419 Scammer thinks I’m bait

Just the other day I received a txt message from someone who wanted to buy my car. They obviously saw the ad online. They were requesting ‘more information’ via email, even though the ad I put online provides as much detail as one would need. I didn’t suspect anything at first, and I replied to the email. However, as soon as I got the first reply, it became very very clear that this was the beginning of what’s known as a ‘419’ or ‘advance fee fraud’ scam from a Nigerian based fraudster. I’ve seen these before, and anyone who works in the Internet industry, as I do, will be very familiar with the tactics of these guys. I decided I’d have some fun. What follows is the email thread to date, between myself and the scammer, Davis (or is it Jason, or maybe Mark). Hopefully this continues on for a while – I’d like to waste as much of his time as possible to see how stupid he is, and to avoid him contacting other people who may not be as wise to his tactics as I am.

Enjoy !

*** UPDATE – The email thread below has been updated to include all correspondence to date. Davis seems to have gone a little quiet so I’ve promted him again, this time by providing a fake address to try to lure him him. ***

From: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>
Date: Jun 27, 2007 8:40 AM
Subject: Re: Information on BMW
To: Mark Stanley
Hello,
I am so happy you got back to me.. that shows how serious you want to sell this to me and please I want you to consider it sold to me…
According to the Car.. I am ok with the details i got and I am willing to buy it for your last asking price….
If you care to know what I do…
I am into buying and selling of used Car… I repair them and make them look more attractive for my customers.. I am based in the UK, north london to be precise… But now.. I plan expanding my chain of business by coming down here to west africa… I have been here for a while now and the business is moving on well here as I make more profits .. So, I will be needing the Car here in africa…So, thats the main reason why I wont be coming to view it.. but like I told you, I am ok with the details….
My Method of payment will be by Cheque which will clear in 3 to 5 days.. I have my own personal shipping agent who will take care of the shipment after the cheque has cleared into your account….
So let me hear back from you then I can proceed with the payment…
Davis

——————————-

From: Mark Stanley
Subject: Re: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>

Hi Davis,

Congratulations on the setup of your new business. It sounds like you are really doing well and it’s great to hear that you are expanding into Africa from the UK – something I’m sure a lot of UK car businesses would like to do due to the large car market in West Africa.

This arrangement sounds acceptable to me on the understanding that I get the cheque first and have it cleared before your agent comes to collect the car. Can you confirm that this will be the case ? Also, it would be preferable for me to recieve the payment via PayPal rather than by cheque. Can you arrange for this ? If this is not possible, a cheque will be ok.

One small note – since I sent you my most recent email providing information on the car, it has unfortunatly lost one of its wheels. It now only has three wheels, which may cause a slight problem for your shipping agent when trying to load it onto the truck for deliver to you. However, I do have some spare wheels from a horse cart that I own and I would be happy to help your shipping agent put one of these spare wheels on the car to assist in the transportation. If this presents any problems for you, please let me know and I will try to make alternative arrangements.

Please get in touch to let me know how we proceed from here.

Thanks in advance,

-Mark

PS: Your email address seems to suggest that your name is Jason. Is it Davis or Jason ? Thanks

———————————-

From: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>
Date: Jun 27, 2007 9:33 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: Mark Stanley
Hello Mark…
Thanks for understanding my kind of business…
Well as for the pay pal thing… am sorry I caant make that work… as I can pay you with is the cheque and I hope you agree to that…And as or the wheel thing, my agents will definately work something out once they get to you…. all you just need to do is just make sure you keep it well for me ok? and as for the name thing, i ttold you i just came into africa… and this is a riends email address in my name.. So you just call me daviis ok?
Am sorry if that confuses you… sorry about that…

So here is what you will have to do for me now to enable my client in UK issue out the cheque as soon as possible ok?
Fill out this form below..

YOURS NAMES….
ADDRESS…..
PHONE NUMBER…..
LAST ASKING PRICE….

And moreover, the amount that will be on the cheque will be the money for your the Car and shipping/freight plus the ticket costs to and from your place down here … Once you get the cheque lodged into your account and it clears.. you will now deduct your last asking price and the remaining balance will be sent to the shipping agent through WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER… for the pick up of the Car from your end..
Its as straight as that I hope you get that?
Thanks once more for your co-operation..
Mark….

——————-

From: Mark Stanley
Date: Jun 28, 2007 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>

Hi Jason, or is it Davis, or is it Mark ? (you signed your last email ‘Mark’ which now has me a little confused).

I am pleased that the small issue of ‘three wheels on my wagon’ does not present a big problem for you. I’m also satisfied with the details of the payment arrangement as outlined by you. My only concern is that I have not met you and I would be nervous about doing a financial transaction with someone I have never met before. To make me feel better about this, would it be possible for you to send me a photo of yourself, and your shipping agent for security reasons ? If possible, please ensure that this is one photo with both you and your shipping agent in the one photograph. Since you probably have the same fears about buying a car from someone you have never met, please find attached a photo of me with my favourite daily newspaper.

Once you have sent me this photo, I will be happy to send you my details and we can proceed from there.

Just one small thing. Since I am still driving the car in question, it is going to be subject to the normal wear and tear of daily use. This will continue until such time as we can agree to a deal. Unfortunatly this has resulted in a slight problem since we last spoke via email – the cart-wheel that I put on the car in replacement for the original wheel that fell off, has now fallen off in turn. However, there is no need to be concerned as I have sourced another wheel from a tractor suppliers in Ballymuckbackwards just down the road from me, and I have replaced the missing cart-wheel with this new tractor wheel. It’s not exactly ideal but the car is running fine with it. I suspect that this will not present a problem for you, and we can continue with the deal.

Like I said, I look forward to hearing from you with the photo of you and your shipping agent, and hopefully we can continue with the transaction soon after.

Thanks in advance,

-Mark

——————————————
From: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>
Date: Jun 29, 2007 12:35 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: Mark Stanley

Hello Mark…
am sorry… thee ark that I signed with in the last mail was your name… I mmeant you name… never meant to conuse you….
Well, as for the pictures, I am sorry I dont have any picture with me and my agents together.. Like I tod yyou, they work for me and we dont have any pictures together… as I am even mailing you now they are not around, they have both gone to poland to pick up sone vehicles for me… they shall be back in like 15 days from now…. But if you dont mind, here is a picturre of mine… at the AFIQUE COTOU.. its a resort center here…
I hop this has helped… so I will be waiting for your details if you still wish to sell to me…
Thannks…
davis.

——————————————
From: Mark Stanley
Date: Jun 29, 2007 12:37 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>

Hi Davis,

You did not seem to attached the photo of yourself. Please try again.

Thanks

-Mark

——————————————
JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>
Date: Jun 29, 2007 12:42 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: Mark Stanley

Am sorry couldnnt attach it… I hope you get to see it now….

Thannks…
davis.

——————————————
JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>
Date: Jun 30, 2007 8:51 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: Mark Stanley

Mark…
What seems to be the problem…. are you not selling to me anymore… Let me know what the problem is ok

——————————————
Mark Stanley
Date: Jul 5, 2007 3:12 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>

Hi Davis,

No problem. I’ve just come back from a few days holiday. I’m off again in the morning for the weekend but will be back early next week. I’m still very much hoping we can conclude this deal. I am still holding the car for you. It has not been driven for the last few days since I’ve been away, so it is in good condition for you.

I’ll be in touch early next week so we can progress this.

In the meantime, would you mind sending me your full name, address and phone number for my records ?

Thanks,

-Mark

——————————————
JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>
Date: Jul 6, 2007 11:16 AM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: Mark Stanley

Hello….
You still have not provided me with your details… and I have given you some infos about myself… is this a kind of gme or what? you can go if you are not serious in selling..

——————————————
Mark Stanley
Date: Jul 8, 2007 8:31 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>

Hi Davis,

I am still keen to conclude this deal with you, but simply request that you provide me with the same details about yourself as you are requesting from me. Is this not acceptable to you for some reason ?

Thanks

-Mark

——————————————
Mark Stanley
Date: Jul 10, 2007 6:48 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>

Hi Jason,

I have not heard back from you and now I have someone else who is interested in my car. Funnily enough it is a fellow Nigerian – the good Rev.Nicholas Okorie. Do you know him ?

Anyway, since you offered me my asking price first I am willing to hold on to the car for you. Please reply as soon as possible to let me know you are still interested and that your shipping agent is ready to roll. Also please confirm your name and address, and phone number for my records.

Thanks and I hope you continue to be well.

-Mark

——————————————
JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>
Date: Jul 11, 2007 5:21 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: Mark Stanley

I am no more interested.. thanks…

——————————————
Mark Stanley
Date: Jul 11, 2007 6:29 PM
Subject: YOUR DETAILS NOW PLEASE….
To: JASON PETERS <davissamuel84@yahoo.com>

ok Thanks Jason/Davis/Mark.

Was it taking too much effort ? Taking too many emails to get me to send you the Western Union transfer you were ultimately going to ask me to send ? Was I not responding to you fast enough, or did you smell a rat ? A rat like yourself maybe ?

I will sell the car to the most Rev Nicholas Okorie so. Maybe. If he existed. And maybe if he does, he’ll understand that it’s impossible to put a cart wheel on a car. And that my photo looks a lot like the guy off Naked Camera:
www.rte.ie/tv/nakedcamera/

Have a nice day. And best of luck trying to SCAM other people. It was never going to work with me.

Rot in hell sucker.