Old Scams continue ..... the check is in the mail

[ArkRescue]

So we keep getting emails from people saying they are interested in what we are advertising for sale, then after I take the time to reply, and send them the pictures, I get the dreaded reply that indicates to me it's a scam .... it doesn't seem to matter where I advertise but it happens a lot with Craigs List ads, Petfinder ads for owner placements of critters, and just about any other big ad source, this one was SoMD Classifieds.

We have a working Motorola Console Stereo that the rescue is selling for needed rescue funds. It goes like this:

(Steve Grubb / Scammer) Subj line: Southern Maryland Classifieds - Working console stereo & Vinyl Record Albums for the collector

Hello
Is the item available...

(Rescue) Yes so far it (I assumed "item" to mean the stereo, not the albums) still is. It is located in Welcome, MD at the home of one of our volunteers. Let me attach the pictures we have as it a Motorolla. The pictures are big so if you need me to reduce the size, let me know.

Lisa

No word for a week or so, so we follow-up: Hi Steve.

Were you interested in the stereo? If so a $40 donation to the Critter Rescue and it's yours.
Thanks, Lisa

(Steve Grubb / Scammer) Hello ,
I'm really glad with the content of your mail,Thanks so much
for everything, Please help me take proper care of it because I
believe by now it belongs to me.I am okay
with the price and condition of the ITEM..
Please DO NOT respond to anybody again .About the
shipment,I will take care of that myself.. I shall contact a shipping
company that normally does that for me.I
shall pay in US Money order or Cashier Cash that will clear into your
account within 24 hours before will can proceed on the shipment
immediately after it clear you will
deduct your own cost and send the rest of the fund to the shipping
company in order for them to come for the pickup to take place in
your location... I am really glad that
you want me to get the ITEM and my family will be happy also when I
get it,Because i really needed it for presentation that is come soon.
Please email me back today. I'll need your data for the check, viz;
FULL NAME.......
CONTACT ADDRESS........(NOT P.O.BOX)
ASKING PRICE............
CITY........
STATE............
ZIP CODE.........
PHONE NUMBER.........
Please mail me today to let me know I am the rightful owner...and
also to let you know that the payment will be issued out within 48
hours..here is my phone number
3127723391 for more details...am located in CHICAGO IL
Thanks for selling to me.
Cheers
_____________________________________________

Why do people continue to do this? Are there really people who are STILL falling for this? I am sooo tired of criminals wasting my time.

 

[Monello]

Is the word item in caps in the email?

There are people known as scam baiters that do a reverse scam on these people. The scam baiters pose as churches or charities with money to give away. They make the scammers do all sorts of things to waste their time. The idea the more they are busy then the less time they have to scam.

1 creative bait scammer created a website for the scammer to get money. He had to create an account with a user ID and password. Turns out the password was the same password the scammer used for his email account. The scam baiter was them able to log into the scammers email account. He saw that the scammer was in contact with many people trying to get money. The scam baiter emailed all those people to let them know that nobody was going to send them any money and they were being taken advantage of.

1 scam bait church makes promises of thousands of dollars if the scammers get the church's tattoo. I guess if you promise people enough money they will do anything.



To catch a scammer

 

[ArkRescue]

Is the word item in caps in the email?

There are people known as scam baiters that do a reverse scam on these people. The scam baiters pose as churches or charities with money to give away. They make the scammers do all sorts of things to waste their time. The idea the more they are busy then the less time they have to scam.

1 creative bait scammer created a website for the scammer to get money. He had to create an account with a user ID and password. Turns out the password was the same password the scammer used for his email account. The scam baiter was them able to log into the scammers email account. He saw that the scammer was in contact with many people trying to get money. The scam baiter emailed all those people to let them know that nobody was going to send them any money and they were being taken advantage of.

1 scam bait church makes promises of thousands of dollars if the scammers get the church's tattoo. I guess if you promise people enough money they will do anything.

View attachment 104491

To catch a scammer

No item wasn't in caps - I copy/pasted it from the email as it was.

Maybe someone would like to have some fun with this scammer?

 

[Monello]

The reason I asked about the word ITEM is that in your original post the word it capitalized twice. The scammer refers to the ITEM. I find it unusual that someone would type all the other words in a conventional manner but choose to have 1 word all in caps. They don't write stereo or records. I imagine that by keeping the email as generic as possible then they can use the same letter over and over again without modifying it.

 

[ArkRescue]

The reason I asked about the word ITEM is that in your original post the word it capitalized twice. The scammer refers to the ITEM. I find it unusual that someone would type all the other words in a conventional manner but choose to have 1 word all in caps. They don't write stereo or records. I imagine that by keeping the email as generic as possible then they can use the same letter over and over again without modifying it.

I'm sure ...

I've had people say they want to BUY the pet I am advertising, offer to pay me extra for it to beat out any other offers, etc. I mean the person would go on and on about how much they have waited for a pet JUST LIKE the one I advertised, how much his FAMILY is looking forward to the arrival of said pet grrrr.