We've seen this scam email before - under the name of Paul Peter. Exactly same content but change of name and change of gmail account to receive replies. Here is what another artist wrote me this morning:
This is the second of this type letter I have receive which is clearly a scam. The other was from someone with the last name Rice , which is listed as the name of an art scammer. Note that this letter doesn`t name the piece except in the “subject”. I didn`t respond. Thanks for your efforts to halt this crime. Should this be reported ? If so, where?
Scam Email Sent:
From: Paul Moore [mailto:ppmmore@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 5:46 PM
Subject: Ruffles, Acrylic
Hello,
Good day to you over there, My name is Paul Moore I'm from Seattle and i hope this message finds you well.I was going through your works and my eyes caught...., 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.
Sending you an email pretending to want to buy from you is actually not illegal, so at this stage there is not much authorities can do. You CAN report once one of two main things have occurred: (1) they have sent a fraudulent check (which is mail fraud, report this to your postal authorities), (2) you have fallen for the scam and sent money back to them (and then there is a financial loss and you can report that to the links for Online Crime I have in the right-hand column.
ReplyDeleteI don't want #2 to happen to ANYONE. Some scammers are actually phoning their potential victims once they have sent a check and are being ignored. I suppose with caller id and supporting data on what they are saying and if they've called more than once - I suppose you could report that to the police, but again - I'm not sure much can be done at that stage of the scam, which is why there are so many of them out there.
I got the Paul Smith email as well. (from paulpp77@yahoo.com) He was asking for information on our shipping policies. What happens if we accidentally replied?!!? I didn't place our website in the email. I only replied that our products are online e-magazines and we do not ship and signed my first name only. What is he looking to get from sending the email?
ReplyDeleteKelly,
ReplyDeleteYou are probably ok. What they are REALLY looking for are people who ship items, so they can ask to have something shipped to them via their third-party shipper. They end up sending a fraudulent check - for more than the amount, and ask you send back the difference. It's that difference in cash they are targeting.
Some scammers collect emails and sell "live" emails (those that people responded to and thus they know it is an email account in use) to other spammers, but there's not much you can do about that.
You are probably fine. Just don't reply anymore.
Thank you for this site! I just received the exact same Paul Moore email. I did a search and found this site. Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI received the exact same content in an email from a Paul Moore from Seattle, and it happened yesterday afternoon. At first I thought it was a legitimate inquiry.
This morning I decided to google his name in Seattle and found your website - thank you SO much for doing this ! and helping artists in this way (I create and sell paintings).
Yet another scam mail from the same..."Paul Moore"
ReplyDeleteHello,
Good day to you over there, My name is Paul Moore I'm from Seattle and i hope this message finds you well.I was going through your works and my eyes caught...., 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.
Thanks for the message, I am very happy to know that the Pieces is
still available for sale. i must tell you i am very much interested in
the immediate purchase.I will like to let you know that your payment
will be in form of a Certified Check.You dont have to worry about
packing, insurance and tax because my shipper will be in the best
position to do that as soon as you get the payment.This is because i
will be traveling out of the country any moment from now for a
business proposal.So get back to me with the information needed to
send you the payment I:E :
Full Name
Standard Address
Phone number
Asking price reconfirmation
so that i can proceed in the payment arrangement, consider it sold get
back to me asap with needed
information.
Thank
Thank you! You're site helped clear this up before it started. I'm very grateful for folks like you.
ReplyDeleteI received the same two letters that have been posted on this site. Here is a copy of the third:
ReplyDeleteHello,
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 me
now. I await your reply.
I'm glad I found your site. 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 me
now. I await your reply.
Should I respond?
The simple answer is do NOT respond. Remember, this scammer is actually not writing specifically to you. They are sending the same email to thousands and thousands of people, looking for those few who will believe it is true and send them money. Just be one of the many many thousands who just never reply.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prompt response . I shall NOT respond to this scamster . Thank you for being here for us . Elayne Duke
ReplyDeleteI responded with the price info and ask how he came upon my web site.
ReplyDeleteUpon receipt of the second letter I Googled him got You. I'll not respond further. I will also alert the many artists in my area. thank you.
Wow... thank you for the heads up!! I just received this email and was suspicious. Glad I did a Google search. Will pass along to other artists!
ReplyDeleteI have to ditto the above messages... just received my message this morning from good ole' Paul and did a google search for him.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Whenever you receive unknown email inquiring about your artwork (or anything for that matter) you can look at the header of the email message and find the IP address where it is being sent from. Once you have that information, you can go to the ARIN WHOIS Database Search at: http://www.arin.net/whois/index.html website & find out if the sender is even in the US. If they are not in the US ( If the ARIN site refers you to the RIPE site they are definitely outside the US) then you can bet it is a scam! The help topic for your email software or ISP can tell you how to obtain the full header of the possibly offending message if you do not know how.
ReplyDeleteThat would apply to U.S. based customers but people from all different countries are being scammed. Also, lately it seems many of the scammers use the free email accounts like yahoo and gmail, making it harder to identify the server that actually originated the email.
ReplyDeleteBut in general, you are correct. Looking at the headers, identifying the IP number of where the email originated from and looking that IP up for geographic location can often provide telling clues.
I received this same e-mail as described above from a Paul Moore in Seattle. I did respond to his e-mail, but something just bothered me about it. I Googled the name and Seattle and found your website, which confirmed my suspicions. I am sorry I responded at all. I will let all the members of our watercolor club know about this.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that people like this prey on artists with a scam like this.
Thank you for this info. I received an email from a Dennis Moore in Seattle with words " consider it sold". Something did'nt feel right. Im glad I came across your blog. He was using the email mmmoreea@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThat prick e-mailed me too. It sounded fishy- this was our correspondance:
ReplyDeleteHIM:
Email me with the list of items in stock because i was unable to view your site.'
ME:
I have speedboats, greeting cards, savage & exotic pets as well as dry goods.
HIM
I will like to proceed with the greeting cards in 100 Qty and get back to me with the total cost so that i can securley email you my credit card details for charging into your account.
yep he tried to do this with our company and order something but wanted us to charge a Credit card then send like $950 to western union. total I was supposed to charge on this CC was about 2000 Plus Dollars. Don't understand the CC scam part of this but it was a red flag for me. Maybe it is a stolen Credit Card. I am still waiting for his reply about the Credit card, I want to check into the Card if it was stolen or not, I will keep you posted.
ReplyDeleteScammer have taken to this angle now. It is usually that they have gotten a stolen number (not the card) and they use it for the period of time it has not yet been reported as stolen. This actually happened to me, until the fraud alert at the credit card company caught it. Of course, the purchases from Cyprus were also a tip off. they would test the card number with a really small charge, under $1.00 and then if it cleared, do higher charges.
ReplyDeleteBut that is not really what these scammers are after. They just want the card to be good so the potential victim will do the rest of the scam. what they are really after is that cash you send back to them that is some kind of "overpayment" (I guess you can't really over pay if all of it is fraudulent), and they will have some reason why that overpayment needs to be sent to their shipper, their courier, whatever (there is no shipper or courier, it is just them at the other end of Western Union). It's that cash difference they are after.
Glad you caught it before you lost anything.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Freddie Max and I am from Papua New Guinea. Thank you so much for this wonderful site. I was almost also fooled into believing this scam mail. This is what I recieved in my inbox yesterday (07/12/2010):
"Hello friend,
I hope my email meets you well. I am in need of your assistance. My name is Sgt Paul Moore. I am in the Engineering military unit here in Ba'qubah in Iraq,we have some amount of funds that we want to move out of the country. My partner and I need a good partner someone we can trust. It is oil money and legal. Basically since we are working for the government we cannot keep these funds, but we want to transfer and move the funds to you, so that you can
keep it for us in your safe account or an offshore account But we are moving it through Diplomatic means, to send it to your house directly or a bank of your choice using Diplomatic Courier Service.
The most important thing is that can we trust you? Once the funds get to you, you take your 30% out and keep our own 70% from which I will use 20% for charity. Your own part of this
deal is to find a safe place where the funds can be sent to. Our own part
is sending it to you.If you are interested i will furnish you with more details.
But the whole process is simple and we must keep a low profile at all times. Waiting for your urgent response
This poject is risk free.
Regards,
Paul Moore" (sgtpaulmoore11@hotmail.com)". END
I haven't replied yet but instead decided to check his name out on the internet and I found your site.
Once again, thank you so much.
Freddie
Hi KatieMoe,
ReplyDeleteI've rec'd this email virtually word-for-word before. Apparently Paul Moore moved from Seattle to Texas, changed his name to Tom Woodruff and likes a different painting of mine now. Uh-huh.
Thanks again for helping fellow artists.
Best,
Steph
Yikes. 6 years later and he's still using the same name. I should have Googled before replying to him. Here's what they're writing now.
ReplyDeleteName: Paul Moore
Subject: ARTWORK NEEDED
Message: Greetings!
My name is Paul Moore from California. I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes your piece of work, I'm also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too, : ) You are doing a great job. I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you. I am very much interested in the purchase of the piece (in subject field above) to surprise my wife. Kindly confirm the availability for immediate sales.
Thanks and best regards,
Paul Moore
Looks like he's getting better with time. I really hesitate about not answering his reply...
ReplyDelete"Hello,
Thanks for the message, it could be any color, but medium size or large.. However, I would greatly appreciate if you could possibly recommend a few completed piece within my budget $1000- $7,000 ready for immediate sale, about 3-5 image is enough... Just need something within that price range for a surprise to my wife (can tell she likes your work). I would appreciate if you can figure out a piece of work that would serve that purpose. Kindly email images and prices of any available works in that range.
Thanks and blessing
Sent from my iPad"
He's still at the scam. This time it's a CraigsList item (furniture) in Houston & via text/calls. Phone # used is 214-238-4704 (Dallas area). Stated how his shipping company was going to pick it up. He sent cashiers check with extra money for us to pay shippers. Check was sent USPS priority mail from business address for a Bookstore in Wichita, Kansas. Seemed plausible that he was getting books. Issuing bank name is in Tennessee (business accounts). KS address is legitimate, Bank name is legitimate but after calling TN Bank was told it's a fraudulent check. Fortunately, we didn't fall for it.
ReplyDeleteMr Moore at it again, this time trying to buy a car on cars.com 214-238-4704, Here is the text Got your text,I'm ready to mail a cashier's check to you today and after it's received and clear's i'll make arrangement for the pickup,I'll add an extra $50 so you can keep it for me.Reply with your name and address so I can mail it out on Tuesday due to the holiday.Mr.Moore.
ReplyDeleteand this is the same guy!! I got this email today for an item I'm selling.
ReplyDeleteHello,
I want to inform you that payment should deliver to you today. I informed you earlier that the movers fee will be included in the payment, so the over-payment is meant to cover the cost of shipment for the item alongside my other items including tax and insurance. Deposit the check at your bank, once you have deposited the check, do send me a snapshot/scanned copy of the deposit slip for me to know when the check will clear in order to schedule pick-up or simply tell me when it clears Regards
Paul Moore sending check for $2500 to purchase a 2003 Cadillac Seville sts (with moderate accident damage, but still driveable). I had the vehicle listed on cars.com for $1000. He texted me one day about 2 wildw ago expressing interest. He explained that he'll be sending a company check to cover what I'm asking for the vehicle. I asked him how much the check would be for. He asked how much was my bottom dollar I'd accept for the vehicle. I told him $1250. He said that was fine. He also said that he's sending more than that, to cover his movers fees. Basically, after some texting back and forth, he ended up telling me the check would be for a total of $2500, $1250 for the car (for me) and $1250 for his movers fees. Said he sent the check last week and that i should expect it no later than Friday.
ReplyDeleteThis Monday rolls around and surprise surprise no check. I contacted him asking what was up. He responded with an actual usps tracking number. Nothing showed up as progress whenever i checked with tracking. .. until yesterday. Now, the usps package is apparently in Minnesota and supposedly scheduled for delivery on Monday, April 22nd by 8pm. I'm having an intercept if the package done and will anticipate picking up whatever Paul Moore sent me hopefully tomorrow (Saturday the 18th). Will respond back on here once I've actually received it and let y'all know what i discover.
What a total scumbag! I'm so tired of living in a world where people like this are allowed to freely scam people for as long and as much as they like with zero repercussions.. .. .I wish somebody would do something. .. . Well hey, who knows? Maybe I'll just be the one to do something to him. We will see what arrives in this package, if it ever arrives that is. ...