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They Almost Got Me!

June 2nd, 2008 • Comments »

Let me tell you the story of how I almost fell prey to a money-order scam. First, let me just say that I consider myself to be an intelligent person. I hold baccalaureate degrees in both biochemistry and psychology, and graduated in the top of my class. I say these things not to impress you, but to emphasize the extent to which the money scammers caught me off guard. In general, I am very aware of my surroundings, and pay attention to the present moment with a relatively critical mind. I also happen to have lots of compassion for people who are less fortunate than myself. And that’s precisely how they almost got me.

The story begins with me placing an advertisement in the local newspaper. I was selling an old computer monitor, not worth much, asking a hundred bucks, obo. After a couple of days without hearing from anyone, the phone rang. It was in the middle of the afternoon and I was busy multitasking on the computer. “Hello?” I was immediately greeted by a third-party operator who explained to me that a person named “Mario” was contacting me through their TTD translation service. This was the first time I had ever experienced such a call, and was quite distracted while trying to figure out how to proceed. The operator informed me that this service is frequently used by deaf people to communicate over the telephone. My frustration at the impersonal techno-babble of the operator was suddenly transformed into compassion for this deaf Mario guy.

Several translations later, I learned that Mario had seen the ad for my computer monitor and wanted to purchase it. After obtaining Mario’s email address, we agreed to continue the transaction online. Goodbye rude, impersonal, disinterested operator — hello one-hundred dollars for my tired old monitor! Here is the initial email sent to Mario, replete with all of the requested information:

Hello Mario,

Thank you for the call. Here is a link with more info about the monitor that I am selling:

http://www.lcdnfo.com/html/NEC_Multisync_1715-lcd-monitor.html

The monitor is in excellent condition.

I am selling because I recently upgraded my monitor.

I live in Moses Lake and would be happy to deliver the monitor to you (assuming you live in the area) if you decide to purchase it.

I am asking $125 obo in US cash dollars only please.

The monitor is plug-n-play (no drivers/disc necessary) and comes with the original instruction manual.

Let me know if you need any additional info - I am happy to oblige ;)

Sincerely,

Jeff

Moments later, after grabbing a beverage and returning my computer, I get a response from Mario. “Wow, that was fast,” I thought. Apparently, Mario was on fire to get ahold of the monitor:

Hello Jeff

Thanks very much for your response on the phone ,The reason I am sending you this email is to make final reconfirmation of the Monitor which is okay by me, and also to let you know that payment will be by Cashier’s check or Money Order. In view of this I need you to email me any information that may be required to send the payment as I do not want to send the check to a wrong location let they get into the wrong hands and regarding the shipping,I have a company that takes care of the pickup of my consignments for me and ship to my destination in anywhere in the U.S.A, you do not worry about shipping, the company will send down a representative to arrange the sales documentation and the pick up from your end for onward transfer to my destination. I also want to alert you on the fact that you will be receiving an overdraft check, which will cover the money for the pickup (pickup and shipping to the final destination) as well as the money to be paid to the company that will take care of the pickup and the documentation with you so please, as soon as you receive the check payment,go and cash it immediately,deduct the money that accrues to you, and send the balance to the Head Office of the company that handles the shipment via Western union.The check will be in your name to make it easier for you to receive payment, please reconfirm your details one more time. I will give you the details of the company that will be shipping the Monitor as soon as we seal this deal.Once the money is received by the agent , the shipping agent will contact you immediately to arrange the documentation as well as the pick up immediately so in view of the above, here are some of the details I will need for final issuance of the certified check to you.

(1) Full Name
(2) Mailing address, no p.o.box please
(3) your direct telephone number both home and cell.?
{4} Acceptance of my offer
(5} Final asking price*

Once you get back to me with all the above, the certified check will be issued out immediately and it will be sent to you.Hope to hear from you immediately.Looking forward to your swift response.i will also be offering you extra $50 for keeping the Monitor for me till the shipper comes for the pick up.I will be looking forward to your swift response.

Regards

Mario

“Okay,” I thought, “that sounds like an awful lot of fuss over something as simple as buying a monitor.” However, my unfamiliarity with the tools and resources employed by the deaf community led me to give Mario the benefit of the doubt. Additionally at this point, several other assumptions were in effect:

  • Mario is a real person.
  • Mario is a deaf person.
  • Mario wanted to buy my monitor.
  • Mario lives within the immediate area.
  • Mario was willing to reimburse extra effort.

So, even though Mario’s email should have raised a red flag, I was too excited about selling the monitor to question my assumptions. I did have a few technical questions, but the extra fifty bucks was going to make it all worthwhile. Going with the flow, I responded with the following:

Mario,

That sounds fine. Cashing the check is no problem, however, I am somewhat confused as to what to do with the remainder of the funds. One question.. will the address to the “Head Office” be included with payment? I just want to be sure I know where to send it. Also, does it cost anything to send money via Western Union? I assume this is standard procedure, and I trust that everything will go well.

As for the details you requested:

1) Jeff M. Starr
2) 1234 Somewhere Street, Town, State & Zip Code
3) (123) 456 - 7890 [home tel. only]
4) I accept your offer to purchase my monitor.
5) Final asking price: $125

Jeff

Soon thereafter, Mario replies:

Hello Jeff

Thanks so much for getting back to me with the details requested,i want you to consider it sold to me and remove the advert from the page, i will instruct you more on the shipping procedures as soon as you receive the payment,lastly i will inform you as soon as the payment has been sent out,Looking forward in doing business with you

Mario

The tone and brevity of this email was much more in line with my expectations of what an online email transaction should look like. Eager then, to seal the deal, I responded with this now-ironic snippet:

Mario,

Sounds good. I will try to have the ad removed asap, but I think it is already set to run for another six days (total of 1 week). No worries, though - I consider the monitor sold and will definitely hold it for you. I am in no hurry ;)

Jeff

“In the bag,” I thought — can’t wait to scratch this off my to-do list. Several days later, I had yet to receive anything from Mario. This seemed odd, especially considering my assumption that Mario lived here in town. After another several days, my patience ran out:

Hi Mario,

I have yet to receive payment for the monitor. Is everything okay,
and if so, when might I expect payment?

Thanks,

Jeff

The next day, Mario responds with this:

I’m so sorry for the late response, the payment has been sent out and you will be receiving the payment on tuesday or wednesday.Looking forward to your swift response

Okay, sure, I can live with that. I may miss out on other offers, but my main man Mario is stepping up tough with extra dollaz:

Okay, I will look for the payment on Tuesday or Wednesday and then proceed from there. Also, I was successful at having the ad removed from the classified ad - so it’s all yours!

Several days later, while waiting for the money and pondering the situation, my subconscious suspicions had finally managed to catch up with me. “What if this is some kind of scam?” I thought, “It sure is taking a long time for Mario to send the money, yet he seemed like he was in such a hurry to get the monitor.” Things just weren’t adding up. After taking a moment to re-read the email thread, I had some serious doubts rattling around in my head.

Just as I was about to call it quits and resubmit the advertisement, the bomb finally dropped via the following email:

Hello Jeff

How are you doing today and your business, you will receive the package from dhl today here is the tracking number 7776455794 that is the correct payment sent to by my client so i want you to have the check cashed immediately at your bank and have the transaction completed, as I have quickly contacted the Shipping Company that they will be coming for the Pick up, I have already Sign an agreement with them about the shipment. Talking of the Deduction of your payment,Do deduct your Selling cost for the Monitor plus the extra money i offered you and the remaining funds on the payment should be Transfer to the shipping company that will be coming for the pick up as they are about to deliver some other goods and a boat i purchased that is why the money is so much, The shipping company will still pick up some of my merchandise and a bike which i purchased from northeast and some in Nashville and they have calculate all cost together.Well that is not a Problem,do understand every thing better now and make sure all work out fine.Moreover,the Shipping Company have forwarded there shipment Policy to me on the Picking up,they made me understand that the shipment charges should be transfer to them Via Western Union Money Transfer in Cash , and this should be transfer to the Senior Accountant of the shipment Department..

Here is their Information which you will use for the Transfer of the Remaining funds for the Shipment charges Via Western Union Money Transfer. Below is the Information Thurs:

*NAME: Oscar Diaz
Address Hwy. 725 Km
Aibonito
Puerto Rico 00705
*

That is the Shipping Company Senior Accoutant Information which you will use to send The Remaining funds on the payment to them.and they have the ID to collect the Money for the shipment Department.

NOTE : You are to Deduct the Western Union Charges From the Remaining funds you will be transfering to the shipping company is will Enable the Western Union to make the Transfer of funds perfectly without any delay,Do make sure there is no Mistake in the transfer Okay.After the Transfer is Completed at the Western Union, They will give you the Western Union Slip which was Use for the Transfer of funds..The Western Union Slip will Contain the Sender’s Information and the Receiver Information which was use for the Transfer of the funds and MTCN # Of 10 Digits. Western Union might ask for the Text Question & Answer which will be use for the Transfer,You are to Provide them Text Question has Are you a God fearing person.} .Ans The Answer you will Provide Them :{ Yes }.
Kindly make sure you make the Transfer of funds on as early as possible today,Because I want to travell for a Business trip to ohio to visit some of my Associate and it’s an Important trip,I want every thing to work out fast,The shipping Company are Counting on me and i have told them the Western Union Information which was use for the Transfer will be Forward to them without any delay.Important Instruction to be Followed: Do e-mail me back with the Western Union Information on the Transfer Slip.

The Information is Asking Below..
1.. Sender’s Name And Sender’s Address ????????????
2.. Receiver’s Name…….???????????
3.. Amount Sent After The Western Union Charges????
4.. Western Union Charges?????
5.. MTCN # Of 10 Digits ?????????

I want the Transfer of Funds to take place Today, I am sure the Monitor it’s still in good condition..I will await the Western Union Information in your Next email and i also want you to get to my shippers with the information you use in sending the money as soon as possible via thier email address which is expressdelivery02@myway.com

Thanks for the Kind Respond and My Regard To Your Lovely Family.

Thanks and God bless

Mario

DOH!! — I’ve been had!! After reading this absolutely crazy email, it all became crystal clear. In incremental steps, over the course of a couple of weeks, something as simple as a local monitor purchase — here’s your money, thanks, here’s your monitor — evolved into this elaborate financial exercise involving check cashing, money forwarding, and balance transferring. Come on. There is just no way that a simple monitor purchase requires so much nonsense. After further scrutinizing the email, I realized the foolishness of my previous assumptions:

  • Mario is obviously not a real person.
  • Mario is probably not a deaf person.
  • Mario had ulterior motives for purchasing the monitor.
  • Mario does not live within the immediate area.
  • Mario was using extra money to lure me further into the scam.

After realizing my sheer ignorance with the entire affair, I was embarrassed. Then after further contemplation, I was OUTRAGED. The bastards almost got me! At this point, it was time to end this little game once and for all:

To: mario morgan
Re: SHIPPING NOTIFICATION AND WESTERN UNION DETAILS !!!!
Date: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:24 PM

Mario,

I have bad news! My 4-year daughter accidentally took a baseball bat to the monitor that I was going to sell you!!! It is shattered and destroyed beyond recognition, and thus I am no longer able to sell the item. Sorry for you and your business.

I have contacted DHL and instructed them to return the money order. I have not received it and will not accept it.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Best regards,

Jeff

After sending this little gem, I immediately contacted the authorities, DHL, and Western Union. After reporting the incident, sharing the story, and gathering information, I discovered that this type of scam is very common. The scumbags that deploy these schemes are attempting to launder money, steal money, or worse. The tactics they used in this situation — monetary gain, sense of urgency, gradual implementation, excitement, confusion, etc. — are merely tools of the trade. By building up a sense of anticipation and urgency, scammers maintain control of the situation while deceiving and manipulating their victims. Here is a summary of the advice given to me by authorities, DHL, and Western Union:

  • Do not trust unknown solicitations of any kind
  • Research/investigate any potential transactions
  • Subscribe to a site such as ScamBusters.org
  • Stop any fraudulent transactions as soon as they are discovered
  • Inform the proper authorities as soon as possible
  • Inform any implicated, legitimate businesses or persons
  • And of course, dont’t think it can’t happen to you!

After sending that last email, I never heard back from “Mario” or any of his cohorts. Although I formally canceled delivery through the DHL fraud department, and planned on denying the package if they tried to deliver it, DHL delivered the package anyway. About a week after all the drama had ended, I returned home from work to find a slim DHL envelope tucked under my doormat. Uhh, thanks, DHL. Before destroying the contents, I decided to capture a few scans, just for you:

[ Scan: Counterfeit Money Order ]
$950 Money Order Numero Uno (click image for full-size view)

[ Scan: Counterfeit Money Order ]
$950 Money Order Numero Dos (click image for full-size view)

[ Scan: Counterfeit Money Order ]
$950 Money Order Numero Tres (click image for full-size view)

[ Scan: Counterfeit Money Order (reverse) ]
Reverse side of the money orders (click image for full-size view)

Indeed, had I been blind enough to not recognize the scam after that final email, surely the three $950 money orders would have raised a red flag.

Moral of the story: think critically about every transaction that you make, no matter how small or insignificant. Assume as little as possible and take nothing for granted. Double check all references and sources, release only the absolute minimal amount of information possible, and keep copies of all involved communique (receipts, emails, notes, etc.). And finally, stay aware: talk to your neighbors, read the news, and subscribe to sites such as ScamBusters.org and Ripoff Report to stay current on contemporary scamz — never assume that it won’t happen to you, because eventually, it will (trust me)!

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Filed under » Focus, Awareness & Perception

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4 Responses to “They Almost Got Me!”

#1 • chuck • September 18, 2008 at 7:12 pm

Thanks for this blog. I got a message just like yours and was able to avoid it because of this website!

#2 • Jeff_ • September 21, 2008 at 10:05 am

Happy to help, chuck — thanks for the feedback! :)

#3 • Mark • November 3, 2008 at 8:38 am

Yup. You are correct. Scammers are abounding. Don’t accept funny money. I recently was trying to sell some pedigree puppies and received email offers to buy them. Some details sounded odd and so I did a quick search using exact phrases from the emails, to find that the phrases used in the email were the same as so many others on the net that it could only be a sham.

#4 • Jeff_ • November 3, 2008 at 1:48 pm

Glad to hear you investigated the issue before getting involved. Sadly, there are too many folks who are too trusting of other people. In fact, shortly after posting this article, I learned of lady living within my community who was actually arrested and thrown in jail for cashing in some of these bogus money orders — she had no idea. Sad world we live in..

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