# Online scammers... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 27, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873 "2006-01-27T18:08:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/21 "2006-01-30T16:20:35Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Wouldn’t a postal money order be fine? [Not necessarily](http://www.yu-cho.japanpost.jp/e_n0000000/ne000700.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/22 "2006-01-30T16:22:00Z")
Better link from the USPS: [http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fakemo.htm](http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fakemo.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/23 "2006-01-30T22:44:11Z")
I’m trying to figure out the deal with the latest emails I’ve been getting. Up to 10 a day of these wonderful people telling me the latest “hot stock pick”. Some $1 stock projected to go up to $3 or so. The subject lines are always some reply, or unrelated to the email content, and there is some text about the cool stock. What is the scam here? Trying to get people to buy a stock just to inflate the price? ---
**Author:** ![Ottoerotic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ottoerotic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ottoerotic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/24 "2006-01-31T00:33:15Z")
The USPS is currently rolling out an online system where you’ll be able to verify whether or not the postal money order is legit within seconds. Hopefully this will cut down on some of the fraud with them. All the fake one that I’ve seen were VERY VERY good, I’m a bank manager and I had difficulty telling a real one from a counterfeit one. So be careful out there. ---
**Author:** ![Trillionaire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Trillionaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trillionaire)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/25 "2006-01-31T02:32:42Z")
> [@Iggins](#): > > I’m trying to figure out the deal with the latest emails I’ve been getting. Up to 10 a day of these wonderful people telling me the latest “hot stock pick”. Some $1 stock projected to go up to $3 or so. > > The subject lines are always some reply, or unrelated to the email content, and there is some text about the cool stock. > > What is the scam here? Trying to get people to buy a stock just to inflate the price? the scammers have probably sent out thousands of these emails, with “predictions” about lots of random shares. The law of averages says they will get some right, so when they do they will contact the people who got the right advice, and invite them to sign up for a subscription to their share tipping service. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/26 "2006-01-31T03:01:43Z")
I recently got this one: Attention: Customer AFRSA680 Ref: EAAL/851OYHI/05 Batch No. Lotto 6/49 WINNING NOTIFICATION The Canadian Government sponsors this lottery for the promotion of the 2010 Soccer World cup to be hosted in South Africa. We happily announce to you the draw of the Euro-Afro-American Sweepstake Lottery International Programs held on the Wednesday 2nd July 2005 in Essex United Kingdom and Ontario Canada. Your e-mail address attached to Ticket Number: B9564 75604545 100, with Serial Number 46563760 drew the winning numbers 2/7/22/27/45/48 with a bonus Number 42, for LOTTO 6/49 under the choice of the lottery in the 2nd category of daily three. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$820,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file EAAL/9080118308/05. This is from a total cash prize of US $11,100,000.00 Million dollars, shared amongst the first One Hundred and-thirty (130) lucky winners in this category Worldwide. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Afro booklet representative office in Africa as indicated in your play coupon, because this particular draw was selected to promote the 2010 World Cup to be hosted in South Africa hence your winning information must be kept to enable you participate in our subsequent draws which will see 500 participants traveling on an all expense paid trip to South Africa for the Soccer World Cup 2010. In view of this, your US$820,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollars) would be released to you by an accredited commercial Bank in South Africa. Our African agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact our African Agent’s office. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draws system and extracted from over 10,000,00 companies and personal e-mails. 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 unscrupulous elements. Please be warned! To file for your claim, please contact our corresponding Agent in Nigeria immediately you read this message for quick and urgent release of your fund, contact information is as follow: email: ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/27 "2006-01-31T07:40:39Z")
> [@Trillionaire](#): > > the scammers have probably sent out thousands of these emails, with “predictions” about lots of random shares. The law of averages says they will get some right, so when they do they will contact the people who got the right advice, and invite them to sign up for a subscription to their share tipping service. It could also be a [pump and dump](http://www.sec.gov/answers/pumpdump.htm) scam. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/28 "2006-01-31T17:45:59Z")
> [@Nic2004](#): > > I recently got this one: > > Attention: Customer AFRSA680 > Ref: EAAL/851OYHI/05 > Batch No. Lotto 6/49 > > WINNING NOTIFICATION > > ::snip:: Yep, [the “Nigerian” scam has a “lottery” variant](http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/lottery.asp). ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/29 "2006-01-31T18:38:34Z")
> [@Nic2004](#): > > We happily announce to you the draw of the Euro-Afro-American > Sweepstake Lottery International Programs held on the Wednesday 2nd > July 2005 in Essex United Kingdom and Ontario Canada. Your e-mail > address attached to Ticket Number: B9564 75604545 100, with Serial > Number 46563760 drew the winning numbers 2/7/22/27/45/48 with a > bonus Number 42, for LOTTO 6/49 under the choice of the lottery > in the 2nd category of daily three. OK, this is where you screwed up. Now that we have all your information, _any_ of us could claim your prize. Let’s see, what was that contact information again . . . ? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/30 "2006-02-03T02:39:26Z")
Just for completeness, I should mention that [419eater.com](http://www.419eater.com/) hosts one of the largest scambaiting forums, though they emphasize email scams. A rundown of various internet scam categories is avaiable [here](http://thescambaiter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4792). These include your typical [419 scam](http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/) (Advance Fee Fraud), as well as sweetheart scams, fake bank modalities, ebay/auction scams, general spammers and spyware providers. Those who wish to drain the bandwidth of various fake financial institutions can check out the lad vampire on [this page](http://aa419.org/). ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/31 "2006-02-03T10:02:33Z")
Some of the scambaiter tales are awfully damn funny, but I have to wonder if the baiters aren’t technically guilty of scams in some cases as well. [This guy](http://www.thescambaiter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109) actually managed to get some hard cash from the scammer, and also stuck him with thousands of dollars in import taxes and shipping fees for “Anus Computers” which were actually a bunch of junk. If you rob a thief, he may well deserve it but you become a thief as well. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/32 "2006-02-04T03:02:06Z")
I got a phishing scam, but thanks to the international community of SDMB, [**hawthorne** got a free bottle of wine out of it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=350648) ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/33 "2006-02-07T15:35:14Z")
I’m surprised nobody mentioned romance scammers. They just started hitting my [match.com](http://match.com) account a few months ago, and I get scam e-mail through Match about once every other day now. In one scam, the “women” claim to be fashion buyers or models who are now working in Nigeria, who really want to meet you, but can’t get out of the country unless they bribe some customs official or replace their stolen airline ticket, and could you pretty please lend them a few thousand dollars so they can get home and meet you? > [@some guy in a Lagos cybercafe posing as a woman](#): > > Hello > > I will tell you abit about me…my real name they call me is laura…i am the only daugther of my > parents…i moved to the states when i was 4 years of age…my dad is from liberia and my mom is from spain…my dad and mom got to meet each other in liberia and i was born there as well…but i moved to the states with my moms aunt when i was 4 years of age…my dad and mom had some disagreement…very earlly of there relationship to they both had to brake off…so my mom had to go back to spain and she took me along to spain too…but i only spent 4 months with mom there…she wasnt able to cope with me there.so she had to throw me down to her aunts place in san jose …thats were i grew up…and schooled > and went to college there too…and since i have been with my moms aunt…i never did heard from dad or mom again…i was just abandoned there and i grew up to really do love my aunt cause she was such a lovelly aunt to me…but she left me so earlly…she died when i was 17 years of age…so since then… i have > just had a life on my own…doing wat i know how to do best in honesty and living my life to the fullest…and i grew up to understand the principles of life and the truth that follows it and i have made a vow to my self and God that i will forever remain honest and truthfull to the things i say and do…cause truth and honesty is the only key to succes…but its every hard to go about…but i still try not to brake my vow…and i do seek all i want with all my heart and the truth of it… > > Right now i am on a programme in Africa…i am into Fashion desiging…Africa clothing and textile design…thats wat i am into…i have just started my career on it and its really my dream and i seek a man who will surport my dream…i just got to africa like 4 weeks ago and on planing to get back to the states soon…to complete my dream and career > > Well,i am a very sincere and honest person,am > caring,kind,social,smart,intelligent,passionate,friendlly,romantic,and i believe in the truth and honest of love…i am really a very sincere person when it comes to sharing feelings and emotions with that speical person and i realy am down to heart honest about the things i say and do cause i dont like hurting peoples feelings,cause everyone has a chance to laugh,so why do i make them sad…i am really very easy > to get along with,fun to be with and am very adaptive and communicative when it comes to conversant conversation.and my life is based on the truth and honest of self personality… > > i will tell you more about me and my personality… > email me so i can email you back with some pics > this is my id laura\_jnt @ [yahoo.com](http://yahoo.com) This was a strange one. > [@a confused man from Ibadan who is too stupid to hide his real identity](#): > > Hello, > > How are you over there, I hope all are moving fine if so Glory be to Almighty Allah. I’ am Mr Mike Mohammed,I am 22 years old living in in West Africa.I decided to write you after going through your profile, and I like it, if you don’t mind I will like to know you better, I want you to understand that age does not matter in any relationship ok ,Furthermore I prefer you contact me through my email address to .Here is my email address :loveo\_20052006@yahoo.ca > I waiting for your immediately reply. > > Thanks and Remain blessed. > > Cheer’s > mary loveo The Russian brides are alsonow out in full force. > [@Svetlana](#): > > Hello! > First of all, I want to name to you my name. My name Larisa. You will be, probably, are surprised to receive this letter. I live in small city under name Tver. I want to say to you about my purposes in a life a little and about me. I the educated and cheerful woman. It will be very good, if you look at my picture. It will be more best way to judge my appearance. I have some pictures, and I shall be, is pleased, to send you my pictures, That you could see me better. Mine email it lakumkina(at)rambler(dot)ru. I always dreamed to find my love. I search my soul mate! My second half in a life!!! I want to say to you, that I do not search for an easy life. I search for my happiness in a life. You understand? I like to work, I like to have a fair life. I dream to create family and to care of my husband. I want, that me liked and also cared. I like tenderness and kindness in the person. Also I like the decent and fair person. I still young and I want to think of my family. I want to create healthy and strong family in a lot of good statuses for a life! I shall wait and hope, that you will not ignore my letter. Thanks! Sincerely yours, Larisa. > P. S. I have search to you, that you have written to me on this e-mail address: lakumkina (at)rambler(dot)ru. And it would be more convenient for me because I cannot pay completely my membership in [match.com](http://match.com). I with impatience shall wait your answer!!! I also get a lot of generic form letters from women who live in the US but are far from me, all in poor English, most with erratic punctuation, all asking me to write to them at some [yahoo.com](http://yahoo.com) address. I have no idea what’s up with these, but they scream “scam” to me. > [@WTF????](#): > > Hello, stranger! How are you? I’m fine > and always optimistic. I think,it’s > very important. Also I am a romantic, > nice, tender,intelligent,reliable girl. > I am looking for someone special to be > my partner. You should be an artist, at > least in your soul.Harmony, understanding > and trust are also very important. > Write me. My address : > tearss8of8lovee (at) yahoo (dot) com Reporting them to Match doesn’t help much; they send a form letter back to you, and about half of the time the scammer’s profile isn’t removed. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/34 "2006-02-08T02:22:40Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > I also get a lot of generic form letters from women who live in the US but are far from me, all in poor English, most with erratic punctuation, all asking me to write to them at some [yahoo.com](http://yahoo.com) address. I have no idea what’s up with these, but they scream “scam” to me. I get those all the time on MySpace! Random hot women claiming to be in my area asking me to e-mail them for more pictures of them. Their sites are always brand new, like made that day, they have no friends, and there’s also just one picture of them. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/35 "2006-02-08T07:36:38Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > I’m surprised nobody mentioned romance scammers. Sometimes they are called sweetheart scams. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/36 "2006-02-08T07:57:30Z")
okay, I’ll bite. What happens in a sweetheart scam? You arrange to meet her on a date and it’s a big guy named Bruno with brass knuckles? Said “gal” asks you to buy her random shit, train ticket, etc. and she never shows? Has anyone in the history of time ever fallen for this? I am well aware of our collective shortcomings as a species, but I would love to meet someone who went the whole hog with this. The scambaiter stuff isn’t as funny as people who fall for the most inane scams. I’m sure if you’re into the mail-order bride thing, there are resources available to help one figure out the reputable (?) sources… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/37 "2006-02-08T10:06:54Z")
Apparently, it’s almost impossible to sell a mobile phone or laptop on [ebay.co.uk](http://ebay.co.uk) now as a Buy It Now auction, because of Nigerian scammers; it’s also getting harder to find non-scam listings for certain types of item, again, including laptops and mobile phones and also iPods . ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/38 "2006-02-08T10:09:36Z")
‘Sweethearting’, in my experience, refers to retail staff allowing their friends to steal from the store, by putting items through the till at a low price, or just putting them in the bag without charging. Not sure if that’s what **Measure for Measure** is referring to; sounds like it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/39 "2006-02-08T10:11:34Z")
Actually, didn’t we have someone on the boards here talking about an online contact claiming to be a rich law enforcement officer and offering to pay off mortgages, give away sports cars etc…? Anyone got the link? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873/40 "2006-02-09T07:27:51Z")
In the old days, they were called lonely hearts scam. Here are 2 variants: 1. Male victim: Through the personals section of the newspaper (in another city), obtain address of mark. Send letter. Send signed photos of the young attractive one. Obtain gifts. Somehow a face to face doesn’t happen. Then, tragidy: an accident occurs or somebody in the family falls ill: oddly enough, a little money will cover things. Finally, there comes the Dear John letter. If the guy is persistent at this point he might finally make the trip, at which point he meets (say) one [Susanna Mildred Hill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_Mildred_Hill), a middle aged woman who graciously introduces herself as the mother of the woman who had just run off with a salesman. She’s very sympathetic and is willing to talk things over. Say, John, you wouldn’t happen to have any money would you? Mrs. Hill swindled hundreds of men this way. 1. Female Victim: Prince Charming is airplane pilot and rather dashing fellow. After a whirlwind romance the wealthy mark of a certain age agrees to marry. This gives access to funds. Prince Charming turns into a toad and finally leaves town with cash. Often the victims are too embarrassed to contact the authorities. **And now the internet** Using online personal ads, strike up an international relationship. Exchange gifts, remember birthdays. Then, accident strikes… * * * Sweetheart scams by far do the most damage, as they tend to prey on those in a vulnerable state to begin with. * * * Incidentally, a lot of these scams don’t work because the con artist is clever. They work because the scammer pushes certain emotional buttons ($145,000,000 can be yours or I love you more than anything in the world), so that the mark sets aside his or her better judgment. It’s not so much a clever trick as a jamming of our perceptions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scammers/341873.md?page=3)