OEM Software Scams on the Rise!

**D-Frag** · 06-30-2004, 01:11 AM

I was recently sent and email about a month ago which linked me to this site http://smilesoftprod.netalways looking to save a few bucks I clicked the link. Hmmm right off the bat im suspicious, first off the "OEM" software as they call it is only $100.00 for full working version of CS. So I mingle over to the faq section and here is were things become vibrantly clear to me.

"f) Where does this software come from?
The software is shipped from Europe. "

Also if you notice, you cannot copy paste text from there website, thought that was wierd too. So I mingle over to the contact section to see if I can call them and ask them why they are so shady. If you notice in the contact section, there is no address, phone #, or email. This is clearly a SCAM!

So I do some research to find out a little bit more on this type of scam, come to find out its one of the leading scams on the market. Also the funds that are used are typically credit cards, so right off the bat the theives now have all of your information, shipping address/mailing address, full name, credit card #, phone #, and email address. And you wonder why people are having there identities stolen these days. So I decided that since I was smart enough to see the signs of a scam, maybe I should share this info with as many people as I can. I want to point you to a few more informative links, as I don't want to steal there content, only inform.

More Info, including info on if you have been scammed:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/06...oftware_scams/<-----article about the top 3 scam companies out right now.

http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/faq...twarescams.htm<-----some tips to make sure you don't buy from a bad source

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/rema...0706~mode=flat<-----as much info that has been gathered to date on above mentioned site, I hope this helps if you have been ripped off.

Just remember to use common sense with anything on the internet especially when buying software that can easily be copied.

06-30-2004, 01:32 AM

Thanks! These people are crazy but for 100 bucks for Studio MX I might just fall for it. LOL!

**D-Frag** · 06-30-2004, 01:35 AM

yeah its tempting, i was looking for a easy way to upgrade to CS, almost fell for it.

D-Zine · 06-30-2004, 07:21 AM

Thanks for the info D-Frag! Nice catch!

Mickey · 07-01-2004, 01:17 AM

Wanna talk about a scam... Here is the email transcrips of a internet auto buyer scam that I am persionally involved in as we speek. NO JOKE.

This person responded to an ad for the sale of my van on the internet. I knew right off the bat that it was a scam but I wanted to mess with this guy!

The emails are from the last few days and I will keep adding responces as I receive them, I am currently waiting for them to get back to me

So take the time to read tru these emails... My main goal is to see if I can get the bastid to send me $75 in cash.

Here is the short on how the scam works. The buyer says they want to buy the car for your set price, then they have some story about being a buyer and a earlier deal that fell thru so they have a cashiers check for more then the total of the car. You need to deposit this check (FAKE) into your account and refund the difference and shipping charges to the shipping agent via wire transfer (untraceable). Your bank will inform you in about 2 weeks that the cashiers check was a fake and remove the money from your account and you will be responsible for the cash you sent the scammer. in my case it would be $7450!

read thru it is funny, remember I am just messing with this person, to see if they will send me $75 bucks.

Scamming the Scammer if you will.
my responces are in green

On 6/28/04 8:01 PM, 'sondieautos@yahoo.ca' wrote:

Hello,
I am Ms. Sandra stevens an auto-broker here in Canada, my client is interested
in your Caddy. If this Automobile is still available please contact me by
replying this email Let me know ur bottom-line price ? Present location of the car?
Send pics for my clients viewing.
I anticipate your swift response.
Thanks

sondieautos@yahoo.ca

The link in the body of this email is my van, but it is not a! 'Caddy', I
don't know if your confused on the listing or not but if you client is
interested in a fully loaded Chrysler Town & Country LXI I am asking $19,000
but would willing to go as low as $18,500. Let me know what you think.

Thanks 

On 6/29/04 8:29 AM, 'Sandra stevens' <sondieautos@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Hello Mickey Koch,

Thanks for the mail and correction, i meant chrysler not caddy.

I want you to be serious in this transaction because some days ago we were disappointed by a car seller when he sold the car we wanted to pay for to another person. Do give me the assurance that you will not disappoint us. I have accepted your price of $18,500.00 Payment is via Check and I need your Full name,contact address and phone no. to send it to.Our agent will come for the pickup when the time comes, though you will be duly informed when the time comes.

Note that all charges like shipping/export charges will be settled by us. I await your prompt response to this email so that we can send payment to you.

Sandra Stevens...
45940 Bathurst Street Toronto
Ontario Canada.

Sandra,

I am very serious about this transaction. If you want the van it is yours. I would like to know what kind of check you will be sending. I will need a certified cashiers check or money order in the exact amount of $18,500 US, and I will need to make sure the check is good and clears to my account before I can pay off the van and aquire the title.

How long do you think it will take you to send the money, and then how long do you estimate before you will send someone to pick up the Van?

My contact information is:

Michael Koch
1458 S. 75th Street
West Allis, Wisconsin, 53214 USA

Don‚t be alarmed at the change of email address for this response, I am at work and can only send thru this email.

Thanks

On 6/29/04 11:37 AM, 'Sandra stevens' <sondieautos@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Hello Mickey Koch,

Thanks for the email, Is the address you gave safe for me to send the package because I do not want complications of any sort.

Once more i will like to emphasize on seriousness about this transaction because just last week I negotiated for a car for my client and the seller informed me of the vehicle being sold two days later, hence the order was cancelled. My client later changed his mind on buying your car, do please give me the assurance that you would not disappoint us.

Payment will get to you in a Cashier check of $25,950.00 being the cancelled order I mentioned above plus shipping charges which you'll deduct the cost of your vehicle $18,500.00 and refund the overage $7,450.00 via via wire transfer to the shippers agent, note that all charges will be settled by us.

Once the agent recives the funds shipping will be set up and the ! vehicle will be picked up from your location.

Title papers and other necessary documents will be transfferred accordingly with the much needed customers personal information in possession with the agent..

I will keep you posted on all the arrangements. Waiting for your e-mail of reconfirmation for payment to be sent to you Before mid-nextweek.....

Sandra Stevens....

Thanks Sandra,
For getting back to me so quickly! I assure you that the information I gave you is correct and you will have no trouble with this transaction.
You can send the check to my address and I will deposit it as soon as I receive it. I am glad to hear that you found a buyer for my van since we are trying desperately to sell it due to the birth of my second child. Funds are so tight that I took off the insurance and put the van in a storage lot, so you can understand that I want to get rid of the monthly payments ASAP.

The only request I have of you is that you send me in cash the the storage fee I need to pay the auto yard by the first of July (July 1). This fee is $75 for the month of July, I need to pay them in cash as soon as I can or they will charge me some fees. (I think they avoid paying taxes if I pay them cash). This wil! l show me that your serious about picking up the van and allow me to store it until you arrange to have it picked up. I know the request for cash thru the mail may sound strange but I need to pay them before the first and that way I don‚t have to deposit the check first and then travel to the auto lot to pay them.

If this sounds good and I receive the check and the cash for the storage in the next few days I can pay off the van and send the shipping money/refund to your wire information. I am 15 days late on my monthly payment so I would like to get this transaction completed by the end of this week or at the latest early next.

Thank you.
Mickey

On 6/30/04 5:37 AM, 'Sandra stevens' <sondieautos@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Hello Mickey Koch,

I went for an auction that's why i could not get back to you asap. I can understand your predicament, but this is my clients funds involved here.

I rather suggest that on receiving our payment, deduct the storage fee from it and wire the balance to our agent immediately. My client will be notified as soon as he is back from U.K. of the development. One more thing, am counting on you to handle my clients funds properly, i will like to have your word.

Sandra....

Hi Sandra,
I am very understanding about your clients funds, and I am sorry to be difficult. But as my bank is on the other side of town and I will not travel there until I can arrange for a ride (I cannot even afford the fee for a taxi). If the $75 dollars was in cash I could pay the storage lot earlier and avoid more fees. I hope you understand that this way will be easer for me and give me the assurance that your a serious about picking up the van in a timely manner. I guess you could think of it as a down payment of sorts. It also assures me that I will be able to get the van out of the lot when you need to pick it up.

Thanks!

Here is my contact info again:
Michael Koch
1458 S. 75th Street
West Allis, Wisconsin, 53214 USA

Mickey · 07-01-2004, 06:55 PM

The latest and final emails...

On 7/1/04 6:17 AM, 'Sandra stevens' <sondieautos@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Hello Mickey Koch,

I can understand your position, in this our business we are used to it. But i am assurring you that there is not much involved, my hands are tied, i could have helped you but am on credit now. Make sale take care of other trivialities..

Sandra..

Well, well, well,
You total pancakeing piece of human sh!t! Your too pancakeing greedy to even invest $75 in a scam to get $7450. Did you really think that I was going to wire transfer you my hard earned money you pancakeing idiot!
I am designer and own a company and have a $20,000 van for sale did you really think that I couldn’t come up with $75 bucks. I have heard of your scam before and wanted to see just how stupid you were, I guess your stupid enough to keep up this stupid pancakeing email game but not quite stupid enough to send me some cash. Too bad though I have the news papers and authorities looking into this, and it would have been nice to get paid for my time. If I were you I would move on to your next scam this one has been out for way to long. By the way your English sucks sh!t and I can smell your greasy, slimy stink ass from here.

I am a graphic designer, if you need me to produce your fake ass cashiers checks let me know, I am sure I can do a better job then you.

If your going to scam people you should spend a little more time on the details, pancakeING *******!!!

Have a great weekend, and good luck in your future endeavors!

Mickey

P.S. It was a pleasure almost doing business with you!!! **********...

07-01-2004, 08:34 PM

LMAO! Thats just funny.

Mickey · 07-01-2004, 10:18 PM

and his responce

Hello Mickey,
I like you, we might even be friends you know,all the while u were playing the Game i know. I just wanted u to give up first which u did. Who in this world that owns $20,000.00 vehicle that cannot afford $75.00.
Anyway u don't have to call me names or try to abuse me in any form, u should count yourself lucky that you are not part of us. In your side everything works but here nothing works, people eat from hand to mouth, this game is just a survival technique, its just like animals living in the jungle, In as much as what we do is not right, but we beat our chest, cos my mates over your side, if they experience 1% of what we are have undergone thru, most of them will commit suicide, but here we are not suicidal, we try to live by all means even if it means involving ourselves in games like this. u know the world is not balanced,u guys are better off.

Take your time and reflect on this, if you wish you can still communicate with me.I believe you're a good guy. Take care of your business and forget low life people like us. My number is 2348033417341 and my name is Mike too..

Mickey · 07-01-2004, 10:18 PM

and my respone

Let me guess... I think I got this one too...
If I call the number you gave me my long distance carrier will be charged $2800 to connect and $350per minute. Billed to some fake company in Bermuda!

Good try “Mike”

What country do you live in that is so bad?

07-01-2004, 11:01 PM

Dam this guy is going to kill himself Mickey. LOL!

You know they must thing we where born Jack Asses cause we live in the US.