I've engaged a Craigslist scammer - need ideas for next steps. Updated!

[EagleKeeper]

After check has supposedly cleared, tell them that you sent the difference back to them via USPS. The Western Union system was down and you wanted fo ensure that the funds to him ASAP.

And WU does actually go down.

 

[MotionMan]

Tell him your uncle happens to be a cop in Elmhurst, so, to save all the trouble of using WU, etc., your uncle will be dropping by with the cash... tomorrow.

MotionMan

 

[leper84]

Tell him to send a pre-paid/cod shipping box and fill it with 50lbs of broken bricks and dog crap. Tell him since he offered you so much money you had a spare stereo or something you added in.

Then dude has to pay God knows how much to open his box of junk.

 

[Svnla]

Ask him to take a picture of himself with a handmade sign "ATOT rocks, screw you scammers" before you can send the good out.

 

[pontifex]

I've engaged a Craigslist scammer - need ideas for next steps.

get a life?

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Impressive scammer. He's even the president of a company.

 

[Loop2kil]

Send him monopoly money back.

This...definitely do this

 

[janas19]

What would be really funny is if you went to Nigeria and hacked his body to pieces with a machete, African-style. Then post the pics on Facebook.

That would be full of lulz, guaranteed.

 

[arcenite]

subscribed

 

[BUTCH1]

get a life?

Part of life (and a fun part) is fucking over internet scumbags, if I were OP I would do the same thing, GO OP!!!

 

[LTC8K6]

People are actually fooled by checks like that one?

 

[rivan]

Success!

On Thu, 8 Mar 2012 09:31:01 +0100
Ok i will ask my staff to mail out another check to you

 

[LookBehindYou]

Dude! Scam the scammer! Tell him western union was down so you sent him the check. Send him a fake check and tell him to that you made it out for more than was needed and he can keep some for his troubles and to send the rest back via western union. He'll probably be like wtf?

 

[96Firebird]

Dude! Scam the scammer! Tell him western union was down so you sent him the check. Send him a fake check and tell him to that you made it out for more than was needed and he can keep some for his troubles and to send the rest back via western union. He'll probably be like wtf?

Except for the fact that creating a fake check is a federal offense.

 

[GoStumpy]

I second the monopoly money idea!

 

[LookBehindYou]

Except for the fact that creating a fake check is a federal offense.

Way to be a negative nancy.

 

[ChairShot]

blah, tell him the FBI story and add that they now have his fingerprints found on the check

 

[Blackjack200]

blah, tell him the FBI story and add that they now have his fingerprints found on the check

How 'bout this. Tell him that the FBI came to your house and were asking a lot of questions. You didn't give them any information, but they will probably track him down. Tell him that you were able to make a deal with them that if he turns himself in at the local PD, they will not pursue felony charges and he can probably get off with some community service.

 

[JTsyo]

blah, tell him the FBI story and add that they now have his fingerprints found on the check

Someone overseas doesn't really care about the FBI. Can USPS tell you where the letter was mailed from?

 

[Blackjack200]

Someone overseas doesn't really care about the FBI. Can USPS tell you where the letter was mailed from?

WTF, he's not overseas, he's in Ohio, or do I just not understand how this scam works??

 

[rivan]

Someone overseas doesn't really care about the FBI. Can USPS tell you where the letter was mailed from?

WTF, he's not overseas, he's in Ohio, or do I just not understand how this scam works??

I'm not sure where he is. The check had a preprinted slip showing it mailed from Texas, but who knows where it actually went from.

The address on the check is for a holding company that owns California Drop Forge.

The name on the emails doesn't show up anywhere else.

The only thing that's consistent from NS1's original link is the Western Union delivery info - that's in NYC.

 

[SandEagle]

when's the wedding?

 

[Nerva]

Hahaha, I used to live in Elmhurst. It's in Queens. Don't remember the street though. Someone google map?

 

[Squisher]

I wanna know about the drop forging they do.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm not sure where he is. The check had a preprinted slip showing it mailed from Texas, but who knows where it actually went from.

The address on the check is for a holding company that owns California Drop Forge.

The name on the emails doesn't show up anywhere else.

The only thing that's consistent from NS1's original link is the Western Union delivery info - that's in NYC.

It doesn't matter what the "address" is that you're sending money to via western union. The money can be picked up at any Western Union office in the world - you just need the routing number (or whatever it's called.)

OP doesn't actually deposit the check. Just tell the scammer it is deposited and that the bank requires a 3 day hold on it.

Of course he doesn't deposit it, he's not a fool. The reason the scam works on so many people is that they DO deposit it and think that just because it "clears" in 3-5 days means that they are no longer at risk. They can come back 3 or 4 weeks later, "the check was a forgery/stolen/etc." and debit the account for the entire amount of the check, plus a fee. The scammers know they have a week or more before the check will actually come back, but the funds will be available to their mark sooner than that.