Kelly Smith repair scam

I got the following email from a C###gslist ad I posted for computer repair services:

From: Kelly Smith [email protected]
To: undisclosed recipients:

Hello,
I have been contracted to fix up 5
Dell laptops but at the moment i am in far away Hawaii attending to some other jobs.In view of this i want you to handle the fixing of the laptops on agreed terms.
This are what need to be done on the laptops.
1 Format Hard Drive
2 Instal Win Xp with Service Pack 2
3 Microsoft Office Package
4 Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case.
5 Diagnostics of the entire system after to check hard drive, cdrom, floppy, etc.I have all the necessary software and licenses needed for the service installations, If you are capable of handling this get back to me with the total cost for handling each unit based on a total cost of units.Please get back to me as soon as you get this so we can proceed and i can go ahead to arrange moving and payments.
Regards

These fellers have been trying this age-old trick for a long time, and even under the same name. I responded using anonymouse, in order to mask my info, and provided them with the following info:
Hi,

I'm interested in your proposal, and I have some information for you that can expedite the process. Just check out the link to our site below, and it should provide the necessary information on pricing that you require. I look forward to working with you!
link disabled. ~Bubbles(warning--read below before clicking on link!!!)

The link above sends them to an annoying site that makes it appear that their PC has been infected. No real malware, but it'll freak 'em out. If you want to just get rid of it, press ctrl+alt+del and end the process, and you'll be good.

I got nearly the identical email wanting me to do laptop repair...

the address used was [email protected] with the name James Hilton

Welcome to ScamWarners defred601 and thank you for posting information about this scam. Sadly scammers try to find more and more ways to part people from their money.

NOTE: The original post was made nearly a year ago. I disabled the link hdantman included. We do not need the link here where it might frustrate members or it might be misused. I left your description. I am glad there is no malware attached. Attaching malware is a crime and we do not support any kind of criminal activity here.

The fact that this scam has resurfaced shows that sadly, scammers and scams have a long life.

I got nearly the same thing from a james hilton email address: [email protected]
I sure hope this guy gets caught so no one actually falls for it and is out 1500 dollars... just remember when it sounds to good to be true it is.

Hello,

There are thousands of choices but very few are trustworthy and
effective...I have 6 Pentium IV HP laptops , Below is a list of work
needed to be done on each PC. I got Pentium IV HP laptops. Below are
the things needed to be done one on each laptops.


1 Format Hard Drive
2 Install Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
3 Install Microsoft Office Package
4 Norton Virus Software
5 Adobe Acrobat Reader
6 diagnose Hardware. Hard drive, video card, processor.

If you can do what i have listed about then you got the job,i have all
necessary software and license Key needed for the service
installations and all the laptops are in good conditions except from
the upgrades listed above.Let me know the charges for the 6 laptops
and how soon can you get the work done on the laptops.. Once i have
the price, the payment will be send to you in advance mean while i
will need your Details,

Full Name :
Full Mailing address :
City :
State :
Zip code :
Phone Number :

The payment will be sent to you once i have all this details. The
payment mode, will be company certified check. Let me know if you are
okay with that.... i will make a proper arrangement on how the laptop
will be deliver to you and also pickup once you are through upgrading
the laptops. though i have a reliable shipping company that will
Handle that anyway. I will be expecting your email

Best Regards


Hello,
The payment is now on usps vehicle... As soon as you get it what you will do is
that you will have to get it deposited/cash at your bank, Funds will
clear into your account the next day, deduct your money for the
service you want to do on my Units, and you will be sending the rest
through Western Union to my shipping agent so that they can embark
shipping out the laptops to you as soon as they get the funds, and i
will get back to you with the shipping tracking # as well for the
units coming your way so you can know when they arrives..Western Union
charges should also be deducted from my money. The excess funds is
meant for the insurance and shipping funds when shipping the units to
you forth and back as you finish working on them...And please do
reconfirm the address where you want the laptops to be shipped
to...I'll compensate you with $50 for running Western union.


(Here's the required information needed to send the money via Western Union )

NAME : Keivon Seymour
ADDRESS : 420 10th Street
CITY: Columbus
STATE: GA
ZIPCODE: 31901

Once the money's sent, you should send me the following information via email

A. Your full names and address exactly how you wrote it on the western
union slip.
B. The receiver's name exactly how you penned it down on the western union slip.
C . The total amount sent.
D . Mtcn number (This is the 10 digit number on the receipt)

I will be waiting on your email,complete with the details,please get
to it as soon as you can,the transaction has to be fully completed as
soon as possible and hope to read from you soonest. Thanks for your
usual co-operation.


Thanks for you normal understanding.

yours sincerely.

James Hilton


the check amount is 2,900 and after deduct your 300 it will
remain 1500 , which you will be sending to the shipper , it is meant
for the shipping of the laptop and for the return of the shipment and
also for tax and insurance involve , out of the 1500 wetsern union
charges will be deducted from the 1500 which is the sending fee, i
think already explain these right from the beginning we just have to
make things clear to our self

James

I got that same email that snake05191990 got almost word for word today from the same guy at the same email address. The thing that tipped me off was that the first message he sent to me was from a different email address(James Hilton, [email protected]). If I hadn't noticed that, done my research, and found this forum and thread, I'd be halfway to being out $1500.

Someone needs to track this guy down and catch him. I sent a reply asking him to meet me in person to discuss payment and a time frame for when the job will be completed. I basically just want to see how many different email addresses this guy has.

Just a note to those who are being contacted by "James Hilton".....

If he sends you a check..........

The name on the check is probably a REAL PERSON........mine was.........I TALKED TO HER.

I was the FIFTH person to receive a check with her name and address on it. The check I received was "supposedly" from "Merrill Lynch Bank of America" and was supposedly drawn on a "Cash Management Account". The routing number goes to a Bank of America in Virginia, but, the lady who's name is on the check was in North Carolina. She actually had me call Merrill Lynch's office and talk to her advisory's office, and they are dealing with this right now. She does not believe the account number on the bottom of the check is her correct account number, but, does not know for sure.

I am supposed to be sending my "money gram" to New Jersey which is where my USPS flat came from, and other Google searches indicate that they are to be sent to GA among other places. It makes me think that James Hilton is not a single person. Also, James has been "texting" me vehemently the day the flat arrived (it was one day late) and the day before, asking if the check was here or not.

Be aware.

Welcome to ScamWarners scam_the_scammer, just as the name on the check has been taken from a real pserson, the name James Hilton is a name the scammer has chosen to sound legitimate. There is a James Hilton society, there is a movie named James Hilton, a James Hilton was University official.

Just ignore any attempts they make to contact you. They will go away... eventually.