Thursday, December 29, 2011

Scam Email: John Henry or John Smith

So many things about this scam is wrong. Makes it easy to know it is not for real. Lazy on the scammer's part. But good for us.

Return-path: [john_henry155@rediffmail.com]
Delivery-date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:17:00 -0600
Received: from f4mail-235-239.rediffmail.com ([202.137.235.239]:52780 helo=rediffmail.com)
From: "Simth John" [john_henry155@rediffmail.com]
Subject: PLEASE QUOTE

Having gone through your listed products, we offer

great interest to do a purchase agreement with your

company. Please get back to us with the following

information

PLEASE QUATE

1. Prices FOB

2. Payment terms

3. Delivery Period

4. MOQ

5. Specified delivery date assuming from the Date of Order.

you can also get back to us through our private email:pretexglobal@yahoo.com

Please your quick reply will be highly appreciated.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Scam Email: Nadia Coker

This scammer went as far as calling the potential victim to followup on receiving the payment (which is fraudulent). They want to rush a victim through the steps of the scam, before the potential victim is likely to actually search their name or email address online or ask their bank. Fortunately, the artist who forwarded this to me did not lose any money or items before she *did* search online.

If a scammer ends up bothering you via the phone, on the second call be all excited and say, 'the authorities have asked me to record this phone call - okay, what do we need to do next?" And I'm guessing they will hang up darn fast and not call back again.

Here is the last email sent by this scammer, with all the usual blah blah blah about their fake story to try and rationalize why they would be overpaying by so much (and of course leaving out the crucial details of ALL of their money is fake, the shipper is fake - there is no shipper, there is no husband, and the only one who gains from this is them, when they receive the victim's good money via Western Union so that once picked up it is untraceable).

From: Nadia Coker [bestnadiacoker@yahoo.com]
Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:28:54 -0800 (PST)
ReplyTo: Nadia Coker [bestnadiacoker@yahoo.com]
Subject: Re: Overpayment..

Hello Judith,
Good to hear you have received payment for "Curious". Thanks for your update, I am very excited and can't wait to have your work in our home. I hope to give it a very good home and enjoy the piece for years.
Regarding the payment, my husband overpays you because he didn't have full details of the transaction since I was sick when he sent it. He mistakenly added mover’s payment with yours. He sent you a check of ($6,200 instead of $4,500). Anyway that should not be a problem, kindly deposit the check with your bank and as soon as you are credited with the funds, you can go ahead and remove the asking price for ("Curious") and forward the difference back to my husband. I will talk to him and get back to you with the information require sending the refund back to him.
Meanwhile, the shipper is currently on Christmas holiday. I was able to get in touch with him shortly before sending you this message. He said he can not come for the pickup now until after Christmas or first week in January 2012 which I think is still very ok by me. He has promised to get in touch with you to arrange for the suitable date and time with you. Try and make shipping arrangement with them and keep me posted with updates.
Finally, I would like to thank you for your patient and sincerity. I hope to purchase more of your works in the nearest future and meet you

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Scam Email: Anderson Harry

Yet another scammer who can't recognize typical first names from last names when creating a fake scammer name.
From: Mr Anderson Harry [mr.andersonh@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 1:22 PM
Subject: inquiry


Hello,

   I am Mr.Anderson Harry, i want to buy painting works suitable for hotel installation/decoration mostly for these places; guest rooms, hallways, and the reception.currently its on renovation.  I would prefer contemporary  abstracts and figurative styles. oil on canvas and water color.
    Could you please let me know if you have some works available for sale,also get me the price details for the works. i am going to pay you with credit card.
     Kindly get back to me for more details.
Thanks.

BEST REGARDS,
Mr.Anderson Harry
+447011130170

Friday, December 23, 2011

Scam Email: Christine Cannon

Very odd that this scammer felt the need to make their fake last name all capital letters. Also, their fake email address is pretty poorly constructed from their fake name. The rest of it is all classic to what we typically see.

Values submitted from web site form:
Name : Christine CANNON
Email : cannstine@gmail.com
Country : United States
City : seattle
Enquiry : Good day to you.

I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing these creative artworks from you.....................

Embracing the future,Sharing the journey and Celebration of life

Let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give?I will be happy to have these selected artworks hung in our new home in South Africa.As well,I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives.

We are traveling from our Seattle home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Money Order or Cashier`s check in US funds that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed for the payment of the creative artworks.

I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day.

Take care,
Christine CANNON

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Scam Email: James Harry

Here is a classic series of emails that went to an artist who forwarded it to me. Notice how he carefully presents each part of the scam in subsequent emails until he finally reveals the core of the scam: overpaying (with what will turn out to be a stolen credit card number) and asking that the overage be forwarded to his shipping company (who does not exist). He had not yet mentioned the "shipper" would then require payment via Western Union but that would most certainly come in the next email - had the artist not gotten suspicious and began searching online and confirmed it was a scam.

"Kathleen thanks for your info on the Internet. I came so close to getting ripped off. Here is the conversation from a so called " hotel owner" in London. did a search on his address and it is a car dealership. Plus could not find the hotel on the Internet. 
 
Then I came across your blog. 
 
Thank you,
 
Diane"

First Email:
From: "Mr.james Harry" [mr.jamesh@yahoo.com]
Date Sent: Dec 15, 2011, at 4:35 AM

Hello,

I am Mr.James Harry, i want to buy painting works for hotel installation/decoration mostly for these places; guest rooms, hallways, and the reception.  I would prefer contemporary  abstracts and figurative styles. oil on canvas and water color.
Could you please let me know if you have some works available for sale,also get me the price details for the works. i am going to pay you with credit card.
Kindly get back to me for more details.
Thanks.

BEST REGARDS,
MR. JAMES HARRY.
Owner lewis Hotel & spa
20 Radley Mews
Kensington
London
W8 6JP
+447011130170
Second email:
From: "Mr.james Harry" [mr.jamesh@yahoo.com]
Date Sent: Dec 16, 2011, at 11:44 AM

Hello Diane,
Thanks for your reply. I like some of the works here, they will make a nice fit for the decorations. I will take 3 works . Please do know that i made arrangement with a shipping agent that will come for the pick up. he is going to do the shipping with other items too. he will contact you immediately we are through with the payment.
I will like to see these works hanged in my hotel As soon as possible.

Please confirm the grand cost of the following Works for payment.

pink ladies $475.00
spring tulips &1,200 and hamony $1,500  Total = $3,175

Looking forward to your urgent reply.
BEST REGARDS,
MR. JAMES HARRY.
Owner lewis Hotel & spa
20 Radley Mews
Kensington
London
W8 6JP
+447011130170
Third Email:
From: "Mr.james Harry" [mr.jamesh@yahoo.com]
Date: December 17, 2011 12:30:17 AM CST
Subject: Payment Arrangement
Hello Diane,
Sorry i did not tell you how I got your contact, it was through the net. I was looking up for an Art gallery to request for artworks for my hotel renovation and i came across your contact.
YES I love the works. I am going to send you my credit card details for the payment proper.
once you are in receipt of it, you are authorize to charge my credit card,i will send it together with the three digit number and expiration date , or even the scan copy ,then you charge the card,  it will reflect and confirm the total amount of $8,500.00USD in your account, then deduct $3,175 as full cost of the works, and transfer the balance of $5,325  to my shipping agent for the pick up and shipping of the works and other materials. I will forward to you his Information details immediately i receive your confirmation with this.
Confirm and get me these details for the payment

NAME, PHONE  NUMBERS FOR SECURITY REASONS AND YOUR GALLERY ADDRESS.

NOTE ,i will pay,any expenses or fees incurred for the charges.
I am looking forward to your urgent confirmation ,

BEST REGARDS,
MR. JAMES HARRY.
Owner lewis Hotel & spa
20 Radley Mews
Kensington
London
W8 6JP
+447011130170

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Scam Email: Mike Walter

Here's an email I received from an artist:

Hello Kathleen,
I found your blog and thought I'd forward this to you.  I was recently contacted by a Sgt. Mike Walter with the following emails.   I did have the painting framed but that's OK, I'm just out  $300 for that and it's not a big deal. But I started getting suspicious about this transaction and at this point I really think its a total scam. Yes, the kicker $2900 more than the asking price.  I'm not going any further with this thing. I have the check which came from a bank in Utah and yet was posted from the UK.  That makes no sense to me.  In your blog you  recommend just stop replying to the emails. Do the police or anyone else actually investigate this stuff. What do you recommend doing,  besides stop replying to the emails?  Thanks,
Denise
 And here is the string of emails from the scammer (I've put my reply in the comments below):


From: Mike Walter [sgtmikewalter@gmail.com]
Date: November 21, 2011 11:35:48 PM PST
Subject: Payment Information

Hi,

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 ($1000) for it framed .

I will like to let you know that your payment will be in a  Certified 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. So get back to me with the information needed to send you the payment
I:E :

Full Name
Standard Mailing Address
Phone numbers

so that i can proceed in the payment arrangement.  I will like you to consider it sold and get back to me asap with needed information to mail the payment.

Kind Regards and God bless you.

Mike.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Brad Bucknor [movingalltheway@yahoo.com]
Date: December 1, 2011 6:37:34 AM PST
Subject: Packing and Shipment arrangements for Sgt Mike Walter
Reply-To: Brad Bucknor [movingalltheway@yahoo.com]

Hi,

I have received  communication from Sgt Mike Walter that we should work with you to pack and ship some artwork of his together with his other house decors to his new house in Indianapolis, IN  when you two are through with the transaction,as he advise.

I will like you to get back with the kind and nature of the things he want to ship.I will like to have your studio/home address ,so i can make arrangement  with any nearby Agent that will be coming for the pick up once you and Sgt Walter are through with the transactions. Thanks.

I will be happy to get an early reply from you so that i can begin arrangements on my end. Thanks.

Brad.

Pack N Box Movers and Logistics LTD
"Movers you can trust"
Email: movingalltheway@yahoo.com


Begin forwarded message:

From: Mike Walter [sgtmikewalter@gmail.com]
Date: December 3, 2011 10:24:14 AM PST
Subject: Payment Delivery

I have been expecting your email message because the courier service that will deliver the check has told me that it will be delivered today, get back to me as soon as possible so that i can know the delivery status of the check and get back to them if it is not yet delivered.
Regards.
Mike.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mike Walter [sgtmikewalter@gmail.com]
Date: December 4, 2011 2:01:46 AM PST
Subject: Payment

Hi Denise,

Thanks for the message, i am very happy that the check has been finally delivered to you despite all the delay, I told you in my previous email that the remaining fund will be for the movers that will be moving all my decors to my new home and your Painting is included.I would have handled this in a more different way if not for my present deployment and now i am in Yemen, Deduct $1300 for the painting, Western Union Charges and your running around expenses.the remaining $2600 is to be sent to the movers to schedule pick-up asap, Please contact the movers for the information that will be required to send them the funds via western union money transfer and i am sure they will work with you and make sure the pick-up arrangement will be as easy as possible...Thanks for your patience and honesty in this transaction so far, please feel free to advice.... Thanks again and God bless you.

Kind Regards..

Mike.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Scam Email: Alice Mogan

The contents of this scam email was a little different than the usual I see but there were still the enough of the usual signs to tell me this was a scam. One sign was the word enquiry. The generic nature of the email not even referencing what I supposedly do. The weird company name. Signing the email not by the person's name that has been stating at the beginning. And finally that weird period I *always* seem to see at the end of a signature of a scam email. Their templated software must produce this because no real person puts a period there.

NOTE!!!! DO NOT ACTUALLY CLICK ON THE LINK IN THEIR SCAM EMAIL!!! It's there to just show what was in their email in case others search on that to see if they have also received a scam.


Return-path: [info@aalconltd.com]
Delivery-date: Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:38:41 -0600
Received: from [189.10.142.230] (port=39570 helo=pirahy.ind)
            by gator1036.hostgator.com with esmtps (TLSv1:AES256-SHA:256)
            (Exim 4.69)
            (envelope-from [info@aalconltd.com])
Message-Id: <201112022036.pB2Ka03n008759@pirahy.ind>
Reply-To: [aalconltd@yahoo.com.ph]
From: "Anglo group"[info@aalconltd.com]
Subject: Enquiry
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2011 15:41:15 -0500

Dear Sir/Mdm

My name is Alice Mogan we got a recommendation of you from one of your customers about your products you deal on. Here is the exact sample of the product we wish to deal with your company, so please confirm to us if You/your Company can make provision of the exact. Please kindly view our website for the design sample of our desired products if your company can partner with us with similar products in the in-page of our company website below.

Click Here To View Our Sample. http://charleshhulseps.ocdsb.ca/Page/images/login.alibaba.com/login.alibaba.com/login.alibaba.htm 

Upon the receipt of your confirmation, I shall forward to you the order quantity and delivery details, which will enable you to give us a proper quotation.

Looking forward to receiving your inquiry with price, invoice and shipment terms

Sincerely
Regards
Anglo group
Purchasing Manager.