Scam Email: Dennis Moore II

This is a long post but I thought was very enlightening to watch the flow of communication from a scammer trying to work their scam on a potential victim. Fortunately, in this case, all the artist lost was the $10 check bounced fee but the back and forth here is enlightening. Check it out.

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreec@gmail.com]
date Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 1:25 AM
subject: artwork

Aloha,
Good day to you over there, My name is Dennis Moore I'm from Hawaii and i hope this
message finds you well.I was going through your works and my eyes caught this
particular work(he inserted the url to an image from the website), i will
like to have it for my new apartment this month.please let me know if the piece is
available, if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about it. i will be
waiting to read from you.Regards.

Next correspondance after the artist replied and gave detailed information about the piece mentioned:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 1:21 AM
subject: Awaiting your message

Thanks for the message,I am very happy to know that the Artwork is
still available for sale. i must tell you i am very much interested in
the immediate purchase and i am willing to pay the asking price .
I will like to let you know that your payment will be in a Certified
Cashiers Check and i will wait till it clears your bank before
telling my shipper to come for the pick up, this will not take time at
all because the payment will be sent out immediately i read back from
you.You don't have to worry about shipment, my shipper will handle it.
This is because i am currently out of the country on a business
proposal. So get back to me with the information needed to send you
the payment
Full Name
Standard Mailing Address
Phone numbers
asking price reconfirmation so that i can proceed with the payment
arrangement, consider it sold get back to me with the details.will
await your message.

The artist replied with the information asked. Here is the next email from our scammer. He was ready to put the hook in for what he's really after - the difference in cash. There is no shipper. It is just them at the other end of Western Union:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 1:11 AM
subject Pick up arrangement

Hello,
Thanks for the details which Ive noted down and have also forwarded it
to my shipper.He's due in the US sometime next week and will
definitely be getting in touch with you for the pickup.The truth is, I
would have handled this much differently if i would be at home but Im
a bit pressed for time myself. Im moving to the UK this month as im
being transferred.As it is, I'm sending you an overdraft which will
include my shippers fees as well.He has asked for an upfront before
coming and since I have no access to a lot of cash, Im trying to kill
two birds with a stone.So, once you've received and cashed the check,
deduct your funds and PLEASE help me send the remaining funds to him
(shipper).I'll forward his contact details to you once you've received
the payment.Now I'm concluding you are a responsible person and I can
therefore entrust you with this arrangement.Ill let you know
Immediately the check is sent out to you so you should be looking out
for it.P.S:I`ll require that a reconfirmation of your address is done
for menow. I await your reply.

The artist actually agrees to forward the money to the shipper and asks how they found out about their artwork:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 4:32 PM
subject Re: Pick up arrangement

I got to know your work through a friend meanwhile i will have your payment mailed by
monday and i will give you an update as soon as it get mailed and do notify me as soon as you
receive it.
Regards

He figures he has got a victim on the hook and now he is going to reel him in (he almost can't contain himself with the exclamation point...):

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 1:53 AM
subject PAYMENT WILL START DELIVERING TO YOU AS FROM TODAY

Hello there,
How have you being? hope everything has been going on fine with you.Well, I just want to let
you know the check has been prepared and has been mailed out to you already.I was told at the
post OFFICE that it will be delivered to you by wednesday or friday.
Once you receive the check, deduct your own money and kindly help me send the remaining
balance in cash! to my mover who will be coming over to your place for pick up.He actually,
prefer to receive his money via Western Union Money Transfer,you can walk into any of their
locations around you and send the money to him. Once you have the cash sent to him, kindly get
back to me with all the information which will be needed for the collection
of the money i.e;
Sender's name
Amount sent
and MTCN#
Then will get the info across to him asap. Once he receive the money from you, he will give you
a call and also set up a time and date with you when he would be coming over to your place for
pick up.
Below is the information in sending the money via Western Union;
Henry Thobela
address...Cannon House, 2255 Coventry Road
city..Birmingham
state...Sheldon
country..united kingdom
Zip code....B26 3NX
Thanks for your help and understanding and am really sorry for the delay in this transaction so
far.
Regards.

here is our scammer, hard at work following up on his active potential victims:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 4:09 AM
subject Delivered ??

Hello there,
Just checking if you have receive the payment, you can also check your mailing box for the
payment.
Will await your message.
Regards.

Then the artist receives the check and says they will deposit it tomorrow and the scammer writes back and repeats the core part of his scam:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 6:20 AM
subject PICK UP DATE AND TIME

Hello,
Thanks for the message and i really appreciate your honesty, the payment can be cashed instant
and you can leave the artwork at Asheville, Nc my mover will go and pick it up from there all i
will need is the standard address where the artwork is locate.
This is how to go about the payment ,you will deduct payment for the Piece and the remaining
funds goes to my mover who will be coming to your place for the pick up i think i have
explained to you so far and the excess on the fund should be sent to my mover via WESTERN
UNION MONEY TRANSFER, all the western union charges should be done on the shippers
fee.you will have to take cash to the western union office to make the transfer.
He actually, prefer to receive his money via Western Union Money Transfer,you can walk into
any of their locations around you and send the money to him. Once you have the cash sent to
him, kindly get back to me with all the information which will be needed for the collection of the
money i.e;
Sender's name
Amount sent
MTCN(10 digit #)
Then will get the info across to my mover asap and once he receive the money he will give you a
call and also set up a time and date with you when he would be coming over to your place for
pick up.
Below is the information in sending the money via Western Union;
Henry Thobela
address...Cannon House, 2255 Coventry Road
city..Birmingham
state...Sheldon
country..united kingdom
Zip code....B26 3NX
Will await for your message.
NB:
LET ME KNOW THE BEST TIME AND DATE FOR THE PICK UP CAUSE I CANT WAIT
TO HAVE THAT ARTWORK IN MY POSSESSION

The artist says the bank has a 6 or 7 day hold on the check and he can't send the art before then:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 4:18 PM
subject Re: Delivered ??

Im still waiting to read from you.
Regards.

Now our little scammer is getting impatient, so he repeats himself - again:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 2:58 AM
subject AS SOON AS THE HOLDS IS REMOVE DO SEND THE MONEY VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

He actually, prefer to receive his money via Western Union Money Transfer,you can walk into
any of their locations around you and send the money to him. Once you have the cash sent to
him, kindly get back to me with all the information which will be needed for the collection of the
money i.e;
Sender's name
Amount sent
MTCN(10 digit #)
Then will get the info across to my mover asap and once he receive the money he will give you a
call and also set up a time and date with you when he would be coming over to your place for
pick up.
Below is the information in sending the money via Western Union;
Henry Thobela
address...Cannon House, 2255 Coventry Road
city..Birmingham
state...Sheldon
country..united kingdom
Zip code....B26 3NX
Have a great day!!

Now our artist tells him the check bounced and what can they do to rectify this. So our scammer makes a final act to just try and get all the money directly by claiming the money was "released" and now the artist has to send it ALL back, of course via Western Union:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 3:20 PM
subject Re: AS SOON AS THE HOLDS IS REMOVE DO SEND THE MONEY VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

Hello,
So sorry about that i had to call the issuing bank to act fast cause i was notify that the payment
was release to you and you don't notify me on time that why..
To all the funds back you will have to send $2000 to me directly cause they thought something
else.
Get the money sent to me today so that your account can be balanced.
Here is my information
Dennis Moore
77 pedley rd,
city..Birmingham
state...England
country..united kingdom
Zip code....RM81XQ
As soon as you get the money sent get back to me with the information below.
Senders name a
Amount
MTCN..
Will await your message.
Regards.

The scammer doesn't hear anything from the artist so he writes again:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 3:22 PM
subject Awaiting your message

Your account will be fixed up with the money that clears with it,as soon as i get the information
required.
Sorry for the inconveniences.
Regards

So the artist offers to accept a credit card payment:

from Dennis Moore [mmmoreea@gmail.com]
date Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 11:31 PM
subject Re: AS SOON AS THE HOLDS IS REMOVE DO SEND THE MONEY VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

Im sorry thats the only solution for now and do send the money and let me know when has sent.
Regards.

The artist finally says he isn't going to do anything and there is no deal and our little scammer moves on to greener pastures and never writes back.