Nigerian Scammers & Check Clearing

Nigerian Scammers & Check Clearing

After mentioning the Nigerian scammer strategy of sending too large a check--which is a forgery or otherwise invalid--and then taking a refund check from the victim, a reader pointed me to this case. At first glance, it doesn't seem like the defrauded lawyer has much of a case--but Citibank apparently told him the $367,500 check he had deposited had cleared--when it hadn't (nor could it).

More Not Quite Successful Scams

More Not Quite Successful Scams

One very favorite type of scam is to order products and then send a check for too much--and then have the vendor issue a refund check. An order comes in for $5000 worth of stuff, with $200 worth of shipping. The order comes with a $6000 check or credit card number--and only after you you have shipped the product, and issued an $800 refund, do you find out that the $6000 check is a forgery, or the credit card number wasn't authorized by the card holder.

One of these scams arrived in my email today:

Hello Sir/Madam,
This is Scott Harrison,with regards to your Company I am sending this email regards to order some Tilt Vise, from your company.I will like to know the models and prices you have available for sales, excluding shipping so that I will tell you the quantity I will be ordering,and also if you accept credit card as a method of payment.Thanks and hope to hear back from you as soon as possible.

Warm Regards,

Scott Harrison
W133 N4960 Campbell Dr.
Menominee Falls, WI 53051
USA

I don't sell anything called a "Tilt Vise." For someone who lives in Wisconsin, his English is astonishingly poor. It is hard to imagine that many businesses fall for something this transparently fraudulent--but some must, or I wouldn't have this stuff filling up my inbox.

Nigerian Scammers

Nigerian Scammers

I received another one of those stupid Nigerian scammer emails:

Greetings,
My name is Sgt. Lee Johnson, a member of the U.S. ARMY USARPAC Medical Team, which was deployed to Iraq in the beginning of the war in Iraq. Please do visit the BBC website stated below to enable you have insight as to what I'm intending to share with you, believing that it would be of your desired interest one-way or the other.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
Also, could you get back to me having visited the above website to enable us discuss in a more clarifying manner to the best of your understanding. Please send your reply to this E-mail address: sgtlee1971@yahoo.com.hk
Thanks,

Sgt. Lee Johnson.

My response:

Just to make sure that you are who you claim you are, and not just one
of those Nigerian scammers, why don't you ship me 100,000 Euros from one
of those stashes?

That way I'll know that you are telling me the truth.

The Most Jumbled Fraudulent Email Yet

The Most Jumbled Fraudulent Email Yet

Some of these Nigerian spammer-scammers write in at least plausible English, even if it is obviously not American English. But what can you say when someone sends you something this bad?

Hello

Kind attention,Am here by introduce my self an ex-service man(retired army force)of the USA army force..my name is Mr George Cameron the general manager of mr.groegecompany from wustiontin DC.We dial mainly in manufacturing and selling all kinds of guns and their bullets.We write to you to have gun business with peoples whom are interested in buying of gun.We are capable of supplying large quantity of guns full of container and in stocks and we can produce any quantity you request to buy.

All guns leaving the company have all necessary documentary with good invoice.We have been in gun business and exportation of guns close to two decades and we have a very good track records which we have achieved over the years.All our guns leaving our company are Properly tested before departing our warehouse storage and our Prices are relatively affordable and way below the world market Price, With decades of experience you can count on us for quality Service and Safety delivering to your location.

We here by to hear from you back with any information's that you will like to know and if you will have intres in buying guns and counting on your quick response you can write to via email:groegecompany@gmail.com

hope to hear from you soon..

Regards,
Mr George

From "wustiontin DC" no less!