Scam Email: Ladd Smith

This is a pretty classic "first email" from a scammer. The IP path was routed through Yahoo but seems to have originated from wanadoo.fr.

From: Ladd Smith [smithladd@yahoo.com]
Subject: ORDER

Hello there,
I will like to place an order for art piece to my location in Malaysia, kindly let me know if you can charge directly on my credit card(U.S. funds) for payment.
I have a shipper who can also get the order to my doorstep in Malaysia.
Await your timely reply.
Thank you.
Ladd

Scam Email: Just Mr. James

This scammer felt no need to provide a last name anywhere. Just a mysterious "Mr. James".

Return-path: [www@server.dream-fusion.net]
Subject: mail order
From: james [makjames101@gmail.com]
Reply-To: makjames101@gmail.com

Good day,

We browsed through your web page and we are interested in ordering some of your products,we are located in Finland,we will like to know if you have the items in stocks,so kindly get back to me with the right contact person email,phone # and confirmation of website so that we can place my order quickly, and i want to know if you have your own personal shipper or can the order be picked up at your store,please advise so that we can proceed by going ahead to place the order.

Regards
Purchasing Manager
Mr James

Scam Email: Cadella Joel

Another lazy scammer, nothing is personalized, sent to an "undisclosed" list, and really - what the heck name is that at the end of this letter?

Subject: Inquiry
To: undisclosed recipients:
Return-path: [jedidiahboutique@yahoo.com]
From: jedidiah boutique [jedidiahboutique@yahoo.com]
Reply-To: jedidiah.boutique@btinternet.com

Jedidiah Boutique and
Show Room.
Plateau 14 Wesintress Rue B 774
Abidjan
Ivory-Coast,
Tel:00225-670-22-414

Dear Sales,

 I am interested in your
product, kindly reply back if you are interested in selling to my company and i
will be glad to be one of your best customers . My prefered method of payment is by my credit card  you
can ship to my location via USPS,or FEDEX let me know if you are willing to
sell.

Regards,
Cadella
Joel

Scam Email: Jenna Furrel

Here is one that is too funny. Some really brain-cell challenged scammer has sent out a large spam mailing of his scam, and his templated "pitch" refers to buying christmas gifts (ooops!) but it just went out this week (end of January). So lame. How is he going to catch victims this way?

Here's the one I received from Jenna Furrel (jennafurrel@yahoo.com)

Hello
I have visited your website and i am very impressed by the wonderful pieces you have on display. I will like to buy this pieces for my parent as christmas and 30th wedding anniversary gift

(Names of my art and sizes)

I will like to know how much this costs.about the shipping i will like to arrange for pick up if you dont mind and the delivery address is in UAE and also if you accept mastercard or Visa card as a method of payment.
Kindly get back to me asap.
Best Regards
jenna

Scam Email: Naomie Fashions Store

Okay, the first flag on this scam email was just annoying, and totally lazy of the scammer - the TO field was just to a list of undisclosed recipients (which probably means millions of emails). The second flag? Notice how the FROM email doesn't seem to match the name and more importantly - how the FROM and Return email do NOT at all match the REPLY-TO email (which is where all your reply emails will actually go - this is the disposable email account the spammer is using, I bet a complaint to AOL would actually get that account shit down). The content of the email is the same-ole, same-ole stuff we see time and time again in these scams.

Return-path: [magretodinba@yahoo.com]
X-Mailer: YahooMailClassic/11.4.20 YahooMailWebService/0.8.107.285259
From: Naomie Fashions Store [magretodinba@yahoo.com]
Reply-To: infonfb@aol.com
Subject: I Am Interested In Your Products,
To: undisclosed recipients: ;

I Am Interested In Your Products,
Dear Sales

  I am Mrs Naomie George  the owner of (Naomie Fashions Store ) I am interested in your products, kindly pls get back to me so that i can be able to make selections if you are interested in selling to me,

My method of payment is Visa Or Master Credit card Payment method,and kindly pls don’t hesitate to reply back if you accept

my method of payment,

Bellow is my shipping
Best Regards
Mrs Naomie George
Naomie Fashions  Store
No 56 TRECH  Avenue 45
Abidjan,Ivory-Coast,
West Africa,
Tel;0022507225825

Here's a funny addition. I googled Naomie Fashion Store and while there is a Naomi Fashions, there is none with Naomie. Then I decided to google the email address: magretodinba@yahoo.com and came up with the most odd posting from that email address. Obviously, the scammer is engaged in all kinds of unseemly activities online:

magret, F, 1987, Cote D'Ivoire
Writing language: English, French, Italian
Correspondence: e-mail
Am magret odinba am girl sexy and lovely lady and i will like to meet you and share something very imporatnt to me with you and i want to know you better so that will can share something benefit for you and me together which i know that you most be a good and honest person and i believe that you will not betray me after, i need you please contact my private email so that i will be able to send my photos to you email at- ,magretodinba@yahoo.com

Ugh, so slimey, I need to go take a shower. I googled infonfb@aol.com, for grins, but there were no results for that, as I suspected.

So our little slimey scammer is making use of someone else's email account, but picked a super slimey one, hoping his intended victims would just hit reply to write back to him (I know, he's pretending to be a woman) and not notice that now the replies are going to a different AOL account. I'll go submit the complaint to AOL now...

Scam Email: Cody Morgan

So many things about this scam are what we see all the time. Their questions are meant to throw the potential off thinking they'll use a legitimate means of paying. But as the victim begins to converse with the scammer, the story will migrate back into their "model" - overpaying and asking the difference be sent to the shipper via Western Union (and the "shipper" just turns out to be the scammer at the other end - there is no shipper).

From: cody morgan [codymorgan2010@gmail.com]
Subject: General Inquiry
Date: Monday, January 17, 2011, 2:21 PM

Dear Sales, Good day to you, Am Cody Morgan by name, kindly answer the following question: 1: Can you ship to Atlanta, GA 30310 . Do you Accept Pick Up? 2: Do you accept Credit Cards account details for only form of payment your swift response will be highly appreciated. Best regards Cody Morgan DIANE INC 734 DAYNA DR, , ATLANTA, GA 30349

Scam Email: Debby Barnes

Hi,

I was the victim of an attempted scam in the last few days. When I got a $3,000 check for paintings which totaled $250, I knew it was a scam. So disappointing.

The scammer used the name:

Debby Barnes [deb.barnes01@mybestmail.com] & [deb.barnes00@gmail.com]

Here is her original email:

Hi,

Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creatives works on your web
site and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still
available for purchase.
 Twins  and  Fawn.

I will appreciate an urgent reply.

Best Regards,
Debby.

She repeatedly ignored my requests to pay with paypal and the scam followed the steps outlined in your description exactly. She was in London for a few days but she and her husband were moving from New Jersey to Johannesburg. Her husband would send me a check and a moving company would arrange to pick up the pieces.

I almost fell for it. As of now, they still think i have. If it hadn't been for the warnings you posted, i would have just thought it was  fishy but not been sure it was a scam.

Thank you so much for this.

Scam Email: Bob Larold

Here's a scammer that sent me three of the very same emails and really took no time to even change up his email. Clearly as an artist, I would have none of the very specific items he's listed in his email. He never bothered to change the personalization of his spam from some other target. Oh well, makes it easy to identify.

Return-path: [xanga@server.lanseng.com]
Subject: Quote request
X-PHP-Script: xangatrack.com/boyosamy.php for 212.60.73.79
From: Bob Larold [officesupply001@gmail.com]
Reply-To: officesupply001@gmail.com
Sender:  [xanga@server.lanseng.com]

Hello,

How are you today? I wanted to know if you have the the listed items below
in stock or maybe you can help us to get them,

1: SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER, 20amps and above.
2: Grundfos SQ Flex 11 SQF -2 Submersible pump
3: 180watt or 235watt solar panel.
4: Shurflo Pumps ( Model 9325-043-101)9300 Submersible Pump
5: DC-AC POWER INVERTER 1000watts and above and it should be in 12vdc to
220/230/240vac

Also interested in the toners descriptions below

1: HP Q6511A (11A) OEM
2: HP C8543X (43X) OEM
3: HP C9730A (30A) OEM

Please quote us your firm price for the following goods. I would also like
to know the type of credit card that you accepted in making payment when
purchasing from your company.I really appreciate your time and business.

OFFICE SUPPLY PRODUCT
9200 N.W 24 ST,
Stateunrise FL, 33322
officesupply001@gmail.com

Bob

Scam Email: Chuck Welch

Hi Kathleen, here are some mails I have currently received. Thank goodness I was warned by a friend, please add that name and email to your scam list

Thanks a lot for what you do.

Kind regards
Andrea

From: sccollections2@gmail.com
Sent: December 29, 2010 1:57 AM
Subject: [Website Feedback] Inquiry!!!

Hi,

I am Chuck Welch and I'll like to order some items from your store but before
we proceed I'll

like to ask the following questions.

Do you ship to Australia?
Do you do Mail Order?
Do you accept credit card as for Payment?

I await your urgent response so we can proceed.

Chuck

and here is the second email:

From: SILVER CRAZY COLLECTIONS [mailto:sccollections2@gmail.com]
Sent: January 3, 2011 7:50 AM
Subject: QUOTE NEEDED.

Andrea,

Thank for your swift response. I would like to proceed with my order via email and here are the items needed below:

SCHOOLS

riflessione-azzura

silhouette

I will like you to get back to me with the total cost plus shipping cost and here is my shipping address for you to calculate the shipping cost via UPS, Fedex or DHL or any other alternative shipping company.

Please kindly get back to me if this items are in stock.

Shipping Address:
61 Lansdowne Street,
Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Australia.

Await to read from you soon.

Happy New Year!!!

Chuck

and here is the third email:

From: SILVER CRAZY COLLECTIONS [mailto:sccollections2@gmail.com]
Sent: January 6, 2011 1:22 AM
Subject: Items Cost Only.

Andrea,

Thanks for your effort on my order.

I want you to recalculate the total cost of my order ONLY and don't worry about the shipping because I just got a response from my personal logistic agent in US that will come for the pick up of the items at your address and it will only take 2-3days Express Shipping to my shipping address and I've inform them about this and they told me the best way to come for the pick up in your store is for you to email me with your store address and the time the items will be ready for pick up with your convenience time & date.

So please kindly get back to me with this details for pick up, so that I can email you my credit card details to charge the payment now.

Await to read from you soon

Warmly Regards

Chuck

Of course the guy's next step, had this artist not caught on, would have been to explain why he was paying with a credit card for the amount he "owed" and it would include the amount owed to the shipper and he would ask her to just forward the difference to the shipper for him.... via Western Union. There is no shipper. It's them receiving the money. And the credit card would likely clear because it's a stolen number that has not yet been reported. They rely on their access to stolen credit card numbers not yet reported. Which will result in a chargeback, so the only party in this scam left with good legitimate money IS the scammer.

Scam Email: Cynthia Brent

I will never understand the mentality of scammers. The below email was just forwarded to me. They placed a fake order and sent 3 different credit cards numbers to use. Did they not think that was going to raise some warning flags??? Also, how lame to not even spell your own faked name correctly below. Again, just another thing to make someone stop in their tracks and say, "whaaa?". "Bellow is my shipping" also doesn't help their case. I guess it is to our great fortune that these guys have so few brain cells.

Subject: I am interested in your products
From: Cinthia Brentboutique [cinthiabrentboutique@googlemail.com]

Dear Sales,

I am Mrs Cynthia Brent the owner of Cynthia Sexy Boutique, and I am interested in your products, kindly pls get back to me if you are interested in selling to me in other for me to make the selection of the products that am interested to buy from your company,

and my method of payment is Visa Or Master Credit card Payment method, and kindly pls don’t hesitate to reply back if you accept my method of payment, and you are also free to call my number bellow to discourse better, Tel;0022504269172,

Bellow is my shipping

327 Platue Rue 146 Abidjan
Ivory-Coast, West Africa,
Tel;0022504269172,

Best Regards

Mrs Cynthia Brent

Scam Email: Kenny Moore

Daniel and Dennis Moore has morphed into "Ken Moore" (or Kenny Moore) but its the exact duplicate pitch. Even the scammers are adding a holiday greeting!!!

The funny thing about this scammer (I love when they actually send ME one!), is my art labels on my website are two lines - the name and then on the second line, the size and medium and surface. Guess he wasn't even clued in enough to recognize the name of a piece versus the information about the piece.

He says he is Kenny Moore by name. Right. And scammer by night...

FROM: Ken Moore [kennymoore1@live.com]

SUBJECT: 12h x 12"w, beeswax on wood

Hello,

I am Kenny Moore by name, i go through your Gallery and i have interest in your work, i will like to know more info about it and the price you want to have it go for.

I will be happy to receive your email with the price info, because i really like it a alot and i want to have it.

I wish you Happy Xmas in Advance.

Ken.

After all the scam emails I've seen now, I'm just thinking they want to sound that stupid on purpose. Pushing the envelope, so to speak. See if they can get victims even if they sound this stupid.

Scam Email: Jene Thobela

This name is referenced under other posts - it is likely the same scammer using various fake names at the email service called mybestmail.com. But lots of people have been getting scam emails under this name so I thought I would bring it to it's own post.

Here's an email I just received:

"Thanks Kathleen for posting the art scam information. After I got this email last month, I bit to get more information and see if they were for real. Then I did an internet search for them and found some similar emails but different names used, and all were scams. Thanks for keeping the artist world a bit safer. My best to you, Brian"

From: Jene Thobela [jene.bela00@mybestmail.com]

Hi,

Hope this message finds you well.

I saw these creatives works on your web site and i will like you to
get back with more details if they are  still available for purchase.

[names of art pieces inserted here]

I will appreciate an urgent reply.

Best Regards,
Jene.

This is the example we see all the time of the very brief first email to get you to reply and then they launch into the next phase of the scam (which will be something about they are either located or moving to another country and using a third party shipper) and sometimes they will wait until a third email exchange to get to the core of the scam - they will send you a check overnight and it will have a "little" (ha, ha - not so little) extra money in it and they request you deposit the check and send the "difference" to their shipper.

There is no shipper. It's just them. And their original check (or credit card) is bad.

The scammers keep changing the names and email addresses they use, but really - the content of their emails do not change all that much...

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.

Scam Email: Alexander Trowell

Interesting the way this scammer positioned himself as "in behalf of" but then email was signed by the other "person" anyway. Scammers have very confused minds. But this has all the usual telltale signs of a scam.

From: mackerelrodrigo@gmail.com [mackerelrodrigo@gmail.com] on behalf of Alexander Trowell [alexander_trowell@yahoo.co.uk]
Subject: Sculpture inquiry

Hello

I came across your sculpture through your website and i fell in love with your sculptural approach and creativeness i do not reside in the United states which as been a major concern to me on our to purchase your sculpture because i would like to own one or two piece to be placed in my new home in United Kingdom, as a means of beautification and modification of the building. would appreciate it if you can kindly enlight me on how to make this work out. I await your response

Regards

Alexander

Scam Email: Sharon Collins

We've reported on a Ray Collins in the past with the same scam pitch so I'm guessing this is the same person now launching a new slew of scam emails under this name.

Here is an email I just received from an artist:

Hi Kathleen, thanks for putting this resource up!  I’ve had people buy two painting but never 5!  The whole thing didn’t seem right and a quick Google brought up your site…this time the name was

Sharon Collins, shacollings@gmail.com

Moving to South Africa, third party shipper etc….

Thanks again,

Tim