Foo - Nigerian scam... bike style?

I've watched plenty of shows on the scam, but never thought I'd encounter it off of a Dallas craigslist bicycle section. :rolleyes:

Just got a new Scott so I'm having to sell my old bike. Typed out a description real quick and slapped it up before I went to bed.

(shameless plug :p ) http://dallas.craigslist.org/bik/343064654.html

Get an email about an hour later and am excited to see a response until I read it from a Mr. Roy Jimmy. (what a horrible fake name :lol: )



Him
Hello,
I'm Mr Roy Jimmy of storesales.I came across your profile ,i am interested in buying ur product i will like to know if u accept cashier check for payment so I can send it out to u
thanks


Myself
I will take cash and money orders. Please don't waste my time otherwise.



Him
am sorry can only make out a check


*To play along to see when he trys to stick me with the punch*

Myself
Where are you located? I would have to wait until it clears before I could have it professionally boxed and shipped.



Him
Hello,
thanks for ur fast responce well i am okay with this and i wil me making the cashier check of $4,500 so u can have ur money and also the insurance and also help me send the balance on the check to my shiping agent via western union.....pls get back to me with ur name and ur contact address also ur #....get back to me fast
thanks



What a joke. I've watched alot of shows on it, and there is nothing you can do to bust them. Thought I'd share for the sake of being amused.

Zack

If you're about to send someone $4,500, would you EVER write the whole message in netspeak?

It's both funny and sad... If they're still doing it, it must mean that someone's still falling for it.

If you're about to send someone $4,500, would you EVER write the whole message in netspeak?

It's both funny and sad... If they're still doing it, it must mean that someone's still falling for it.

That's the horrible part. :mad: I, nor anyone in my family, would fall for something like this, but many people do.

Dateline NBC to catch an ID thief is a good watch if you ever happen to catch it on.

I get scam messages for everything I list on CL over about $200. They're so formulaic - they always ask questions that are clearly answered in my description, like condition of the item, age of the item, cost of the item (never naming the actual part or bike). I've never followed up on one of these, though, but sometimes I forward them to CL abuse for whatever good that does.

Hey Zack, I am in Richardson, so can I give you a $4500 IOU and get the bike?

Hey Zack, I am in Richardson, so can I give you a $4500 IOU and get the bike?

Yeah if it's written on a signed check. Just put the IOU in the memo :)

Get an email about an hour later and am excited to see a response until I read it from a Mr. Roy Jimmy. (what a horrible fake name :lol: )

Maybe he's related to this guy?

http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/1/h/8/talladeganightsposter.jpg

Still trying to figure out the "Nigerian" angle.

*yes, I am Nigerian, for what it's worth. So, mayhaps I wouldn't have my knickers in a bunch if I wasn't*

I have tried selling a bike on Craigslist and I, too, received a similar request. From "Canada," though. So it's scam, but what does it have to do with Nigeria?

http://www.419eater.com/

http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/nigeria.asp

I get scam messages for everything I list on CL over about $200. They're so formulaic - they always ask questions that are clearly answered in my description, like condition of the item, age of the item, cost of the item (never naming the actual part or bike).
Exactly!!! It's like a form email that they paste and send 1000's of times.



Still trying to figure out the "Nigerian" angle.
What Stacey pasted. Nigeria is basically the world capital of these types of scams. They even did a CBS news special on it once.

I've seen a scam here in Austin where they try to send an honest-looking casher's check of $4000 or so, and at first the amount is immediately credited. Of course, they demand the bike, and like $2000 of the money immediately.

Of course, in 3-4 days the casher's check is returned unpaid, and the victim is out a bike and $2000.

Its done often because people fall for it out of greed, and that people think if its a casher's check, it HAS to be 100% good.