Scam Email: Denzel Mathew

Here is a great example scam email to demonstrate that scammers not only target pretending to buy artworks but also classes. They'll go after anything they can to trick people into depositing fake checks (or accepting stolen credit card numbers which will not show up yet as stolen because they are not yet reported - try matching the billing address to their shipping address and you will see none of it matches even close) and then forwarding their own good money to some non-existent shipper via Western Union (which is then just the scammer at the other end, ready to pick up the cash). The formatting and grammar is of the usual atrocious nature.

From: DENZEL MATHEW [blulilydes@blumail.org]
Subject: Art & Craft Class:::::::::::::::::::::::
Hello,
How are you doing today ?  My name is Mr.DENZEL MATHEW I want to book for Art & Craft Workshops Classes with you while on a 2weeks holidays in your country.We are a group of 10 people seeking for Art & Craft Workshops training while on holidays and as part of our plans we need Art & Craft Workshops classes/private lessons.

We shall be needing a Art & Craft Workshops classes for the whole 2weeks in your area.
I would like to book for 2weeks classes for 3 hours each day Monday to Saturday (morning hours) for a group of 10. We are asking for 3 hours per day for 2weeks - Monday - Saturday. A total of 36 hrs
Do you have a training facility where you conduct classes? We can arrange for this,if not available.  Do you have rooms or is there any hotel close to your facility?
DATE: 7TH JULY 2011 TO 21 JULY 2011
I would love to know the possibility of working with you during this period.Kindly get back to me with your proposals so that we can make booking asap.
The group would be performing for a group of family members over there. I would love to get the total cost or a quote/estimate. What are your payment options?  Do you accept credit cards? I would be grateful if you will be willing to do the work to teach quality classes and make us happy
Regards
Mr.DENZEL MATHEW

Scam Email: Lin Williams

Another stupid oversight on a scammer's poor ability to understand language. No real person would sign their email with just their last name. The rest of their email is just the same old line so many of the scammers use. This scammer get pretty darn quickly right to the core of the scam - that they need to use a third party shipper of their choice (who doesn't exist, by the way) and they don't place orders online so they can use a stolen credit card number and process the real target of their scam - the amount will include the shipper's fee and they will ask you to forward that amount (often thousands of dollars) to the shipper who for some silly reason can only accept Western Union (which is untraceable).

Who is at the other end of Western Union to receive your good money? The scammer. They are careful to use credit card numbers that are stolen online but not yet reported as such - but you will end up with a chargeback. They don't care about the product - the shipping address is never real either. They only care about you taking your good money and forwarding it to a Western Union account and then they pick up their "profit". And they didn't spend any real money to get that money. That's why there are so many scammers out there trying to trick people out of their good money.

This email source traced back to Iran with the IP number of 85.198.1.90.

Return-path: [rojit@live.com]
From: LIN WILLIAMS [lin.williams40@gmail.com]
Subject: ORDER NEEDED

Hi Sales,
Am ordering from Dubai.I want to place an order from you. I know the difficulties encountered when shipping internationally, But that will not be a problem because i am registered with a shipping company whom i have used severally without any delay nor problems with my goods.Before i place this order, i want you to notify me if i am able to place the order and most important If i can make payment with my credit cards Visa/Mc (Issued in the United States) because that is the only way we are set for payment now without no delay. I don't place online orders ,can i e-mail my ORDER needed then you can give me a quote here and make charges to my cards manually on your end ? Pls Clarify. Looking forward to your swift response then we can proceed further as soon as possible.
Regards.
Williams.

Scam Email: Jason Holts

This scammer is a little confused. Is he Jason or Johnny? Is he Holtz or Holts or Holt? It's funny the way they don't even try to make sense.

From: JASON HOLTZ [holtjohnny@blumail.org]
Subject: Order Request

My name is JASON HOLTS from JASON HOLTZ SUPPLY  will like to purchase some order from your store to our store here,but before i proceed to advise the needed items,i will like to confirm the terms of payment you accept either Visa or Master card, and if you do ship to Spain as well,urgent response needed from you asap,so i can forward you my order list. Waiting to read from you soon.

Regards.
JASON HOLTZ SUPPLY
Address, Calle Vereda Norte 1011, La Moraleja,
Madrid, 28109, Spain
Tel. 977-855-999
Email:holtjohnny@blumail.org

Scam Email: Ray Collins

We've reported on this name in the past using the email ralph.gregg2010@inbox.com. This report the scammer seems to be using a new disposable email.

From: Ray Collins [ray.collins2001@sify.com]

Hello,

Good day to you over there, My name is Ray Collins and i hope this message finds you well.I was going through your works and my eyes caught some of your works. I am interested in purchasing some of the art works for my new resident. Kindly get back to me with your website so that i can request for the detailed price, availability and more information of the piece i am interested in.

I hope to read back from you as soon as possible.

Kind regards,
Ray

Scam Email: Pete Anderson

Here is an interesting exchange an artist forwarded to me.

Kathleen,

Thanks for your efforts.  This is the original e-mail used to contact me.  It's rather humerous. There is no listing for his company name, the address belongs to a bed and breakfast and the phone number belongs to a radio station.

I will also send the e-mail with the fake shipping company information.

I am going to go along with it and report the credit card numbers I am given as stolen.

Best regards,

Steve

First Email (the scammer didn't even personize the TO field):

From: Pete Anderson
To: panderson223@yahoo.com
Subject: Order Request

Dear Sir,
With much regards to your company, I will like to buy some sculptures from your shop and am interested in some wildlife sculptures so kindly get back to me here with the price list of the wildlife sculptures you currently have in stock. Hope to read from you soon with your response.

Kind Regards

Peter Anderson
Sales Manager

Aubrey's Industries
1702 Post Office St.,Galveston,TX,77550
P-832-713-8267 ext 328

Then the artist wrote a shipping quote to the shipping company, but of course that just goes to the scammer and the scammer had a whole silly official-looking email prepared for that. Notice how the total amount adds up to a high enough amount to make their scam really worth it if the victim decides to "forward" that amount from their good money thinking the buyer had paid it but it will be a stolen credit card number. Also notice the mistakes in filling out their fake email and the signature of Mark Morgan is actually another common name scammers use and pretending to be a buyer. Finally, notice in the shipping how the destination client is now listed as Ken Moore (another common scammer fake name, they must just pull these from a database) instead of actual fake buyer Pete Anderson. Guess the scammer forgot to change this part...

From: FL Cargo [flcargo@cooltoad.com]
Subject: Re: Att. Mr Mark Morgan shipping quote

Dear Customer
Thank you for your interest in using Frontline Cargo Freight and logistics for your shipping needs and services and below is the information regarding the shipping quote and payment terms for pick up schedule to final destination
***INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING QUOTE REQUEST***
Your Shipping Request ID: 00610354172TT
For = [artist name inserted here]
From = USA
To = Haiti
Origin Address = [artist address inserted here]
Origin City = [artist city inserted here]
Origin State = [artist state and zip inserted here]
Origin Country = USA
Destination Address = C/O Ken Moore 32 Route Nationale #1
Destination City = Hout bay
Destination State = Port-au-Prince, 0509
Destination Country = Haiti
Import customs = Yes
Pickup Date = N/A
No. of Pallets = 1
No. Of Packages= 5
Package Dimension = N/A
Total Weight = 120lbs
The Quote for the Shipping is further broken down below :

******************************************************************************
***************
International Shipping Cost                              :$   920.00
International Airway Taxes (I.A..T)                      :$   530.00
Packaging and Pick Up Charges                            :$   220.00
Import Taxes (Haiti)                                     :$   75! 0.00
Tariffs and customs clearance duties
And Delivery To Destination Address                      :$   310.00

******************************************************************************
***************
Total Quote for the Freight by air                       :$ 2,730.00

******************************************************************************
***************
This freight charges include, International Air-way taxes and tariffs(I.A.T.), import & customs levies (Clearance Duties) and door - door delivery.The bill of lading & all documentation will be taken care of by the driver at the time of Pickup. And the shipment will take 3-4 business days to deliver at the door step in Haiti
For International Shipments:
(To or From outside the USA or elsewhere): Cargo insurance will be issued "Institute Cargo Clause (C)", unless you have arranged otherwise, which is primary coverage for the following perils: Fire or explosion, the vessel being stranded, grounded, sunk or capsized, overturning or derailment of land conveyance, collision or contact of vessel craft or conveyance, discharge of cargo at a port of distress, general average sacrifice and jettison. This applies to shipments moving by truck, boat or plane.
TE! RMS OF PAYMENTS
NOTE: For international shipment, we don't accept third part payment. The shipping charges for the shipment will have to be paid to the shipping company via bank transfer or money gram money transfer by the customer in charge of the order at the pickup location. As at now we (Frontline Cargo Freight and logistics) only accept payment via money gram or bank transfer and it is our policy that the payment must be made from the pickup location or company. We (Frontline Cargo Freight and logistics) are doing our best to start accepting the major credit cards soon. The payment must be made prior to pick up to the Financial controller in the head quarters .Once the payment is made, we (Frontline Cargo Freight and logistics) start the documentation and will come over and pick up units at the time you want. If your customer agrees and finalize the payment with you then you get back to us for the information to make payments to. Thank you for contacting Fron! tline Cargo Freight and logistics Limited. For your International busi ness shipping needs. Please include Shipping Request ID: 00610354172TT to all follow-up emails for reference purposes. Please note our truck will come over to pick them up at your location.

Regards,
Mark Morgan
Frontline Cargo Freight and logistics

Scam Email: Rebecca Mac

This scammer had an incredibly lazy beginning to their scam ("hi seller" - now that's personal) and then just got all out of control with their logic. There was no way this scammer was going to find success with his tone.

Here is the email an artist sent to me:

Here is  the latest scam, which came to me at Zibbet, and to inquire about 30 of my paintings:

Hi seller,
just want to make an enquiry if this item is still for sale or not...if it's still for sale then you can mail back to my email address on rebeccamac001@yahoo.com OK..

regards..

Second email after the artist explained they could buy the paintings via Zibbet:

RE: January Jog: Crossing

I am an astronaut stuck on an asteroid at the moment deal with it, i am buying the item as a gift for my mum, i want to make it a surprise for her,she won't know anything about the item until they get delivered to her, i can only pay through paypal as i dont have access to my bank account online as i dont have internet banking,but i have my bank account attached to my paypal account and this is why i insisted on paying you through paypal,So please kindly get back to me with your paypal details so i can proceed with the payment and after the payment has been done, i have a pick up agent that will come around to pick the item up after i have made the payments for the item.please get back to me on my private email address.rebeccamac001@yahoo.com...

Scam Email: Dawes Valez

Here is an email from an artist I received today:

Kathleen,

They sent an initial email asking for my website address which they had 'mislaid'. then this one. got all the way through to them saying they'd sent the cheque before i found your site. thanks for your hard work. what should i do with the cheque when/if it arrives? i emailed them saying i dont accept cheques but they sent it anyway,ignoring all my requests for clarification/names of shippers etc.
regards
amanda

First Email:

From: Dawes Valez [dawesvalez@yahoo.com.co]
Subject: Interest in your artwork

Hello
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 resident
Regards
Dawes

Second Email:

From: Dawes Valez [dawesvalez@yahoo.com.co]
Subject: .....: Interest in your artwork

Dear Amanda
    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

[5 names of art pieces inserted here]

Payment for those piece will be made through UK bank cheque  from a firm that i recently purchase some goods from which some where not available and there had to be a refund of the initial payment i had transfered to them the refund will be in sum of  £6300 to cover the cost of the piece and shipping of the artwork i also have some House Furniture to be shipped from the New Castle  i think it will be better if the shippers picking up the Furniture can come pick up the artwork from you so as to save time because a payment issued from Poland will take months to be cleared in United Kingdom.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.
Regards
Dawes
My address
Dawes Valez
27 Rynek Starego Miasta,
00-272 Warsaw,
City: Warsaw
Poland

Scam Email: Bernard Merrac

Here is an email I received this morning:

Dear Kathleen,

I am so please to have found your page.

Yes, I am, at the moment a victim of a similar scam.  I was sent a cheque Friday (through through Royal mail 1st class post), I ran to the bank and deposited it before closing. As, soon as I did this I knew things were not right and have been on the phone to the bank manager who know it was dodgy straight away and will investigate tomorrow.  I am being emailed by the frauds asking me when the shipping can be arranged. I sent an email back with a link to an artscam site and yesterday night got another email asking me for shipping again. I sent another email saying the bank  will not clear it as it is a counterfeit. Not heard anything else yet. And have been told by Action fraud team not to email again. I am so concerned as they have my address. I keep thinking they will come to my home.

The email address is:  "Bernard Merrac" bernardmerrac@yahoo.com

Thank you,
 Thea

Good advice from the bank. No one is under ANY obligation to write back to these scammers. You can be sure once they realize their scam is not going to complete, they will quickly ignore you and move on to the next potential victim. The good news is this person didn't lose any money or items. They simply deposited a fraudulent check. They didn't forward the "shipping" money (which is the crux of the scam) or any items. So this person caught that it was a scam in a nick of time.

By the way, it is HIGHLY unlikely they will come to your house. These guys do not want to be traced or caught or come out of the shadows. They like to operate in a way that the authorities can't find them. It's more likely they will just stop asking for the shipping and move on to their next victim.