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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Scam Email: Dennis Voutila

Notice how the TO field is just a huge undisclosed list and his sob story about losing the web link. This is a new technique for scammers so they can somehow track the personalization of the scam and reference it in future correspondence with the intended victim.

First Email:
From: Dennis Voutila
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Inquiry about your website

The images in your website is so fascinating and so vivacious looking at each piece of work make me know you added so much dedication in making each work come out to life  but unfortunately i lost the weblink but i was able to save your email address am writing you because i need your help to get back to your website so that i can be able to see more of  your work and purchase some for my apartment. I  reside in Victoria Australia hope to read from you soon.
Regards
Dennis
Second Email (now he's getting all warm and fuzzy to reel the victim in):
From: Dennis Voutila [dennisvoutila@yahoo.com.au]
To:
Subject: ....: Inquiry about your website

 Dear Liz
    I keep wondering how much time and effort you devoted into your work to make the following piece a one of a kind and as i can see from the images you sent to me your work as a pleasant and a suiting feeling and am so sure it will bring comfort and happiness into my home and to those that view it. I will be purchasing the following piece listed below

[names of pieces inserted here]

Payment for those piece will be made through UK bank cheque and the  money can be withdraw from my account i will be sending £5000 to cover the cost of the piece and shipping of the artwork i also have some Antique to be shipped from the Cardiff Wales i think it will be better if the shippers picking up the Antique can come pick up the
artwork from you so as to save time and money.
So i would let the shippers know that they will be coming over to your area to pick-up the artwork and have them delivered to me.I will be needing your contact address and phone number to write and send the cheque to you,hope to read from you soon. kindly include the name you want written on cheque
Regards
Dennis

Below is my shipping Address
Dennis Voutila
8/818 Bourke Street, Docklands,
VICTORIA, 3008
AUSTRALIA
Email: dennisvoutila@yahoo.com.au
Phone: +61 3 6401 1000
Fax: +61 3 6801 32 22

Fortunately, it was at this point that the artist googled the name and this blog came up and they knew it was a scam. So no money or art lost this time!

5 comments:

  1. Thanks for warning,I recieved the exact same emails and had my ego massaged and in fact a cheque has been sent to me and payed in.I never do anything until any cheque clears,but have now reported to my bank that it will be a 'moody'.If I am asked for any payment my answer will be 'no chance'.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the warning I've not had one of these yet but if I ever do I will make sure I wait until the cheque clears before sending anything.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is almost the exact wording of my emails. The scammer 'Bernard Merrac' also added an address in Poland (where he said he lived) which when I googled it it went to this really lovely restaurant site where it was full of beautiful paintings. Unfortunately when I googled his name it didn't come up so I kept replying to him.

    The fraud cheque was sent from within the UK.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for this!!

    From Peter Hhowe of Italy:

    I keep wondering how much time and effort you devoted into your work to make the following piece a one of a kind and as i can see from the images you sent to me your work as a pleasant and a suiting feeling and am so sure it will bring comfort and happiness into my home and to those that view it. I will be purchasing the following piece listed below

    ..............

    Payment for those piece will be made through UK Bank cheque and the money can be withdraw from my account, i will be sending £3500 to cover the cost of the piece and shipping of the artwork i also have some Office Cabinet to be shipped from Lancaster my shippers picking up the cabinet can come pick up the artwork from you so as to save time and money.
    I would inform the shippers and let them know that they will be coming over to your area to pick-up the artwork and have them delivered to me before i can write out the cheque in your name i will be needing your contact address and phone number to write and send the cheque to you,hope to read from you soon.
    Regards
    Peter Hhowe
    Via dei Due Macelli, 32/Iº piano
    00187 Rome
    Italy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good Evening
    The images on your website are so fascinating and so vivacious, looking at each piece of work i can easily see that you added so much dedication in making each work come out to life unfortunately i lost the website where i first saw your work but i was able to save your email address.I am writing you because i need your assistant to get back to your website so as to be able to retrieve the details of your work that interest men or send me images of some of your new works.
    Thanks
    Larry

    Second email:


    Dear Georgie
    I keep wondering how much time and effort you devoted into your work to make the
    following piece a one of a kind and as i can see from the images you sent to me your work as a pleasant and a suiting feeling and am so sure it will bring comfort and happiness into my home and to those that view it. I will be purchasing the following piece listed below
    (Paintings and prices)
    Payment for those piece will be made by UK bank cheque and the money can be withdraw
    from my account i will be sending £4700 to cover the cost of the piece and shipping of the
    piece.
    I have some antique to be picked up by a shipping firm in Canada you will deduct the payment of your work from the money and pay the shippers the rest of it, because it will be better if the shippers picking up the antique can come pick up the piece from you so as to save time and money.
    I would inform the shippers about it after have heard from you.They will just come over to
    your area to pick-up the artwork and then have them delivered to me before i can write out
    the cheque i will be needing your contact details and phone number to write and send the
    cheque to you.The address written below can be use to prepare the receipt of invoice for the artwork.
    Thanks
    Larry


    My address
    Larry Douez
    235 Portage Ave. City,
    Winnipeg.
    Canada.
    Zip Code, MB R3B 2G1

    I asked too many questions and got no more replies :)

    ReplyDelete