scamming a scammer

[radhak]

Whoo - what a fall from the heights of an anticipated bargain !

Saw this advt yesterday on CL about a DSLR Nikon D2X with two lens for $930 (yes, I'm still in the hunt for a DSLR at a bargain price ). A quick google told me that just the body for this camera costs around $4000! That's right, 4 followed by 3 zeros .

I might not be sharpest nail in my shop, but this stank too much to be good.

This point on, this became an amusing exercise. After interchanging a handful of emails, the info i gathered is this :

" I still have the camera and the price is $930.
My name is Robert Stevensen and I am a professionist photograph but for this reason I'v had to move in London, United Kingdom.
At this new company where I work now they have gived me a new camera and now I have to sell this one because I don't need it anymore.
All original accessories, software and manuals...nothing missing. USA warranty card. USED 5 TIMES IN HOME PHOTO STUDIO.
I've only taken about 1200 photos with it. It really is in brand new condition. Not a mark on it.
We can close a deal asap.
Thanks"

I would have preferred to deal with a professional, not a professionist, and with a person instead of a photograph, but what the heck...

the latest email :

Obviously we need a way to complete this deal that will allow us to make
sure we receive what we are after.
I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast, and in
this way you will receive the camera in less than 2 days, if you move fast as
well. The solution is provided by a company called TNT which is similar
to Fedex, DHL or UPS, which will handle the payment and delivery of the
camera.
I have found a procedure that will allow you to pay for the camera only after
you will receive it and through this way you will see it and test it
before I receive my payment.
Please click on the link bellow to the TNT website to see how we can
complete the deal safely and fast directly from the website of the
company where the procedure is explained:

http://www.tnt.com/country/en_generi...expansion.html

Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the camera
right away.
I will explain to you step by step how this will work .
1) First you will have to send me your full name and address. I will
need them for the shipping.
2) I go to the TNT store and leave the camera onto your name as the
intended receiver.
3) TNT will check the camera to see if everything is OK with it and
also the legal papers that will come along with the pai .
4) TNT will send you a delivery notification to let you know they
have the camera,in which you will be told that they have the camera and
that they checked it.
5) At this point you will have to go to a Western Union Agent
Location and make a money deposit on the TNT payment agent name for the amount we agreed .
6) After you make the deposit you will have to send the info about
the money deposit to TNT (MTCN, sender's name and address)
7) TNT will verify the payment informations and if everything is in
order they will deliver the camera to you .
8) After you receive the camera, check it and see that all is in
order you will instruct TNT to send me the informations about the money
deposit and I will be able to receive the funds .
I will pay TNT for the shipping and you will pay Western Union for
the Money Transfer fee .
Let me know if we can do this.

Best regards

so I googled again and found this : Stringing a Scammer. So the guy's doing this since 2005. I dread to think he's persisting because he's successful. At this stage, I'd like to know what are my options, and if I could bring him down - just a bit, if not for the count. Other than reporting him to CL, anybody have any suggestions? Some poor sap might really send him money and rue it...

[JSUPreston]

I was looking at a Macbook for SWMBO on CL a few months ago. Claimed to be in London with a US Macbook. Wanted me to pay with TNT as well. I found where she had been doing the scam for quite a while with different Macs. Told her something came up, and including a link with a discussion board talking about her. Never heard back.

[pierhogunn]

ask him to send the camera to you for "evaluation" and you will pay for the camera after a 2 week eval period, or you will gladly offer to pay 2X shipping to and from at the end of the 2 weeks

[cabinetman]

Tell him you'll be in his neck of the woods next week, and you'll pick it up then...what's the address!!!
.

[Ed62]

They have that camera at Harbor Freight for $19.95. But it only comes with one lens.

Ed

[TB Roye]

Have him send it COD and you will pay the shipping. I think FEDEX, DHL and UPS will do COD. I have bought stuff from Canada and Europe that way. Have some more fun ask for pictures. Or offer to have friend in England pick it up for you and notify Scotland Yard or the local plolice and have them go by and pick it/him up. Have some fun.

Tom

[jseklund]

Tell him you would prefer if he used your TNT shipping number, as shipping is cheaper- and ask him to send you the $30 in shipping and you will send the shipping number?

[radhak]

I told him my cousin in London will contact him and will swap money for the camera .

As yet, it's only deathly silence from his side...

[MilDoc]

If it sounds too good to be true ...........

[LCHIEN]

usually where they ask you to use Western Union to send money, that's a tip off of a scam. They get the money and they're gone, virtually untraceable.

[LinuxRandal]

did u telll hymn that ur cawsin would bring a diction (ary), four hymn 2?

[TB Roye]

Maybe we could get "Ray in the UK" to go pick it up. He is a retired police officer, I think inspector. That would be fun to watch.

Tom

[sparkeyjames]

There was an excellent article on scamming a scammer on a web site called SomethingAwful.com. Guy wanted to buy this guys Mac laptop. Buyer was in U.K. seller in U.S. Turns out the seller found out the guy was a scammer. Sent him a cardboard cutout of a mac laptop called it the p p p powerbook (yes the extra p's are necessary.) Stuck the scammer with the duty fees and local taxes to boot. Guy in U.S. of course never saw a penny but good fun was had by all involved on that web site. Cost to scam a scammer. Shipping a 10 pound box to the U.K. Photos of scammer as caught by U.K. locals who were in on the reverse scam. Priceless.

[TheRic]

Maybe we could get "Ray in the UK" to go pick it up. He is a retired police officer, I think inspector. That would be fun to watch.

Tom

Get someone to tape it as Ray and some of his "friends" wait on the scammer to show. I'll like to see that video. Only thing is the scammer is going to come up with an excuse why he can't wait for the cousin, like he is leaving town in a tomorrow AM for a while.

[radhak]

I'm fairly certain "London, UK" was chosen just to avoid such "pick up in person" offers. He must be sitting somewhere close, maybe in miami itself .