Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Have I Been Robbed!?

Last year I experienced my first interaction with an internet scammer and decided to go with it, to get a feel for the situation and hopefully understand the scammer a little better.

It all began when I posted an online ad to sell my laptop, and received a strange reply from Rissi Clooney...

Rissi Clooney
Hello,
I am interested to purchase this item for my Sibling in England as a gift and this will determine the extent of my love to her, I liked this article sent to him via Australia post International Shipping 2-3 days and I'll offer $2,800 for the package including postage through Australia post International I'll pay via my paypal account. so kindly send your PayPal email address that I can use to make payment via PayPal.

I hope you won’t mind to get an account with PayPal if you don't have one before. Its reliable and easy to use PayPal, all you need to do is visit www.paypal.com.au and register with them. When you are done with the registration send me the email used for the registration with PayPal so I can pay in ASAP.
Await your response...
Cordially
Rissi

P:S I would mind to add a gift rapper to it during the shipment via Australian Post (Express Courier International) please get back to me ASAP.



As I was rather busy at the time, I delayed my response so that I could work out how to deal with the situation.


ACW
Hi Rissi,
This shouldn't be a problem, I'm in class until 10pm tonight, so I'll read this through and respond properly after then.
Thanks,
Annaliese



Rissi Clooney
Ok I will be expecting your mail.


ACW
Hi Rissi,
I've looked up the cost for Australia Post Express Courier International postage to England and it will be around $200 + $70 insurance... This means I'll only get $2530. But I've thought about it and I am willing to sell you the laptop.

I will also wrap the gift for you if that's what you'd like? Is your sibling male or female? It's really nice of you to give such a great gift!

Of course I won't be able to send it until the $2800 has been transferred, I hope this is ok?

Let me know what you'd like to do... as I'll need to withdraw the listing.
Annaliese



Rissi replied soon after.


Rissi Clooney
Hi
How is class today, It's really nice of you as well helping me with the shipment my sibling is a Male why did you ask?

You can withdraw the listing for me. I will make the payment first thing in the morning.
Rissi.



ACW
Class was great :-)

I just thought I'd ask so I would know what kind of wrapping paper to use...
Thanks Rissi



Then the payment particulars became interesting...


Rissi Clooney
Hi
My email had some problem to access in it van you please get back to me with the detail of the payment?



ACW
Hi Rissi,
You just need to go to paypal: https://www.paypal-australia.com.au/personal/send-and-request-money

And sign in and send the $2800 to my email account.

Let me know how you go...



Rissi Clooney
Ok Thanks I Will let you know once the payment is made Thanks for your understanding.


I then received some very realistic emails from 'Paypal'. The return email address was a clearly suspicious, though there were fewer grammatical errors than I expected. Annoyed at the idea that people were losing out to scammer like this all the time, I decided to play...





ACW
Hi there Rissi,
Thanks so much, I received the payment details from Paypal today. I'll get some wrapping paper on Monday and send it off.

I think you should have a card in there too as it is for your brother's birthday. I can also buy a card and write in it for you if you'd like?? It seems a shame to send such a wonderful gift without a card.
Anyway let me know,
Annaliese



Rissi Clooney
Hi
Thanks for your mail, YOU can get him a card with color blue or wine color, Sweet word of birthday should be fine inside the card Thanks for your understanding.
Rissi



I was actually quite busy, so my response time was slowing down. Rissi emailed with a subject line of "urgent".


Rissi Clooney
I Hope to read from you today Thanks


ACW
Hi, I'm really sorry, I was at Uni all day and missed the post!

I have the day off tomorrow, so I'll head down there in the morning.

What day is your brother's birthday? I hope it won't get there too late...



Rissi Clooney
Hi
Thanks for your help, I do understand your time keeper at school, I will be expecting your mail first thing tomorrow morning. Birthday date is Nov 01. It's should be delivered before then Or on the same date.

I will be expecting your mail tomorrow morning.
Rissi



Again I was slow to respond due to other commitments... Rissi responded with an email subject "HAVE I BEEN ROBBED".


Rissi Clooney
Hi
How are you today, I will be glad to know the status of the shipment. Rissi



ACW
Hi Rissi,
Sorry I haven't replied sooner but I have some very exciting news!

I looked up your brother's address on google maps and realised that it is very close to Leeds which is where my good friend lives. And, you wont believe it, but she works as a singing telegram! So I've gone to some trouble to organise her to hand deliver the package to your brother in a bunny costume and sing happy birthday to him! How good is that!?

So, I posted the package to my friend today. I'll enter the post office tracking number soon...
Annaliese



I may have pushed it too far here, as Rissi began to cotton on.


Rissi Clooney
Don't Worry, and again I begin to doubt this is Real imagine what you are telling me I don't have interest in this rubbish.


ACW
What are you talking about? I've gone to a lot of trouble for you!

Now, I'm having trouble entering this tracking number... The links on the paypal email don't seem to work... And I can't find anything on the Paypal website...

Do you know where I enter the tracking number details?



Rissi Clooney
send me the tracking number right now i will try to help you out, main while why did you ship it to your friend i don't lie this arrangement i cant lie to you.


I played a guilt card...


ACW
Rissi, I've become increasingly consternated by your tone. Why do you talk of 'being robbed' and 'lies'? I have been nothing but pleasant to you.

I have just been on the phone with Paypal and they tell me the emails that were sent about the tracking number were fake! Is this true?? Please tell me this isn't true!?

I don't understand...

I just don't know what to do now.



To which Rissi responded with a subject line "Am sorry"


Rissi Clooney
Thanks for your mail, Well I guess you called paypal where the payment is not originate from, I made the payment from my Usa link yo can ring them on this number to confirm your payment 12147850177

Please get back to me asap. I must be franked You did something wrong in the first place. give me the tracking number and or send it to the email here teamverified.department@consultant.com



I googled the number and found several websites acknowledging it as a scam hub in the US.


ACW
This doesn't make any sense to me, why would Paypal call it a scam? Are you trying to scam me Rissi?

What was it that I did wrong in the first place? Please tell me.

I am also concerned that you must be franked! I am picturing a big stamp on your posterior! Is this what will happen?

Now, to be honest I can't afford to be calling a phone number in Allen, Texas. And from the look an internet search, it seems a number of people state that the phone number is the source of numerous cash advance loan/online loan scams!

What say you Rissi Clooney? What do you propose I do?



Way too far for Rissi... there was no response. Over time I wondered who this person on the other side was, and how they came to be a scammer. I emailed again:

ACW
Hello Rissi,
I have been reflecting on our correspondence and am writing to apologise for my flippant attitude to your situation. I wonder what circumstances have led you to this life of scamming, and whether you would be interested in sharing this story? I would be willing to compensate you for your time and participation.
Annaliese



The response was a message failure notice. It was the end. So long Rissi...

No comments:

Post a Comment