Fun with CL scammers:

[speeder]

Every time I post something on CL for sale, I get the inevitable Nigerian scammer or 3 offering to PayPal me the full amount plus "shipping" without even seeing the $12k item. They are always stationed on a ship on the moon or some schit, you'd think they'd come up with a new script sometime but they never do.

The problem is that occasionally someone who is not sophisticated about online selling actually falls for it. I know someone who did.

I pride myself on always coming up w fresh material in my replies, even though it's probably a different guy each time so I technically could just recycle.

Here was today's, see if anyone can instantly recognize the cinematic reference:

[speeder]

Too much pimp hand?

[legion]

I prefer to send them this:

I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you leave me alone now that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you, but if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you.

[Craig T]

I like this one.

"I swear to God, if I even feel you are trying to scam me, there is no measure to how fast and how hard I will bring this fight to your doorstep.

[rusnak]

Ha, my stuff is way too boring. I sold some of our leftover straw and pallets on CL. The straw is apparently a hot item among young moms throwing birthday parties. Who knew? I met some of the nicest people ever by charging them $3 per bale to deliver straw bales on my truck. But Nigeria? I'd be like "wire me $100K and we will talk".

[RKDinOKC]

I just tell them I will only take cash, bank transfer, or if they want to pay the extra an escrow service. If they want to pay by cheque, the check must clear my bank before I will let the item go.

I refuse to take paypal any more. Too many scammers that use forged credit cards to setup their accounts. If they try to push it, just tell them that since they are trying to push paypal my terms just changed and will only take cash or bank transfer.

I don't try to threaten them because it is to easy to "freak" a phone call or text and look like it is coming from a bogus location and number. It is a real giveaway if it is a text from a 5 digit number and not a 9 digit phone number.

[speeder]

The reason they offer PayPal is that they want your email address. Once you give them that, (so that they can ostensibly PP you $$), the con is over. All they wanted was your email address. That's where the easy $$ is these days, selling legit email addresses.

[JackDidley]

I need to start messing with them . I usually just delete the email. Best scam I got was a call from the TTD operator, speaking for a deaf guy. He types, she speaks the message, I speak, she types the message back to him. Slow process. After a bunch of stupid dialog he starts talking Paypal and figure out, he is in Oklahoma. I am in Indiana. OK, I am selling a 98 F150 for $2800. I am also pretty sure there is no shortage of F150s in Oklahoma and this person has killed 1/2 hour of my time. I tell the operator to kiss my azz and hang up. I wonder if she relayed that last part to him.

[petrolhead611]

I dont make threats that I cannot follow up on, so I simply forward the emails to Actionfraud(its a UK police operation) and possibly they might do something

[HardDrive]

As fun as its is to mess with them, I would not make violent threats.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

As fun as its is to mess with them, I would not make violent threats.

I agree........

[speeder]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

As fun as its is to mess with them, I would not make violent threats.

I thought about that for a minute but what are they going to do, call the FBI from Nigeria?

I usually just delete them as well. Depends on my mood.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Originally Posted by speeder

I thought about that for a minute but what are they going to do, call the FBI from Nigeria?

I usually just delete them as well. Depends on my mood.

Nope, but they can locate you and get you, you have to walk on eggshells now a days, just saying.... be careful out there, use your brain not your emotions!

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Fast Freddy 944

Nope, but they can locate you and get you, you have to walk on eggshells now a days, just saying.... be careful out there, use your brain not your emotions!

I'd be more worried about one of the nutbags from PARF coming after me, and I'm worried about that exactly zero.

Now where is that, "Come at me, bro!" meme.

[ckelly78z]

I generally tell them " If your shipper is coming to pick up the car, and your cashiers check for the difference over what you paid me, tell him to bring non sequential small bills in cash, because I don't take cheques.

[speeder]

The thing is, any response other than full stupidity/compliance gets deleted by them instantly. This is a numbers game and they are phishing large numbers. You're wasting your time with those rational responses, giving them your terms, etc. There is no real buyer on the other end, not even a .0000001% chance.

Have some fun w it or just delete.

[pen15]

To the OP, how do you have 117 unread text messages?

[scottmandue]

I'm thinking of trying this next time, feel free to use it:
“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by speeder

The reason they offer PayPal is that they want your email address. Once you give them that, (so that they can ostensibly PP you $$), the con is over. All they wanted was your email address. That's where the easy $$ is these days, selling legit email addresses.

That seems like a lot of work to acquire 1 legit email address, lol...

I think the real scams here usually involve a spoofed Paypal site and/or email. So, the "buyer" will make contact and agree to the seller's price/terms, and request their email to send PayPal funds. Then the seller will receive one of two emails:

1. A fake PayPal email stating funds have been confirmed/deposited.
The goal here is that the seller will ship the goods without actually logging into PayPal directly to verify funds.

2. A fake PayPal email with a link to a spoofed PayPal site requesting you to log in to verify/accept funds. The goal here is to get your log-on info to your PP account and go to town.

Other PP scam variants involve a scammer who has already obtained access to someone's PP account, and is using it to make fraudulent purchases. Or, someone that has created a PP account with stolen credit card/bank account info (ID theft).

There are plenty of other PP scams (overpayment, false charge-backs, refunds, etc.), but email-address phishing for the sake of compiling/selling lists is probably waaay down the line of profitable scams, considering the capture-time/rate involved. If they do want your email address, it's to try and hack your PP password and gain access to your account.

It's amazing/scary how many people still use ridiculously easy-to-hack passwords like "password" or "1234" etc.