I sense a scam here...

[Flasch186]

Can you tell me why this is going to be a scam as my antennas are up on this one, here is a transcript of the latest emails in chronological order from the bottom. A reply in All CAPS now signed by a different person.



From: linda williams <[email protected]>

I KNOW ITS A FULL HOUSE..AND I WANT IT...CUS MY FAMILY WILL MOVE THERE LATER..BUT AM THE ONLY ONE MOVING FOR NOW..I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW U WANT TO ME TO PAY SO THAT I TELL MY UNCLE TO SEND U UE CHEQUE IMMEDIATLY AND TELL ME WHEN TO MOVE..THANKS FOR THE URGENT REPLY..IF AM PAYING WITH CHEQUE UR NEXT MAIL SEND THE ADDRESS IN WHICH AM SENDING IT TO...OK..I WAIT UR NEXT MAIL..BYE
PAUL HARDY

Hatcher Flaschen <flasch186 AT yahoo.com> wrote:

This is not a room for rent, it is an entire house for rent. Are you looking for a whole house, or one room? If it's a whole house, I dont think that that would be a wise move if its only just for you. Let me know. Where do you plan on going to school here?

Howard Flaschen
Sales Associate
Richmond American Homes



----- Original Message ----
From: linda williams <[email protected]>
To: hous-249482193 AT craigslist.org
Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 9:23:48 AM
Subject: $1400 / 4br - FOR RENT - 2000Sq. Ft. near the World Golf Village

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html


Hello,
Just wanted to let you know that, i'm interested in your room(s). I am coming from the United kindom, I am 27 yrs.
I am a Bsc holder in Business Administration.
I am coming to further my studies, and i am being sponsored by Uncle.
I intend staying for a maximum of 11 months.
My sponsor is ready to make advance payment so i could get the room....I have taken my time to study the environment and location and i think its really a nice place to be in.....So please i want you to get back to me as soon as possible if i would be getting a discount for my duration of stay which is 11 months....And als what do i have to do in order to secure the place.
I love cooking, reading, swimming and playing basketball, go clubing once in a while.
Pls if this is okay with you, pls get back asap
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
this message was remailed to you via: hous-249482193 AT craigslist.org


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

[Flasch186]

a search of that email adresss brings me to this page:

http://www.deafvp.com/results.php?lastName1=W&pageNum=13&numPerPage=50

and a Linda Williams on here with that email address.

[Flasch186]

alright, after reading some of the scams on Craig's list FAQ this is most certainly a scam wherein they mail you a fake cheque and start a ball rolling....So now we play screw with the scammer. What is the next email I should send?

Im tempted to go the knowledgeable discussion route of asking about how he feels about the rise of Sharia law in Somalia and the fact that should that spread to other countries in Africa, perhaps where he is (likely Nigeria) the local leaders could kill him for simply using a computer...although, since he is attempting to steal anyways, maybe they would only cut off his hands. is that too harsh?

[st.cronin]

alright, after reading some of the scams on Craig's list FAQ this is most certainly a scam wherein they mail you a fake cheque and start a ball rolling....So now we play screw with the scammer. What is the next email I should send?

Cool, a better description of the house is here:

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=32683&highlight=awkward

[Flasch186]

no, this is a bad investment house we have in St. Augustine were now trying to rent out to stop the bleeding from mortgage payments while the market is so soft.

[Daimyo]

Tell her she needs to send some piece of furniture or personal belonging (preferable something heavy and expensive to ship) to reserve the house so that you can be sure she is serious about coming.

[DanGarion]

I wish I could rent a fucking 4 fucking bedroom house for $1400 fucking dollars.

:)

[JPhillips]

Tell her you don't own the house per se. The house is being held by the government, and you don't have the money to get it back. If she sends you 1000$ you'll be able to get the house back and then she can rent it for this unbelievably low price.

[dbd1963]

St. Augustine is an awesome town, too.

I don't understand how she can scam you by sending you money for a rental house? It's not like you are going to send her anything..

[Greyroofoo]

People often tell their realtors that they go clubbing every once in a while?

[Flasch186]

St. Augustine is an awesome town, too.

I don't understand how she can scam you by sending you money for a rental house? It's not like you are going to send her anything..

apparently what they do is send you a Fake Cashier's cheque for MORE than the amount you ask for...(in this case they'll pay for 11mos. * 1400$ in one lump sum) then ask you to wire the difference to the 3rd party (in this case the uncle). The Cashier's check wont bounce at your bank for about 2 weeks but they'll hold you responsible. The wire you send them will be lost money. Craig's list has this as one of the most common scams.



So have her send me some personal belonging so I can tell that she's serious? Thats the best we've got to play with?

[Flasch186]

I wish I could rent a fucking 4 fucking bedroom house for $1400 fucking dollars.

:)

wanna move to St. Augustine?

[Logan]

apparently what they do is send you a Fake Cashier's cheque for MORE than the amount you ask for...(in this case they'll pay for 11mos. * 1400$ in one lump sum) then ask you to wire the difference to the 3rd party (in this case the uncle). The Cashier's check wont bounce at your bank for about 2 weeks but they'll hold you responsible. The wire you send them will be lost money. Craig's list has this as one of the most common scams.



So have her send me some personal belonging so I can tell that she's serious? Thats the best we've got to play with?

Ask her to send you cash because you heard of a scam on craigslist where what they do is send you a Fake Cashier's cheque for MORE than the amount you ask for...(in this case they'll pay for 11mos. * 1400$ in one lump sum) then ask you to wire the difference to the 3rd party (in this case the uncle). The Cashier's check wont bounce at your bank for about 2 weeks but they'll hold you responsible. The wire you send them will be lost money.

[dbd1963]

Since this is a known scam, it ought to be standard practice to release no funds back until they have cleared your bank.

[DaddyTorgo]

i like the idea of asking her for $$ to get the house back from the govt/bank so that you can rent it to her for a discount

[Flasch186]

What do you think about this?

"Right now I dont own the house, per se. The house is being held by the government, as an issue of Trapolary and I don't have the money to get it back. This issue of Trapolary incurs a stipt fee of $6,237.89 to be delivered to them before the home can be occupied. If you'll be able to get me the stipt fee I can get the house back and then you can rent it for a great low price."

Ive made some words up there just to magnify the stupidity of what is going on. I'm willing to bet that they dont even ask what all of this means but instead push to have the money sent to me.

Any edits to the above or should we send it as is?

[Daimyo]

At this point aren't you committing mail fraud asking for money?

[DaddyTorgo]

What do you think about this?

"Right now I dont own the house, per se. The house is being held by the government, as an issue of Trapolary and I don't have the money to get it back. This issue of Trapolary incurs a stipt fee of $6,237.89 to be delivered to them before the home can be occupied. If you'll be able to get me the stipt fee I can get the house back and then you can rent it for a great low price."

Ive made some words up there just to magnify the stupidity of what is going on. I'm willing to bet that they dont even ask what all of this means but instead push to have the money sent to me.

Any edits to the above or should we send it as is?

do it!

[Flasch186]

At this point aren't you committing mail fraud asking for money?

ewww, I dont want to be breaking a law here (even though they are) so I need a verdict on that before I email it, anyone know if Im breaking the law in sending the above email?

[Joe]

ask for nude pictures

[KevinNU7]

Tell them you need some photographs of them to make sure you can believe it is them. When he/she sends you pictures from store bought frames from the early 90s you can tell her she is your long lost aunt.

[dbd1963]

According to my wife (an attorney), fraud is an "intentional tort" -- you would have to be able to prove that you never intended to take any money from them. Note that you have to be able to prove it. She thinks it's too risky and says you shouldn't do it. You can't even be sure where the court case would be heard -- what if it's in his country?

[sabotai]

ewww, I dont want to be breaking a law here (even though they are) so I need a verdict on that before I email it, anyone know if Im breaking the law in sending the above email?

I had the same thought as Daimyo, although I can't say for sure if it is or isn't breaking the law. I wouldn't take any chances.

[klayman]

Here's a site with some ideas and help section for you. I think they mostly deal with the Nigerian scams, but basically the same thing.

hxxp://www.419eater.com/index.htm

[DanGarion]

http://www.419eater.com/

[DanGarion]

Here's a site with some ideas and help section for you. I think they mostly deal with the Nigerian scams, but basically the same thing.

hxxp://www.419eater.com/index.htm


Damn you, you beat me!

*shakes fist*

[Hammer755]

I would let it go if I were you. I have a bit of experience with scambaiting and Rule #1 is don't ever give them any real information. Yeah, it seems like this person is an idiot who is on the other side of the world, and they probably are. But there's a small chance that they are part of a much larger syndicate that may extend into the US. These guys are criminals, and have been known to get violent at times.

If you really want to screw with them, set up a fake e-mail account that can't be traced back to you and start from scratch.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

If you make a record here that you ARE NOT trying to get any money out of them by fraudulent means but just to bait them, and then you DO NOT actually take/keep any money from them, you should be ok. You will have proven your innocence. I also don't think a judge or jury (or prosecutor) would be the least bit interested in finding you guilty for taking on a scammer in this manner. If you are not part of a scam operation and you take no money, you're in pretty good shape since no one is the least bit interested in what happened.

[Z²+]

After reading this passionate plea in one of the latest emails I received, how could you even consider messing with one of these people? They're just trying to make the best of an amazingly lucky, happenstance oppurtunity, and they don't appreciate your destructive efforts :rolleyes:

We can fine-tune this based on our interactions. I am aware of the consequences
of this proposal. I ask that if you find no interest in this project that
you should discard this mail. I ask that you do not be vindictive and
destructive. If my offer is of no appeal to you, delete this message and
forget I ever contacted you. Do not destroy my career because you do not
approve of my proposal. You may not know this but people like my self who
have made tidy sums out of comparable situations run the whole private
banking sector. I am not a criminal and what I do, I do not find against
good conscience, this may be hard for you to understand, but the dynamics
of my industry dictates that I make this move. Such opportunities only
come ones' way once in a lifetime. I cannot let this chance pass me by,
for once I find myself in total control of my destiny. These chances won’t
pass me by. I ask that you do not destroy my chance, if you will not work
with me let me know and let me move on with my life but do not destroy me.
I am a family man and this is an opportunity to provide them with new
opportunities. There is a reward for this project and it is a task well
worth undertaking.

[Desnudo]

ewww, I dont want to be breaking a law here (even though they are) so I need a verdict on that before I email it, anyone know if Im breaking the law in sending the above email?

Somehow I don't think these are the types of individuals to involve law enforcement.

[GoldenEagle]

Cool, a better description of the house is here:

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=32683&highlight=awkward

I never got my signed headshot. I am still pretty pissed about that.