Having a little fun with a scammer

[akimartymar]

I got a nice email a few days ago from someone claiming they wanted to buy some of my prints. Of course I find that somewhat amusing since he also asked for my website address to choose which images he wanted. Kinda funny how someone would want to buy someone's artwork before ever seeing it. Anyway, I decided to mess with him a bit and act like I was buying it to see what kind of info I can get out of him. Here are some of the emails:

Hello,
My name is James Moore From Agro Trading Inc,I am interested in buying your Photography,i also want you to know that the payment will be remmited via Cashier Check Or Money Order.I will also like you to get back to me with Your webiste so i can confirm if i am right.
Regards
Agro Trading Inc

Hello Martin,
Thanks for the mail and understanding i quite appreciate it,Below are the photos Titles Needed.
Photo 4
Photo 6
Photo 8
Photo 1
Do get back to us with the total cost all.Size 20x30.Kindly get back us with the name to be on the check and your full contact address and your direct phone number.
Regards
Agro Trading Inc

Hi Martin,
Dont worry about the shipping cost, I will arrange for that.
Regards

From: "Martin Alston" <>
To: agrotrading007@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Images Selected
Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 10:21:36 -0500

Also, I need a shipping address so that I can calculate shipping for a total. Thanks.

How about everyone from this forum start emailing this idiot asking if he wants to buy some of their art also. LOL!!!

[Daniel Bates]

No thanks, I'd prefer to keep my email address mostly spam free... :)

[akimartymar]

I hear you. He already has mine so I figured what the heck, I'll mess with him a bit.

[engstrom]

Martin, if you want any ideas on how to mess with him try this site:

http://www.419eater.com/html/hall_of_shame.htm

[Michelle Allmon]

yeah, i love that site. the trophies are the best.

[akimartymar]

Still been messing with this guy. He asked for my address to send payment and I gave his a BS addy. Of course the idiot could have just gotten it off my website or at least verified it but didn't. Here's his last email where he thinks he's really got me. LOL!!!
Hello Martin,
My Associates confirmed me that the payment have been issued and mail to you which will be deliver to you in few days now.
My Associate further confirm me that his Secetary issued out $4000 instead of $2000 but I have assured my Associate of safety of his money.As soon
as you have confirm the payment,deduct your money and send send the remaining balance to my Associate.
I will provide you with all needed information and arrangement once needed to complete this transaction.
I wish you and your family have a wonderful weekend and Let me know as soon as the payment is received by you.
I am waiting to read back from you.

Agro Trading Inc

[zeroendless]

My Associate further confirm me that his Secetary issued out $4000 instead of $2000 but I have assured my Associate of safety of his money.As soon
as you have confirm the payment,deduct your money and send send the remaining balance to my Associate.

Poor thang, so you gonna send them back the money right? LOL. Hey, it's the Christian thing to do.

[Dobick]

For those of you that do not know -- this is a real scam which can cause big problems. They will send you a check to the address that you provide, and in all cases of this scam will have inadvertently made it for over the amount originally agreed to, and you will in most cases be able to cash that check at any bank. After the checks starts its journey through the banking system, it will soon come up as a counterfeit check. The bank that you cashed this at will not be able to collect the funds on the check, and will now come to you to retrieve funds. If you have the funds, and have yet to send anything in excess back, then no harm no foul, you just give the bank back the balance of the check, and all is good, but for people that get to this point unaware, they end up being taken advantage of. Personally, I would avoid interaction with these folks at all cost.

[BigBlueDodge]

Oh yeah, I've seen this several times, and like you I like to play around with them.

Tell him, that you received is money, and that you accidentally sent him $3000 back in a money order in error. Tell him that once he receives the money, to have him send you back $1000 that you overpaid.

[babybluetx23]

ROFL! Your TERRIBLE bigblue but I like the way you think! hahahah

[akimartymar]

My wife records Oprah and watches it in the evenings and today's show was about this same stuff. People getting scammed through the emails. It was pretty crazy what some people were willing to do for people they never met.

[Aric C. Hoek]

Have you seeen the one where they paint pieces of paper black? The story is thta the black paper is actually cash and they have painted it black to get it through customs. Once through, they sell you a solution for 50K to wash off the black ink leaving the money. Of course there is a demonstration on one of the dollars, and there is actually a dollar bill, but the rest of the paper is just black paper.

[Al Buckner]

I think you should tell him that you will send the pictures and his overpayment money as soon as your bank confirms the check has cleared through the banking system.

Then see what his reply is!

[anoldsock]

All the more reason to wait for checks to clear before continuing with any transaction.

Man, things like this make me cautious about people on sites like craigslist and ebay, but you never know who you can trust.

[akimartymar]

Yeah, on Oprah they had a woman who got piad from a scammer through Paypal like many people on Ebay do. You would think that since funds had be deposited into your account that you would be good right? Wrong. This scammer had used a stolen credit card and once Paypal found out the funds were deducted from her account.