Examples of Suspected Fraud/Fake Emails

[PayPal_Adrian]

Hello everyone!

One of the greatest strengths consumers possess against fraud and phishing is education and collaboration.  To help support your safety online, I'm going to open this special thread up for you.  Here, you can post examples of what you believe to be attempts by individuals to defraud you or others of their hard earned valuables and money. 

Before we begin, a few housekeeping points:

• We will be using this as a "master thread," so if we find an example in other areas of the boards, we may merge the post into this one.

• For everyone's safety, please remove any last names or contact information (including email addresses) from your examples.  In many instances, the names provided by fraudsters are fake or may actually be the name of someone they already defrauded. 

• On that same note, please don't ever attempt to confront a fraudster or attempt to track them down.  Instead, turn the information you do have over to your local authorities. 

• Please also remove any links from your posts, as these could potentially go to spoofed or phishing websites.

Other than that, we only ask that you keep it productive and stay within the Forum Decorum and posting guidelines.  I'll be stopping in on a regular basis to clean house and comment on posts, so don't be surprised if you see my mug - or another moderator - stopping in to say hello! 

With that said, I'm going to start moving posts in, so you might see some older examples mixed in with the new posts.  I hope this thread becomes a great resource for everyone!

Stay safe,

Adrian

[Hyudryu]

The point is that they can make some quick money. It's seriously pathetic though.

[AceChemistry]

This happened to me while trying to sell a computer on Craigslist.

They used the email name Mellissa Wilkins  and agreed to my asking price and a $100 Shipping fee right away and immediately started asking me to send them an invoice via PayPal.  I wasn't plannign on shipping it but told them I would as long as it was domestic, and it took me 5 or 6 emails for them to admit that they wanted me to send it internationally:

"Hello ****.. this is an International shipping and there is no laws against it.. My friend make a shipment just yesterday and it was successful.. the shipment address Zipcode is +23401.. so i am 100% sure shipment is safe and secured through the post office Express mail shipping... Ok?"

I googled that zipcode out of curiosity and found this message chain.  I immediately told them that I wouldn't be selling them the computer.  I hope this message helps others.

[niamh23321]

After reading this im pretty sure that i have had the same thing happen to me...

she wants the phone for a birthday present for her husband.. 

address:

Peter <removed>

23401

Nigeria

[AS1234]

Okay this just happened to us yesterday. Guy contacted us and said that he wanted an iPhone sent for his nephews graduation. 

Fortunately we realized it was scam when we got home from shipping the phone and there was no money in our paypal account. We called DHL and they pulled the package and we got it back. *whew* 

Now this guy is sending us emails from "fake" FBI and stating that they have the money and once we give them the tracking number for shipping they will release the money to us. The email is written with broken english. 

I'll never ship anything ever again. PICK UP ONLY!

Post edited to comply with forum guidelines

[lucinka77]

Hey guys, I am just posting the following conversations with a potential 'buyer' who is definitelly a scammer! So please be aware of that address. I knew it was something fishy, and when I googled her address, I found out that some people have complained about it alreday! So just a warning...be aware of "Kiera <removed>" or possibly any other made up name with the address below! And rread that broken-English **bleep** below...what a giveaway..! Still, many of us fall for it, unfortunately.

_
> Datum: 27.05.2014 14:29
> Předmět: Re: Beautiful wedding gloves and veils
>

<removed>
Country: Nigeria
Postal Code: 23401

so let me have your payment details along with the total amount
including postage so i can do the transfer right away


>
>> Datum: 27.05.2014 12:24
>> Předmět: Re: Beautiful wedding gloves and veils
>>
> Hello
> sorry for the belated response, i am okay with the price, I would have
> loved to handle  this item myself but unfortunately I am busy with my
> job, I work in airport and I have made promise about this item. please
> let me know your payment method because i can only pay you with
> pay-pal or bank transfer now and I will add additional £50 for postage
> fee via royal-mail registered . I want to send it to my cousin who is
> on a training course in West Africa, i want to send it as a Wedding
> Gift. you can send me pay-pal money request to: <removed> : or you let me have your pay-pal email address
> and name or bank details along with the total amount including postage
> so i can send the money now
>
> Thanks
> Kiera

[toryn_westcott]

Hi all,

I had a similar message from my very own Nigerian Fraudster yesterday, and thought it looked fishy from the outset. As in many cases above, the shipping address to Lagos Island, for a cousin's birthday present, and the buyer 'herself' was at 'military camp', and therefore couldn't pick the item up (which is how what I requested in the listing). They also offered above asking price, and included the generous postage fee.

Apart from all these re-occurring warning signs, there's also a VERY SIMPLE way of detecting a fraudster - especially foreign ones. Their grammar and spelling are atrocious. When we read these emails from the frausters, it's easy to scan through quickly, and miss them, but on closer inspection, there are usually three to four mistakes PER LINE!! 

Examples of this are: "The funds from this eBay payment is clear"  where it should be "The funds from this eBay payment are clear".   

Or: "In the past some sellers have exploited these payment method in order to.."  with no 's' on 'payment' or 'method.' Its blindingly obvious, when you study them closely, that the message is from a faker. And that goes for any scam, whether the email is from 'Apple', your insurer....  ALWAYS check the spelling. The problem with eBay is that they'll usually send you a short message at first, making it harder to spot. I only noticed after I'd sent a request over PayPal for the money, and they replied to my personal email address with an 'official' message from eBay (which is already too late, as they have your email address, and can use it to duplicate this scam elsewhere).

Stay on your toes everyone! Good luck spotting them. (I'm finding it hard not to write a reply to the guy this morning, letting him know what I think of him.)

[LaurVictoria]

I got the same. A woman with initial cw (for my protection I won't say but you know) and said they're In a military camp wanted me to post my camera to a cousin in Nigeria Ha yeah right

[kernowlass]

The ebay accounts they use are "hijacked" so its best to edit your post and remove that username of an innocent account holder.

[Furious187]

If the email that you got from PayPal does not include your first and last name --> SPAM!!!

Make sure to check your PayPal Account when they say that money are withdrawn from their account.

If having doubts - Call PayPal!!!!