Smell this scam from a distance

[newood2]

It surely smells like...looks like...taste like a duck, ugh scam.
Yesterday I posted an add on craigslist selling a pair of vintage recording studio speakers, the Auratone 5C cubes. I ran a recording studio for 20 years.
Anyway this was one of the response I got.

Thanks for the prompt response and i will love to make an instant
purchase,so pls do withdraw the advert from Craigslist,i don't mind adding
an extra $30 for you to take the advert down from craigslist so that i can
be rest assured that am in hand of the item. I will also like you to know
that i will be paying via check,and it will be over night payment due to the
distance .You don't need to bother your self with the shipment ,i will take
care of that.So i will need you to provide me with the following information
to facilitate the mailing of the check. 1.Your full name 2.Your mailing
address be it residential or postal address 3.Your phone number.
Regards.
Mark

This was my reply:

To the kindest buyer on the net. Your too generous. Where are you located and what is your telephone number so we can communicate by phone. I don't accept any type of check, only money order or Paypal. If I don't hear from you again then this transaction wasn't suppose to be.
May the good Lord watch over you.
Yours truly
Howie

I could have said otherwise, but one should be polite and honorable even to "bottom eaters".
Howie

[jackellis]

You were way too kind.

I've become so paranoid I leave the address off my signature when I respond to CL ads.

[TB Roye]

I had one of those onece and I gave him the name of my BIL who was a police officer and a member of the local Hitech task force. I gave him the address and telephone number also they tracked him down in Europe, he was of Middle Eastern decent.

Tom

[shoottx]

I am always wary of any response with the grammar so badly mangled. (not that my spelling is always pristine)

If you have the time, here are some people that really mess with the scammers.


http://www.419eater.com/

http://www.scambuster419.co.uk/

http://scammo.blogspot.com/


Some of the threads are hysterical. My favorite is: http://www.419eater.com/html/joe_eboh.htm

[Uncle Cracker]

I could have said otherwise, but one should be polite and honorable even to "bottom eaters".

Naaaahhh...

[LinuxRandal]

Now, they have your ACTUAL email address, rather then xyzatCL.com.

If they don't like your response, they will do what one of my Linux newsgroup, disgruntled members did, and sign it up for EVERY adult (or any other) kind of add, they can.

Best thing to do, would have been ignore it.

[SARGE..g-47]

Linux is correct about they now have your e-mail and the best thing to do is just ignore. We get several of the Nigerian scam boys at play every day. It gets immediately deleted and we move on to more serious business. A cute note aimed at them is not going to hurt their feeling as they are only looking for a small percentage that are dumb enough to respond.

Today's first delete which was sorted to our scam mail box by our security system follows...

******

I am Mr. Parka Phil, External Auditor of Bank Of Scotland Plc. I am
contacting you for a possible business transfer worth GBP 17,000,000
(Seventeen Million Pounds Sterling) Pounds Sterling.
It will be in my interest to finish this transaction with you hoping that you will not
cheat or blackmail me at the conclusion of this goal because I have
planned it for long. At the moment, I am constrained to issue more
details about this business until your positive response is
received.
If you can be a collaborator to this transaction, please
indicate your positive interest immediately for us to proceed by sending
your response. I assure you that this deal is worth taking and highly
profitable.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Warmest regards,
Mr.Parka Phil External Auditor,
Bank Of Scotland Plc.
parka_phil@hotmail.com

******

At this point it is gone with the wind and I'm headed to the shop as we anticipate it daily and re-act accordingly.

[poolhound]

I have had a few of these types of responses to CL ads and I just ignore them.

[Wood_workur]

http://www.419eater.com/

I've been beat. I'd recommend the take them money and run strategy used in many of those. All you have to do is play dead after you have the cash (and donate it to charity.)

[Alex Franke]

To the kindest buyer on the net. Your too generous. Where are you located and what is your telephone number so we can communicate by phone. I don't accept any type of check, only money order or Paypal. If I don't hear from you again then this transaction wasn't suppose to be.
May the good Lord watch over you.
Yours truly
Howie

I think that's great! Maybe add "and keep you on a path of righteousness" in your closing -- you know, just to rub it in a bit more. :lol: