900 emails? That’s inhuman. I really am wondering if you’re dealing with a clever LLM bot who has all the time in the world to waste with you and countless other victims.
No idea. Though I’ve seen scambaiters (both video and email) doing this before ChatGPT came along. Just ask @Mangetout.
I haven’t seen any evidence yet that email scammers are using AI - I don’t think they have the resources to do that (and my experience of LLMs is that they write better prose than scammers)
Just made a third. This time a mobile deposit complete with check image. (Story:my check printing software can output a check image that can be read my a bank’s mobile deposit software). The idiot wanted it sent to a credit union in Orange County but gave me the SWIFT code for a credit union in Orange, Australia. (He did specify an address in Orange County)
The idiot finally responded, claiming the money is not yet in the account. (No shit, Sherlock.)
Here’s the original receipt.
Here’s the confirmation I just sent.
He’s not being an idiot there; that’s another scammer technique in use since the check kiting days.
He’s still being an idiot. He thinks it’s a real check this time.
He’s claiming the bank has told him it will take two more days. (Why is the bank telling him rather than the money mule?) I’ve told him that there’s no reason for a delay unless the bank is playing games. He said not to worry as he’s saw the confirmation and he’ll get back to me when the money clears.
Either he believes it’s real(confirming he’s an idiot) or he’s trying to save face.
Just got a phone call from an unknown number and answered anyway; I’m expecting a call from a delivery driver. Instead it was a woman with an accent just barely in the understandable range and (the real tip-off) a very high background noise level, like a large room with many conversations.
She had my first name right and told me I’d been identified as having been involved in crimes such as money laundering.
Too early for anything really creative, so I just said, “OK, you’ve got me. I always knew this day would come. When are you coming for me? Will there be handcuffs involved?” She hemmed and hawed a little, and I added, “is the jail well heated, or should I put on some more clothing?”
Nothing more. Just the background hub-hub. I said bye and hung up - then turned around to see the astonished face of my 12-year-old daughter. I had some fast reassuring to do. (No worries. She’s appreciating the joke now.)
Now he’s complaining it’s been three days and he hasn’t seen the payment. Asking if it’s real this time.
Another one is saying that I must have experience in finance since I’m a retired airflow engineer. I pointed out that it’s airflow, nor cashflow.
I do understand sir that you are an airflow engineer.
What I really mean is that as a person who is a professional, handling money or cash is not new to you.
Just because I’m a professional anything doesn’t equate to financial competency.
The victim of a professional airflow engineer won’t even hear the whoosh.
Check if you really make this transfer because since four good days we couldn’t receive your payment or do you make fake payment as you did before.I want let you know that what ever we are doing here is real .fake is not accepted.if this is fake I will never forgive you again .thanks
send all prove of this payment to my office.ok
I sent you my bank’s confirmation that the check was paid. Now it’s your turn to provide me proof from your bank that the money was never deposited.
He’ll likely refuse but I’m hoping for some shitty Photoshop.
He finally came through. He sent a video of a phone screen displaying a “bank statement”. It looks like a generic invoice form, turned sideways with a single transaction that doesn’t look at all like a bank statement. Blurred, too. The only thing that’s legible is the PNC logo on the top. Trouble is, he had me send the payment to the Orange County’s Credit Union.
I also had to explain to him what a cancelled check is.
He’s accused me of sending a fake payment(he’s right about that) and still thinks he’s going to get real money at some point.
In other scammers- A few days ago, I got one of those over-the-top religious types about bring Christ to orphanages and that “the Lord has led me to contact you”, etc.
My answer-“Religion and Christian schools are a blight on the Earth.”
Her:
Hello Peter Mosse ,
Thank you for your prompt reply to my offer. I must say that I am glad that you are willing to deal with this project. I know I will honor God’s name on his throne.
In fact, we have never seen each other before, but I believe that my contact with you is not wrong, but the direction of the Almighty God.
I swear, half these idiots don’t actually read(or don’t understand) the responses and just copy-paste the next step.
Anyone else think a Sgt. can be the Commander of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Syria?
I didn’t think so.
Sgt. Fury could!
The sparring has continued. After dozens of demands that his bank send me a statement that the deposit hasn’t been made(in the meanwhile, he’s been claiming his bank is investigating mine) I finally got this.
To who it concern.
Orange county
Credit union
To Mr peter Moses.
We want inform you that the money you post to our bank did not reflect over two weeks ago.and we have two of your receipt one was on 17-04-2023 and second receipt was on 25-04-2023.on behave of orange county credit union we ask you to go your bank and post the money or revise it back to avoid making fake payment to DHL office because the manager of DHL came to the bank every day and ask us of payment you sent to get insurance permit on your behave.because if it is fake payment F.B.I will come after you.
I just sent this, I don’t know if I’ll hear back over the weekend.
I got an email from some impostor claiming to be Orange County CU.
Who have you been blabbing to?
Peter Mosse
Everyone’s probably seen this one from CNN - but for people checking scams, I’m saving it here just in case, which involved (according to the parties targeted) a rather sophisticated vocal copying and threats to a daughter involving rape and transportation out of the country:
IMHO it seems to me to be a little too perfect, but I may just be extra suspicious, and if it does turn out to be just an attention getting story, it still applies, just in a slightly different way.
Okay, I got an online message that just screams scam. But I’m trying to figure out why it’s directed at me.
I’m on Facebook. Back on 2020, I posted a message on a friend’s Facebook page, wishing him and his wife a happy anniversary. That was the entire post “Happy Anniversary”.
Today somebody responded to that post. Supposedly a college student living in California, whose name I have never heard of. She posted
Hi (my real name redacted) how’re you doing today I hope you’re having a wonderful time
Do you mind sending me a friend requests
Followed by some heart emojis.
I’m enough of a realist to know that co-eds are not seeking me out online. Or elsewhere. I don’t know if this person wants to sell me an extended warranty for my car or is a serial killer looking for their next victim but I won’t be sending any friend requests their way.
But I’m trying to figure out what it was about this short three year old post that made some scammer decide to try to hook me via it. You’d think a scammer would at least try to use recent posts.
This showed up in the “Legals” section of today’s local birdcage liner:
SECOND PUBLIC NOTICE
To Lien debtor [Name]. There has been an Administrative Judgement entered against you in which you have stipulated to. You have been given multiple opportunities to satisfy this debt amount by paying one hundred million dollars in functional currency to Secured Party Creditor [Name]. You are now in default on this debt. You have until May 25th 2023 to satisfy the principal of this debt or interest, costs, and additional fees will be added to the principal.
[“IPL” number]
[Date]
(BTW, admittedly I only scan the classifieds; still, I’m pretty sure that a previous notice of this type would have caught my eye.)
I assume this is a scam, I’m simply curious as to its nature. Best WAG is that it’s some kind of long con whose goal is to establish a lien on someone in order to seize their assets; but phrasing like “in which you have stipulated to” and “functional currency” suggest it’s the product of a Sovereign Citizen All-purpose Lien Generator™. Any insights?