying someone in South Africa? not very. Rest assured, all you (or anyone) can do is to inform themselves (and their loved ones) on internet crime and to avoid dangerous activities as much as possible! I would not walk in a dangerous neighbourhood with a fist full of twenties. I would not tease a dangerous looking dog on a flimsy leash. I would not ignore warning signs posted. and I would never respond to spam. Ever. Talk to your local (provincial/state/regional/district/national) political representative and voice your concerns. __________________ 3.141592654 Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.

05-26-2005, 06:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I have a check from one of them that wanted to buy my DVD media storage cabinet. It was fun to email back and forth with him. Even threatened to report me to the FBI for not depositing his check without double checking funds from originating bank. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

05-26-2005, 06:33 AM	#8 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	This wasn't an e-mail - it was on chat. I did manage to get an address in South Africa - it could be just as bogus but they have to give a point of contact somewhere. I haven't just cut him off yet. I don't intend to go through with it but I am stringing him along and letting him think that I will. If nothing comes of this fine but I'm curious to see how far he'll take it. Who would I contact to report this? Yahoo has forms for reporting almost anything else but I don't see something for this. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

05-26-2005, 06:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	It's the old bounced check ruse - An overseas check can take a number of days to clear - meanwhile you send the cash (thinking you have the check in your bank - and perhaps taking a handsome cut of your own). Later, when the bank realise that the check will bounce, your account is readjusted, and you are normally charged a small fee. Of course, the guy is receiving your cash and is very happy indeed. Yes it is a scam.

05-26-2005, 06:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
zen_tom Guest	If you report him, he will have to get a new email address - it wont stop him, but it might slow him down. If you get as much information as you can about him, you might be able to report him to the South African police.

05-26-2005, 07:27 AM	#10 (permalink)
Vincentt Addict Location: Tokyo, Japan	hmmm, interesting. Did he really send you a check? And you really tried to cash it? __________________ .

05-26-2005, 10:17 AM	#12 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	Am I allowed to post the scammer's yahoo nickname her?? I thought maybe some of you would have fun giving him a hard time. Dunno - just a thought I had. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

05-26-2005, 03:36 PM	#13 (permalink)
dlish Currently sour but formerly Dlishs Super Moderator Location: Australia/UAE	it would be an honour to give this freak a hard time. could you send it to me in private message raeanna? im not sure if u can or cant post in here, but i dont see why it wouldnt be allowed or why it would be illegal. i guess u can try to post, and if the moderators think its inappropriate, they can always just remove it. __________________ An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay? - Filthy

05-26-2005, 04:12 PM	#15 (permalink)
cj2112 Unbelievable Location: Grants Pass OR	Yahoo is rampant with scammers right now, I have another friend who almost got scammed by one of these guys, it went as far as her agreeing to cash some money orders for him. Fortunately for her, the bank teller recognized them as forgeries.

05-27-2005, 04:24 PM	#16 (permalink)
RoadRage Stay off the sidewalk! Location: Oklahoma City, OK	Have you considered making a fake check and sending THAT to them? Back before moving last winter, I lost my wallet and had to get replacement credit cards with new account numbers because of the possibility of theft. I found my wallet last month, and I've held onto the old useless cards for one simple reason, I provide the complete information off of those cards to any and all phishers who eMail me. They get the bad info and pass it along to whomever hired them, who tries to scam someone in a CNP (card not present, the most common credit-card fraud) or CP (card present, "safe") transaction. The card comes back as "stolen" and the fraudster is busted, later his "associates" look up the phisher and do bad things to him. These are among the things you learn when you deal with delivery drivers all day. __________________ Join TFP Team SETI 43K workunits complete, 34 members, more of each needed.

05-28-2005, 05:07 AM	#18 (permalink)
bermuDa don't ignore this--> Location: CA	welcome to the wonderful world of the nigerian love letter. it's a scam that can cost you anywhere from nothing to your life savings, depending on how trusting you are in someone you've never met. Here is a website of people who fight back against these scammers the only way they can; by humiliating and berating them: http://www.419eater.com/ I wouldn't recommend doing this, but perhaps you could send this yahoo contact their way, I'm sure they would love to help this guy cash his check __________________ I am the very model of a moderator gentleman.

05-28-2005, 06:56 AM	#21 (permalink)
ShaniFaye Submit to me, you know you want to Location: Lilburn, Ga	oh yes, Im quite sure in fact the last time it happened right after christmas with a check a friend wrote for some shopping I'd done....it bounced pretty as you please...no charges on my end __________________ *I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!*