Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Playing with scammers

In today's internet world, you can do almost anything. Talk, share, learn, teach, tease, buy, sell, scam and many more things. Did I say SCAM?? Yes I did.

I recently posted an item on the internet for sale. I received an email requesting to buy said item and that they would pay me through paypal, which everyone knows is secure money. I even talked to paypal so I would know how secure it is, and no money is put into an account unless the funds have actually been accounted for.

Now here's were things get funny. I received an email from paypal stating that the money has been transferred to my account, however the money is $2000 more than for my item and that I must send the $2000 to the shipper of the buyer via Western Union. There are links to click onto to check your account, etc. in this email also. It looks just like what you would receive from paypal, but why would they be involved in the deal (they are basically a bank) and why would they not have me use paypal if I was to transfer funds? I check my paypal account (not through their links) and of course there are no funds there, so I call call paypal to report a suspected fraud, as well as the Internet crime service.

In the meantime, I am receiving emails questioning why I am not responding since they transferred all this money to my account. I decide to hold off my response a couple of days, and darned if I don't receive and email from "paypal" that is also being sent to the FBI for defrauding them, by not sending the funds immediately through Western Union, and they are going to arrest me if it isn't taken care of within 24 hours.

Now you know that I notified Internet crime (FBI)about the latest fake email, since it also included them! Then I responded to the scammer. MY, oh my! What is this that is happening? Did you (the scammer)somehow put your money into a fake paypal account? I heard they are out there. It wasn't in mine, and I checked my emails after I checked paypal and noticed there was one from them dated before I checked! I think we've been scammed, let me know what you think so we can notify Internet crime.

Now I guess the scammer thinks we are all stupid, but I have news for them. Yes some people will fall for their scams, but I have some tips for them.

Clue #1. Learn proper English grammar. The grammar in these "official" emails was terrible and we all know that these organizations don't issue notices that are poorly constructed.
Clue #2. Give the person time to repond before getting all bent out of shape. The whole thing from beginning to end took place in 4 days and of those 2 were Saturday and Sunday. I don't have a computer at home and therefore don't see my emails everyday.
Cue #3. Give the world a break and find something good to do with your skills. You can't be totally stupid to think up all this junk.

In the mean time, I'll be looking for your money in my real account to call off the dogs! Like that would happen!!!

4 comments:

  1. Yea, I know, but there's always hope.

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  2. My goodness! Unreal! but i would have been a little bit freaked. definitely would have checked into like you did, but a little freaked nonetheless.

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  3. i wasn't so much freaked as just irritated. If they know who and where I was, then I'd deffinately be freaked!

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