Hmmm... Some one is trying to rip me off methinks

[MHD]

Seems like some one is trying something strange...

check out this email:

Hello,
Thanks for your mail.Please i want to make the payment for this (landscape prints) as soon as possible.I am okay with your price for the ( landscape prints)of mine in united state (u.s) to make the payment to you as soon as possible so, i will insruct him to send this money to you with a cheque so, that he can make the payment to you and all you will need to do immediately you receive the payment is that you will deduct your price for the (landscape prints) and send the remaining balance via western union money transfer to the international shipping company that will be taking care of the shipment of the (landscape prints ) for me,Please i want you to get back to me with your full name.phone number and address where you want the cheque to be send to,i can ontact the shipping company to contact you as soon as possible about this deal ,please i look forward to see your mail,so that we can conclude this deal.
Regards

can anyone else make any sense out of this?

[sirhc55]

Good God - looks like someone trying very hard to write in English without any knowledge.

MHD - do you have prints up for sale on the internet?

Chris

[MHD]

yes... through http://www.progalleries.com.au

I put an add in a few local web based classifieds (free) that point to the site...

(didnt expect this to work well... but it was almost zero effort...)

it reeks of a semi automated email response to me....

[stubbsy]

MHD

reads a bit like one of the Nigerian scams

[birddog114]

yes... through http://www.progalleries.com.au

I put an add in a few local web based classifieds (free) that point to the site...

(didnt expect this to work well... but it was almost zero effort...)

it reeks of a semi automated email response to me....

It works and taken risks like this!beware Scott!

[MHD]

indeed... In his latest emails he is insisting I send him my address and phone number... Which is really stupid as if he investigated a bit further he would find them online!! Or in the signature I use in my email...

Interesting targeting some one from a classified ad... the untargeted spam must be missing the mark these days...

[MHD]

Indeed Birddog... My latest reply was a polite but firm "no thanks"

[birddog114]

indeed... In his latest emails he is insisting I send him my address and phone number... Which is really stupid as if he investigated a bit further he would find them online!! Or in the signature I use in my email...

Interesting targeting some one from a classified ad... the untargeted spam must be missing the mark these days...

Next one will ask you to send him the D70 and G1227LVL, cos he wants to know which devices created those pics

[genji]

it is something similair to the nigerian email scam. Some of the other forums i visit always mention this scam at least once per week.

i guess, just ignore it.

genji

[gstark]

While it looks sus, they don't seem to be asking you for any money, which is the usual story for scams.

What do the headers of the email look like? Do the IP addresses correspond with where this person says they are? How many relays were involved in getting the email to you?

Does this person's email address look legit? Open a dummy Yahoo account and try to send them a test message. If it bounces, then you'll know the email address is fake. If not ... go back to your real email address and ask for clarification of this message.

[phillipb]

Definetly a scam, you can play along as long as you don't give out any personal information. They will soon stop bugging you when you don't play their game.

[MHD]

email not legit at all... its a linuxmail.org email...

Its the cheque thing that gets me... In his latest email... which is as confusing as the first he wants me to give my (lanscape prints) (I dont know which ones!!!) to a delivery "agent" and he wants my

,NAME ,PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS YOU WAN'T THE CHEQUE TO BEEN SENT TO

There is not a way on this planet, even if the email is legit, that I am accepting a cheque from an international buyer...

[birddog114]

email not legit at all... its a linuxmail.org email...

Its the cheque thing that gets me... In his latest email... which is as confusing as the first he wants me to give my (lanscape prints) (I dont know which ones!!!) to a delivery "agent" and he wants my

,NAME ,PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS YOU WAN'T THE CHEQUE TO BEEN SENT TO

There is not a way on this planet, even if the email is legit, that I am accepting a cheque from an international buyer...

MHD,
Do you want a cheque to be sent to you from the BofA (Bank Of Amrecia), I can write you a cheque with US$20k on it and post me a print heheheheh!!!!
I still have few BofA check books here which I closed the account three years ago.

[Onyx]

You could try pulling a p-p-p-powerbook on him.

[JordanP]

I would just tell him to check the details I sent as he could simlpy pay by credit card. ... and then confirm that the asking price was $4000 US..



hehehe

[lukeo]

if he continues to annoy block his email address, or even the whole @linuxmail.org domain.

[Greg B]

It is clearly one of the Nigerian scam variations, they send you a cheque, you are supposed to deduct your money and send the rest to somewhere else.

Any time you are asked to negotiate a cheque, keep some proceeds and send some elsewhere IT IS A SCAM. You could look at it through rose coloured glasses a metre thick, and it would STILL BE A SCAM.

Here is just one example of this exact scam

http://www.britisharts.co.uk/artistsbeware.htm

Are we clear people? SCAM.

[Matt. K]

Greg. B
It's OK! I recently sold them the Mona Lisa for $ 5000.

[Raydar]

:) I would just tell him to check the details I sent as he could simlpy pay by credit card. ... and then confirm that the asking price was $4000 US..



hehehe

I would be something like this myself.
Make shore you have his cash money in your hand before you ship the prints mate.
That way you can’t get ripped off.

Sounds a little suss to me!!!!!!!!

Cheers
Ray

[atencati]

This is a scam that has been floatin in the US for about 2 years now. They will send you a check, money order, or some such payment. It will be counterfeit but by the time the bank gets around to figuring it out the guy will be long gone with your money. And , because you posted the bad check you are held liable for it. No money back......My advice, play along. Have him send the check but tell him your address is the police station. Get the name of someone in the fraud unit and have it addressed to him/her. Might be funny to see what happens



A

[Nnnnsic]

Provided the cop at the isn't an idiot themself.

[boxerboy]

Surely it couldn't be a scam - he even offers to use Western Union!

[MHD]

and again

Dear Seller.
I am intrested in buying your Quality prints , but before we can proceed on this transsaction,i will like you to confirm to me if you receive American certified cashier check. Also to inform you that my shipping agent will be coming for pick up at your location. what is the
Final cost, so i can proceed to make payment and when repling forward your Direct phone number for easy communication.

Regards,
Carlos.....

Well I did not expect this...

How bloody annoying!

[birddog114]

and again

Dear Seller.
I am intrested in buying your Quality prints , but before we can proceed on this transsaction,i will like you to confirm to me if you receive American certified cashier check. Also to inform you that my shipping agent will be coming for pick up at your location. what is the
Final cost, so i can proceed to make payment and when repling forward your Direct phone number for easy communication.

Regards,
Carlos.....

Well I did not expect this...

How bloody annoying!

Hi Mr MHD.
You're engaged with those services and now about 100 of Mr Carlos (nice guys) will visit you all the time. I never trust those agents or services.

[BBJ]

All very suss hey, i would be carefull. Only yesterday i got an email from westpak bank about my account details and i am not even with them and have seen this on the news on tv before. so i just block and bounce it back to the sender.

I use a program called Mail Washer Pro, it runs all the time and i can see what email is sitting on the server for me without actually downloading to my computer via email program.
I can block isp's etc... I use this because being on broadband for a long time now and running my server and there are a lot of people hijacking email addies from websites i was getting upto 15 to 20 odd viruses sent to me a day, now i am lucky if i see 1 a week which i delete from the server and only allow ones in my friends or what i choose to download from the server.

Cheers
John