This world is full of scammers: folks who try to make their living counting on others’ idiocy and naïveté. The internet has offered a new vast field of action for such folks.
One of them recently made an attempt on me. They contacted me in English, expressing interest for an item I had for sale on a big Greek selling site. The main idea was that they claim they have already transferred me the payment for the item, plus an additional sum for paying the shipping, via PayPal but, for some obscure, ill-expounded reason, the payment may not be released and show up in my PayPal account until the item is received. So I should pay the shipping money from my pocket to an alleged shipping company in Nigeria (!!??). They would then call me to come and pick up the item and ship it. Then my money would show up in my PayPal account after the item is delivered.
Overall, it was an unbelievably unsophisticated, outright foolish attempt. (Come on guys! I bet other scammers can do much better than this. If you don’t have enough brains for it, change profession.) I highly doubt whether one single person could be found in this world who would fall for such an idiotic try. So I decided to publish here our communication with that would-be scammer, not because I deem it could have any value in terms of helping the public to avert similar future attempts, but just because I think it was rather funny. You may read below our full dialog; particularly the last message I sent him with which our communication concluded.
The following dialog was exchanged between [email protected] (tl. register to the site: 7643456543) and me:
- Hi is this post still for sale? please get back to me if yes and what is the present condition of the item.Thanks
- Hi there, It is still for sale. The condition is somewhere between very decent and excellent. You may have a look at it.
- Hello thanks for your reply and what is final price and i will like to pay you through paypal online transfer, i am currently at sea at the moment as i am working as a Ship’s Stewards and due to the nature of my work, phone calls making and visiting of website are restricted but i out time to check this advert and send you an email regarding it.pls get back to me with the paypal details below to make the payment and i will also like to see photos to see the current condition of it.
1.Your PayPal Full Name
2.Your Paypal E-mail address.
3.Total Cost:
4.Item located address
5.Mobile phone number
Thanks
- Hey Jennifer,
The ***** you inquired for has been sold. I have though another ***** for sale in case you are interested. It’s a *****. It is more expensive but is, of course, a much better *****. I’ve put it on 190 but in case you want it, we could possibly reduce the price a bit. Have a look at it and tell me if you are interested. http*****
- Hello thanks for your reply and 190euro sounds good {Here it’s starting to get suspicious – Come on, man, who and for what a reason would refuse a discount offer when made?} and you don’t have to worry about the shipping cause i will be responsible for it, i have a shipping agent coming for pick up at your location and I’m currently on the sea, i can only make paypal payment from here i will like you to get back to me with the paypal info info below , i will make the payment soon and i will also like to forward your location to the shipping agent for calculation, kindly end the advert.
1.Your PayPal Full Name
2.Your Paypal E-mail address.
3. Total Cost:
4. Item located address
5. Mobile phone number.
Thanks
- Hey Jennifer, ok I’m keeping it for you. ***** is my Paypal address. My physical address is near ***** metro station. ***** is my mobile number. They can call me so to arrange the details about the reception of the item.
- I have made the payment now as promised. You will be receiving the payment confirmation message from Paypal regarding the payment.kindly check your inbox or spam for that, The pick- up Agent wants 80euro for pick up and delivery. So I made a total payment of 280Euro…190Euro for (item),80Euro for the pick- up Agent , and 10euro for whatever money gram will be charging you to send the money to them. Please let me know as soon as you send them the money, Below is the shipping company agent information who will come for the Pick Up and where to send the 80Euro…thank you
Name :TIJANI ADEMOLA
City : BENIN,
State : EDO,
Zip code : 23452
Country :NIGERIA.
- There has been no payment so far. Check again, please.
- Hello sorry about that, did you receive the paypal payment confirmation email about my payment?
- No, I didn’t. I checked my Paypal also. There has been no payment.
- Hello thanks for getting back to me, check your paypal email spam inbox now, i want you to know that the money has already been deducted from my account but PayPal has placed a temporary hold on the fund for security reasons and i am currently on the sea that is the reason why i added the shipping fee 90euro to the item money because my shipping agent only accept money gram and there is no Money gram on the sea ..So all you just have to do in other to complete the transaction and all the money 280euro release into your paypal account is for you to go and get the money 90euro from your pocket and send it through the nearest money gram post office store close to you to the shipping company address cause they will be the one to come pick the item from your house…..When you are done with the transfer get back to PayPal with the money gram receipt of your transfer so that they can verify the transfer and get the whole pending money 280euro released to your paypal account without any further delay after then the shipping agent will call you to choose suitable pick up date and time to come.you always know that this transaction can not be cancelled due to paypal policy to protect both buyer and seller.
Best Regard
