A Look Inside Internet Scams

If you're one of the thousands of people that have fallen victim to the tragedy of identity theft or fraud in some way, you're not alone. The good news is the word is beginning to spread how to avoid scams or how to avoid having your id stolen.

The set up for my story was easy, attempt to trap the counterfeiters; find out how they operate, what they say, how they address emails etc. If possible get the information on who they are and turn them into the police from whatever Country they are in.

I decided to run an ad on Craiglist. My ad consisted of a pickup that I was attempting to sell. I have heard rumors that Craiglist gets many scams, from prostitutes using it to pull tricks, to scams, and people wanting to marry and move to the United States. It became clear the rumors were true, within hours I received email replies. One person was local, so I had to brush him off. The other four were people from outside the United States. I chose the first email; it was only fair since he beat everyone else getting his email in first. I had two people that said they were in the U.K., two from Canada, one of the two Canadians stated he was a British citizen just living in Canada. This is the person I chose. Here are the exact emails and words of all our discussions from this transaction.

Him:

Craig.alexander22@yahoo.ca

Email header - 1999 Red Silverado

"Hello, I'm Mr. Alexander Craig, I'm a British citizen, but live in Canada; I came across your advert on Craigs list and am highly interested in purchasing the 1999 red Silverado which you offer for sale. Due to the fact that its been a long time have been searching for it, Please I want you kindly get back to me as soon as possible with the necessary answers to the question below."

1. "Are you the first owner?"
2. "The present condition?"
3. "How long have has it been yours?"
4. "Who did you buy it from?"
5. "and your final asking price?"
6. "and why have you decided to sell it?"

"And I will also like you to send me pictures (I had already listed one picture in the ad) to enable me view what I intend to purchase and I will like you to know that my form of payment is through a usps money order. I await your urgent response so that we can proceed further."

"Note: Please I want you to get back to me with your final asking price."

"Most sincerely"

"Alexander Craig."

At this point I wasn't sure if it was a scam or not, the questions he asked surprised me, yet at the same time I still thought it could be the scam I was looking for. He matched the criteria of being out of the United States. I decided to respond and see what happens.

Me:

"Mr. Craig"

"Here is the best answers I have."

1. "Are you the first owner?"

"Second owner, the first belonged to an old farmer who died. The truck had less than 35,000 when I bought it."

1. "The present condition?"

"In excellent shape. There is some scratches on the side, I attempted to take a pic, but the sun kind of hid it, and it was hard to separate the scratches from the dirt Lol.

I had just got back from the mountains."

"The scratches are not very noticeable and run a little bit from the extended back door to the tire, but are not much. Almost like being keyed, but not. And I believe that 50% can be buffed out, but I have not tried. Tires are new, pretty soon it needs oil changed 500 miles or so and the power steering fluid will need changed - drained and changed."

1. "How long has it been yours?"

"I bought it I believe in 2005, but possibly late 2004. I can't remember."

1. "Who did you buy it from?"

"A local car dealership, which at that time included a 3 year service warranty that was not used."

1. "and you final asking price?"

"I really hope for the $6000.00 I had listed at $8000.00 because it had low mileage. I however because of the scratch can deduct $250.00 so the price would be $5750.00."

1. "and why have you decide to sell it?"

"I love my truck and regret selling it. I wish I could keep it. I have two vehicles and am planning to move to the city and there is only room for one vehicle, so I chose the car. Easier to park. I will tell you that the truck gets excellent miles for a 350 engine. I have taken it on many trips and love it."

"Pics attached."

Him:

Email header

"Concerning my payment and shipping arrangement"

"Hello Troy Prouty"

"Thanks for your quick response, well everything sounds fine, and I guess that the 1999 red Silverado is in good condition and I am okay with the price $6000.00 and I will be willing to offer you $6100.00 for it. And I will want you to keep all other buyer's off and also delete the advert from the web-site."

"Concerning payment my client will issue you a usps money order, since I don't have the fund in your currency. For convenient and easy transaction, I have a liable shipping agent who'd be responsible for the pick up as soon as you receive payment for the 1999 red Silverado. I will therefore need the following information of yours to forward my client before he sends the money order"

"Name in full"

"address in full"

"city"

"state"

"country"

"zip code"

"home phone number"

"I await your urgent response"

"Thanks"

"Alexander Craig"

Once again I still wasn't sure if this was a scam, yet I wondered why someone would pay more than I asked? But I thought about at times I did something similar on Ebay to make sure I won the item I wanted. I continued hoping I had something here.

Me:

I sent him the information he requested. My full name, address, city, state, country, zip code, and home number.

Him:

Email header

"Keep all buyers off.."

"Thanks for your mail, I will like you know everything is in progress I will send you another mail first thing tomorrow morning okay"

The next day came and went with no email from him, so I responded to his email.

Me:

"I'm still holding the truck for ya.. Let me know what is going on regarding the truck"

The next day he responded.

Him:

Email header :

"Agreement based on trust and understanding in this transaction"

"Hello Troy Prouty"

"Thanks for the reply and the information you sent and am very sorry I never did get back to you on time, I lost my very close friend and I am the one in position to handle his funeral arrangement that was why, will its all good, I want you to delete the advert from the web-site. Concerning payment I have just called my client now and he has said he will issue out a money orders of $78,000.00 to your contact address in which you will remove the asking price which is $6100.00 after cashing it at your bank, since it will be a money order and an extra $100.00 for your running around and then send the balance to the shipper via western union money transfer so that he will use for all his flight charges and for the insurance of the shipment when being shipped and also I would want you to do this for me because the shipper also has some other shipments of mine to handle for me in the state."

"I hope I can trust you on this? The information of the shipper will probably be sent alongside with the payment or when he is been assigns by his company for my shipments. I will notify you if he has sent the payment and he will contact you to confirm the details you gave to me, so that that there won't be any mistake."

"When sending payment. Looking forward to complete this transaction with you. Get back to me as soon as possible so that we can proceed with the transaction."

"Note: All western union charges and bank fee for cashing must be deducted from the shipping funds. Here is my full contact information."

"Alexander Craig"

"322 Sheppard"

"Avenue E Willowdale"

"Ontario M2J 5BS"

"Canada"

"I await your reasonable reply as soon as possible"

"Most sincerely"

"Alexander Craig"

At this point I knew for sure it was a scam. He had tried to make me feel more comfortable by including an address, I did not respond yet. The next day I received an email from the person that was suppose to purchase the truck, his name was Blair Kimberlie.

Blair Kimberlie's email:

Mr.blair_kim2@hotmail.com

Email header

"Issue regarding Mr. Alexander Craig Payment"

"Good day Troy Prouty"

"How are you doing and hope the family are all in good health, well am Mr.Blair Kimberlie, I was instructed by Mr. Alexander Craig to issue out payment to you which I believe will get to you soon by the special grace of god, but before I proceed I want you to read this following terms of mine and if it quite alright by you, before I send payment to you, I wouldn't want to be any form of misunderstanding over the transaction as it will lead to a loss for him which is my major concern, cause its been along time we have been doing business together, so I wouldn't want there to be any form of feud in our business, relationship, I hope you proceed straight to your bank as soon as you received the payment and get it cashed instantly, cause my bank made me understand that the payment can be cashed at the bank instantly with out any stress."

"Afterwards you are to remove your own money from it and send the balance to the shipping client the same day to enable him come over to your location for the pick up okay."

"Hope you are the real owner of this item, because I don't want to fall into the problem at the end of the day."

"Please let me know your feeling concerning this term is positive or negative to you, to enable us make certain wether the transaction will commence or not. Below is your full details which Mr. Alexander Craig fax to me; I want you to confirm if it's correct?"

At this point he listed my address and all information I had previously given Alexander Craig.

"I look forward to receiving your response as soon as possible"

"Sincerely"

"Blair Kimberlie"

It was very obvious to me that the scam was on, he had made note of the bank assuring him that payment could be immediately cashed, he also gave it away from stating the "same day after you cash the check, go to western union and send the money". Another sign was that the use of phrases like "Urgent Response," or "as soon as possible." I had little doubt that Blair Kimberlie and Alexander Craig were the same person. I found it interesting he made a reference to God. Although I don't have a problem with religion I found that a weird place to use a reference to God. "by the grace of God" I did know that scammers like using God, and church in their statements.

Me:

"No problem, I understand what I'm suppose to do"

The response stopped for a couple of days and I wondered if I had blew it with the short response. Then I received another email from Blair Kimberlie.

Blair Kimberlie:

Email header - "Payment Confirmation"

"Good Day Troy Prouty"

"How are today and how is everything generally, I guess fine. I really appreciate your understand in which you have rendered in this transaction and an very sorry I never did get back to you on time, I had some little problem with my internet connection that was why, so please don't be upset. I just want to update you on the payment I sent to you, I went to my bank on Friday which was Wednesday 07/25/08 and confirm the release of the payment to your full details that you provided, and I have sent the payment to the address which you confirm correct, so I would like you to make certain that you keep all other buyers off as the payment will be delivered to your location soonest."

"I will keep you updated on every necessary details pertaining to the delivery date and other information. Reply back so that I will know you got the payment confirmation update"

"Sincerely"

"Blair Kimberlie"

I didn't respond, I wanted to see what would happen next. The next day I received an email from Alexander Craig.

Alexander Craig email:

Email header "Payment is now on its way, please keep all buyers off"

"Hello Troy Prouty"

"How is the going and the family I hope they all in good health. Well am sorry for my late respond, I have been very busy with a whole lots of work at the office these few days that was why, well its all good, am sending you this mail regarding the delivery of my payment to you, and will like you to know that my payment his now on its way to your location, cause my client Mr. Blair Kimberlie called me 3 days ago and inform me that he got the payment sent out, so am very sure it will at your location as soon as possible by the special grace of God, so I want to you to please kindly be patient and hold on to my payment, I also want you to please keep all buyers off cause I can afford to loose the 1999 red Silverado to another buyer okay."

"I want you to get back to me if everything is okay by you"

"I await your urgent response"

"Best regards"

"Alexander Craig"

At this point he made a couple of big mistakes the first was that he used the same term "the family I hope they all in good health" like Blair Kimberlie's opening line, than he follows it up doing the same thing again with "by the special grace of God" Obviously through this whole process both Alexander Craig and Blair Kimberlie have poor Grammar, which indicates they are also the same person. Once again I did not respond; I wanted to see what would happen; if I would get a payment in the mail, day after day I checked and received nothing. Then I received another email from Alexander Craig.

Alexander Craigs email:

Email header "Update and Status of my Payment"

"Hello Troy Prouty,"

"How are you doing today and how is the family, I guess they all in good health, well am very sorry I never did update you upon the delivery of my payment to your location, it wasn't my intention, My wife and my first son had an fetal accident 07/30/08 on their way coming from church, so since then have been running around trying to make sure everything fine with them, cause they are the only family I have on earth for now, but tis all good, I give thanks to God for spearing their life, so that's why have not been able to update you upon the delivery of my payment, please don't be upset with me okay."

Again he used the same line that Blair used "How are you doing today and how is the family, I guess in good health", there was only a word difference between Blair and him.. Once again another reference to God, this time he also included a church in one of his statements. He continued to state things like "don't be upset with me okay" Blair Kimberlie also stated the same thing "please don't be upset".

Alexander Craigs email continues:

"Well I just want you to know that I just got off phone speaking to my client Mr.Blair Kimberlie and I was told by him that he got in touch with the postal service which he sent the payment through and was told that the payment was return due to incorrect address which he sent it to, and they have to returned the payment to him, and right now he made me understand he has sent out the payment to the correct address."

" So I want to let you knew that I am still very much interested in purchasing the 1999 red silverado from you, and I also mailed to inform you that am willing to offer you an extra $50.00 for your patient and for the delay that have caused, please kindly accept it with a good heart cause am giving it from my heart to show how serious I am with the purchase. And I will like you to know that the payment will be delivered to you this week by the special grace of God, so there is nothing to be worried about, I will also update you on how to get the transaction completed."

" Please I want you to get back to me so that I will know that you got my mail and also accept my apology and offer for the delay, I really appreciate your patient."

"N/B: Please I want you to make sure you check your daily mails that will be coming in from tomorrow Wednesday and I want you to notify me with an email as soon as you receive any payment okay"

"I await your urgent response"

"Alexander Craig"

Once again another reference to God, plus another bonus payment. Since I was still waiting payment I did not send him another email. The next day I received the cashier's check. I sent him the following email.

Me:

"I received the check today, so I will be dealing with it tomorrow"

The first thing I noticed was the envelope was brown, I had spent time in Africa and most if not all envelopes are often this color, rarely do we see these in the United States or Canada. The next thing I noticed was the stamps, I could easily tell they were from Africa. The envelope also contained no return address. It was very apparent that the letter was sent from Africa and not Canada. I then received another email from Alexander Craig.

Alexander Craig email:

Email head : "Shippers information for the wire transfer via western union"

"Hello Troy Prouty"

How are you doing today and how is the family, I hope they all doing fine. Well am very sorry for all the delay I might have caused you ok, please don't be upset with me, I did receive your mail stating that you have received my payment and am so happy about that, after 3 weeks on this same transaction, but its all good, I want you to proceed straight to your bank and get the check cashed instantly without any stress, and as soon as you're done that, you will also deduct your own money from it and an extra $150.00 for your running around in getting the remaining balance send to my shipper via western union money transfer today."

Another mistake; once again he crossed a phrase that Blair used "cashed instantly without any stress."

Back to the email from Alexander Craig.

"The funds sent will be used by my shipper to arrange for the pick up from your location I want him to come to your location very soon as time coincides with the shipments of my other goods which I purchased in the states. I called his company (shippers world clearing and forwarding) and I was told that he just got in to Nigeria yesterday to handle some export duties on behalf of a firm based there.

Finally his first reference to Africa, a huge give away for the scam. A large percentage of scams include some form of Nigeria, this is something that really gives the scam away. However I was curious about the shipping company, it rang a bell in my head. There is a company that ships to and from Africa called Shippers World and Forwarding, very close in wording just without Clearing. I never did check to see if "Clearing" was a part of the company title. It wasn't that important to me. I however was surprised he gave that information to me.

His email continues:

"Here is the shippers information which will be used to get the funds sent to him today:"

"Mr. Richard Williams"

"164 Ademola Adetokunboh Street"

"Victoria/Island Lagos"

"Nigeria 23401"

"Email Id: Shippers_assign_import_world_24@yahoo.com"

"after you have sent the money for shipment through western union, I will require the following details from you!"

1. "Senders name and address (your full name and address used in wiring the funds)"

2. "Receivers name (Mr. Richard Williams)"

3. "MTCN (money transfer control number)"

4. "Test question and answer Q: (who is Richard, ANS: My cousin)"

5. "amount sent"

6."A scanned copy of the western union receipt."

"Note: all charges to get the check cashed at your bank and all western union charges should be deducted from the amount that you will be sending to Mr. Richard Williams. I await your soonest response. This is because the shipper has to be in the states as soon as possible. Remember he also has some other of my goods to pick up together from your location."

"To pick up together from your location", this didn't seem possible since I live in a very small community.

Back to his email:

"He will be at your location in the next 24 hours upon the receipt of the funds via western union today, and don't forget to deduct the money I offered you to for your running around to get the transaction completed and also the delay."

"I will ask my shipper to contact you through his private email box (shippers_assign_import_world_24@yahoo.com) Concerning the shipping funds and all other shipping arrangement regarding the pick up at your resident. I await the transfer details from you as soon as you have sent the shipping funds to the shipper."

"Most sincerely"

"Alexander Craig"

The money order itself was not a bad copy, not the best I've seen, but I could see how some people could think it was real. The back looked very real with the faded print inside the check to make it seem real. The cashiers check I received was from U.S. Bank. I decided it would be wise to take it to the bank and confirm it a fake, and let them have a copy of it for their records. U.S. bank confirmed it a fake stating that on the bottom of the check it states "issued by: Moneygram payment systems inc PO BOX 9476, Minneapolis MN 55480." According to U.S. Bank they have not used Moneygram for a while, this was a dead give away.

Once it was confirmed fake, it was my turn to have some fun and see if I could advance a little further in getting information about Alexander Craig. I emailed Alexander Craig stating that I transferred the money; I did not include any of the things he asked for. I received an email from him, asking for the information he requested. I decided to ignore it. Before long the phone began to ring continually, call after call, I never answered it. I knew it was him. After about one hour of constant calling he left a message on my machine (Big Mistake), however he did not leave a phone number to reach him. I could tell right away from his accent that he was from Africa.

After letting some time pass, four hours or so, I sent him an email telling him I wanted in to his scamming. I told him with my help I could produce twice the money he currently makes, that I knew someone in Northern Idaho who can make a better copy of the cashiers check and that I could use an United States address to run the money through instead of Nigeria. All money would go through me. He became very excited and was emailing me attempting to set up a strategy. I played along for several days. I still couldn't get his real name and address. After failing at this task I decided to head to the FBI and speak to them directly about this.

When I spoke with a FBI agent, he stated that the FBI couldn't do anything about it because they will only touch scams that cost the victim $100,000.00 or more. They stated that most police departments wouldn't investigate any scam under $50,000.00. He stated that there are so many scams these days because of the internet that they just couldn't keep up. Despite the FBI reluctance, they did take the names and addresses I had on Alexander Craig and Blair Kimble from the emails along with a copy of the cashiers check.

A thought crossed my mind about the $100,000.00 and $50,000.00 limit, it bothered me, I thought that maybe the people that lose that much money could afford losing it, while people that lose only two or three thousand dollars might not have money to lose, because it is all they have to live on.

I never got back to Alexander Craig, although he continued to email me wanting to work together on scamming.

In conclusion, if something seems to good to be true, it probably is, be careful. Anything from outside the country beware. This does not include companies like Amazon and Ebay that have strict standards on those selling things even outside the United States. I have never been misled by either of those two companies.

Anything that states Nigeria is an instant give away and do not respond or do any deal with anyone that uses that in their communication with you. Look for contradictions in statements emailed to you, especially if there are two people involved in speaking with you. Anyone that says they are working for a client might be a dead give away as well.

Always check with the bank and ask them if this is counterfeit. Get the okay from the bank that the cashier's check is from; I prefer you go to them directly instead of your bank if possible.

Look at all correspondence that arrives from the U.S. post office; including the envelope and stamps. The FBI asked how I knew it was a fake check, I told them that the main give away was the stamps that were on the envelope, defiantly African.

Look at their Grammar in the email; this isn't always a give away, but does the flow of words seem okay?

BUT most of all; trust your instinct!!