an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
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OP
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7 |
I just received the following email from someone I know:
Really hope you get this fast. I could not inform anyone about my trip, because it was impromptu. Am stranded here in Manila, Philippines since last night. I was hurt and robbed on my way to the hotel I stayed and my luggage is still in custody of the hotel management pending when I make payment on outstanding bills I owe.
Please let me know if you can quickly help with a LOAN. I will refund the money back to you as soon as I get back home.
Greg
I know about this type of scam, so I phoned the person in question to verify (and, BTW, Greg is her husband, not her). She confirmed that the email was fake. She has an AOL email address and told me that her password was compromised. She is in the process of changing it.
Just thought I'd alert everyone in case they had forgotten this particular con.
Jon
macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4 |
Respond as follows:
Glad you got in touch. The ERT just got back to [Manila, or some place close by] and is looking for something to do before the next assignment. Let me know exactly where you are and we'll take care of the problem under the radar.
Etc, etc. Be creative.
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
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OP
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7 |
Jon
macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4 |
Emergency Response Team ~ SWAT. The point is to use a term which intimates special weapons and tactics abilities on the part of the "rescuers". Alternatively one could use the services of something on the order of organized crime or death squads in order to give the scammer the idea that he picked on the wrong mark.
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Sep 2009
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4 |
His "particular set of skills" is likely only cinematographic; the scammer might have seen the movie(s) and thus through the ruse. I like making it vague enough to be credible ~ worrisome ... at least to a dipstick like the originator of the scam.
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
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[i]Really hope you get this fast. I could not inform anyone about my trip, because it was impromptu. Am stranded here in Manila, Philippines since last night. I was hurt and robbed on my way to the hotel I stayed and my luggage is still in custody of the hotel management pending when I make payment on outstanding bills I owe. There are so many fun things you could do with this... IS THE PRODUCT SAFE??? You KNOW what will happen if any of it goes missing! I'll send some people to the hotel to make sure nothing disappears. Where are you right now? I'll send Miguel and Vlad over to pick you up ASAP
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15 |
How about I walk around the corner to the (Nigerian) Christ Apostolic Church (1st in the Americas) and pick up a certified check for you to send?
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
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"I'll wire the money to the local police percent for safe keeping, go pick it up, here's the address"
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4 |
"I'll wire the money to the local police percent for safe keeping, go pick it up, here's the address" Percent? Mayhap precinct. I'm guessing (read: fervently hoping) that you wrote that for effect, replicating the usual quasi-literate language of most scams. If not, please accept my apology and condolences.
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
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"I'll wire the money to the local police percent for safe keeping, go pick it up, here's the address" Percent? Mayhap precinct. I'm guessing (read: fervently hoping) that you wrote that for effect, replicating the usual quasi-literate language of most scams. If not, please accept my apology and condolences. I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorantt! See if yuor fdreins can raed tihs too.
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4 |
Methinks you're close to my vintage. That bit has been around since the '60s (what little I remember of them ).
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
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I was at the police station about a year ago because someone rented a car in Cincinatti using my credit card. The card company caught it right away but I was told to get a police report anyway and a guy came in all sweaty and said his administrative assistant had just wired $100,000 to Nigeria. How embarrassing! I think he made their day at the precinct.
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14 |
….a guy came in all sweaty and said his administrative assistant had just wired $100,000 to Nigeria. Gee, I wonder if his administrative assistant moved to Nigeria shortly thereafter.
ryck
"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers
iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4 OS Sonoma 14.4.1 Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4 |
….a guy came in all sweaty and said his administrative assistant had just wired $100,000 to Nigeria. Gee, I wonder if his administrative assistant moved to Nigeria shortly thereafter. Boko haram is targeting the wrong folk.
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
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….a guy came in all sweaty and said his administrative assistant had just wired $100,000 to Nigeria. Gee, I wonder if his administrative assistant moved to Nigeria shortly thereafter. if they were hiring, possibly. she was probably looking for work at that point.
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
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That seems the only place where her work history would be of value to a potential employer.
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14 |
Gee, I wonder if his administrative assistant moved to Nigeria shortly thereafter. if they were hiring, possibly. she was probably looking for work at that point. That seems the only place where her work history would be of value to a potential employer. ....or because the $100,000 she wired is waiting for her in a Nigerian bank.
ryck
"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers
iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4 OS Sonoma 14.4.1 Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
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Re: an old scam arises
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Joined: Aug 2009
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....or because the $100,000 she wired is waiting for her in a Nigerian bank. or a cut of it at least. "here's a little something for your trouble...." (though a cut of only 100k isn't really a good trade for that sort of trouble)
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
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