Damn the Phisherman

[rickself]

Ya know, some people live to piss ya off, rip ya off, do what they may just to get under yer skin.

After holding on to my brother's 46" HDTV for a year past his death, we decided to put it up for sale. After all, we really don't need 2, what with our 51". So I place an ad in the paper and also one of the local TV stations has free classifieds. So I run an ad in both. I get a couple of calls from the paper and an email from the free TV classifieds:

Hello Seller,
I am Bob Thompson,interested in your
46" Hitachi HDTV 1080i
that was advertised on the internet. Please i would want to know if it's still availiable and if it is,Send me:
.Present condition
.Recent pictures
.Any other details you may wish to give me.

Happy New Year!!!

Bob

I'm thinkin, cool, sounds like an OK guy. So I reply:

HI Bob!
I don't have really any pictures of it except the one on KXLY.com under
Community, Free classifieds, Electronics. Attached is a pdf file of the
manual that has the specs and stuff.

The unit was purchased by my brother in the summer of 2004. He
developed cancer in 2005, so the TV only has about 1 year of use and
then it was put into storage in our family room. I say dollar for
dollar compared to the tv's out today, this one is really good. We have
the 51" Hitachi and wouldn't trade it for the world.

Give me a call if you want...475-**** is my cell. I'm home all day
today, Sunday.

Thanks, Rick

And he replies back:

Hi Rick,
Thanks for your reply.
I am very much interested in the TV at your asking price. I read and understand it is in good condition.At present i'm in the IRELAND on vacation.Meanwhile,i'll then instruct my colleague back in the STATES to issue out U.S MONEY ORDER in your name and having it in mind that business is based on trust,when you receive the check,cash it in your bank,deduct the amount due for the purchase[$800]and send back the remaining funds via western union money transfer to my reputable shipping Agent,whom will take care of the pick up in your location.
Info needed as follows:
1)Name as to be written on check
2)Full address to where the check will be mailed out to
3)Phone # so as to contact you
Looking forward to having your reply and trust.

Best regards

Bob

Holy CRAP, I Been Phished!

So I replied back to him... well, can't really put what I said.... something about what - he thought I was some f***in idiot? I'm contacting MY AGENT here in the STATES, aka the FBI, the Attorney General.

Haven't heard back from the reputable a**hole yet.

Sheesh!

[balou]

Hi Rick,

I want your very large TV. I currently in the Wisconsin. I will have my reputable elf in the Washington hand you a piece of string in trust...


Wow. I had no idea they phish in detail like that - off a classified!

[rickself]

lol, balou! The english of your language is most excitable.


This thing must be like a database. The country of his vacation, my country, currency, are all in caps, like it fills in automatically.

Have a healthy beginning day of the calendar, sphincter...(Have a good Monday, *******!)

[Mynock]

Happy phishing, oh and http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23371.

[Neuro]

Wow that's horrible! Sad part is there are people who fall for this kind of thing.

[Exodus]

That sucks Rick. Good luck on the sale!

[Red Kittie Kat]

Geez Rick ... I would never have thought people would attempt something like that through a classified add :eek:


Good luck with the sale darlin ;)

[morea]

sorry to hear it Rick. Nothing suspicious about the all-caps randomly inserted into the text, huh?

Ugh, some people.

[Kool]

I was recently posting some ads in various online classifieds for my brother. Just about every one of them had big warnings about not accepting any cashiers checks or money orders from anybody out of your local area. It seems they are all counterfeit. The banks accept them because they are good counterfeits but as soon as they come back as no good the bank instantly takes the money back out of your account and then you're screwed. I guess this is really common. My brother only got two responses to his ads and they were both these type scams. http://home.comcast.net/~rnick9/koolsmiley.gif

[Drorain]

*cough* http://www.419eater.com/ *cough*

[rickself]

Thanks, all.
And today must be my lucky day!
I just got another email that says that Sen.(Dr) Ibrahim Abubakar has 450 thousand US Dollars he wants to give me!
http://www.mysticwicks.com/images/smilies2/woot.gif
I used to get a lot of these but the past couple of years have been quiet.
But the flood gates have reopened.

[Navian]

I got one for ya Rick:

EURO MILLIONS
BUNDERSTRASSE 33
3324 BERN ECK,
SWITZERLAND

Dear Sir/Ma,
Congratulations, you have been awarded 3,000,000 Euro in the Satellite software email lottery in which e-mail addresses are picked Randomly by software powered by the Internet through the worldwide website. Your email address was amongst those chosen this year for the satellite software email lottery. This promo is proudly sponsored by the Euro millions organization.
You can log on to our website for more information concerning our entire lottery promo https://www.swisslotto.ch Your email address, attached to Ref number 5, 7, 14, 17, 18, 43 with Serial number 1979-12 drew the lucky Numbers 10, and consequently won the lottery in the "A" Category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of 3,000,000 EURO. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European Booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In View of this, our security firm in Europe will release your 3,000,000-EURO to you. Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact them. All participants Were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw System and extracted from over 300,000 companies and individual email addresses.
This promotion takes place annually. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to Claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. To file for your claim, please contact our European agent assigned to you.
Below is his contact Info:-
Name: Mr. Wise Ronald
Email: infoswisslotto@yahoo.com
Tel: - +447040114798

You are to provide the following information’s to our European agent:-
1. Full Name: -
2.Contact Address: -
3.Country: -
4.Age: -
5.Telephone and Fax: -
6.Occupation: -
This information’s facilitate the due process of the release of winnings avoid unnecessary delays and complications in the processing of your winnings. Please always remember to quote your Reference / serial number in any correspondences with our Designated agent or us.
Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program and thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,
Marie Jones.
Co-Ordinator Euro Millions Organization

As of today: Tuesday, January 9, 2007; 3,000,000 Euro = 3,903,180 US Dollar

I got this a couple months ago, kept it because I thought it was kinda funny.

[Kool]

That's a pretty good one Navian, it looks like it could be real. (I know it isn't)

My sister in law who lives in the Philippines and is not very computer/net savvy got one of these and I had a hell of a time convincing her it was a scam.

[Navian]

Thats funny. I have another one thats from an art dealer in the UK, that wants me to hold on to some valuable art. I'll try to find it.

*Edit found it. What pisses me off about it is they contacted me off an job site.
MATT & J Art works
23 Haymarket,
London, SW1Y 4DG
Rc:120032
[Contact phone number removed]
My name is MATTHEW JEFFERSON and I am an artist.I saw your advert on the
web for employment.I live in United Kingdom,with my two kids, four cats, one
dog and the love of my life. It is definitely a full house. I have been
doing artwork since I was a small child. That gives me about23 years of
experience. I majored in art in high school and took a few college art
courses. Most of my work is done in either pencil or airbrush mixed with
color pencils. I have recently added designing and creating artwork on the
computer.I have been selling my art works for the last 3 years and have had
my work featured on trading cards, prints and in magazines.I have sold in
galleries and to private collectors from all around the world.I am always
facing serious difficulties when it comes to selling my art works to
Americans,they are always offering to pay with a US MONEY ORDER,which is
difficult for me to cash here in United Kingdom. I am looking for a
representative in the states who will be working for me as a partime worker
and i will be willing to pay 10% for every transaction,which wouldnt affect
ur present state of work,someone who would help me recieve payments from my
customers in the states.i mean someone that is responsible and
reliable,cause the cost of coming to the state and getting payments is very
expensive,i am working on setting up a branch in the states,so for now i
need a representative in the united states who will be handling the payment
aspect. These payments are in money order and they would come to you in your
name, so all you need do is cash the money order deduct your percentage and
wire the rest back. But the problem i have is trust,But i have my way of
getting anyone that gets away with our money,i mean the FBI branch in
Washington gets involved.It wouldnt cost u any amount,u are to receive
payments which will be sent to u by fedex or usps from my business
patners,which would come in form of a money order then u are to cash it and
send the cash to me via western union money transfer or moneygram money
transfer,all transfer fees should be deducted from the money.If you are
interested,please get back to me on this email
(matt***********@hotmail.com)as soon as soon as possible.

Matt.