I know this is a scam, need guidance for what to do next

Hello everyone,

Several days ago, I got this email:

Thank you for the prompt response,all i wanted you to do is Format Hard Drive,Install Windows 7,Install Microsoft Office Package,Install Free AVG Virus Software and Install Adobe Acrobat Reader and thank you for the price total of $240,it is okay,I will instruct one of our clients near you to mail to you the payment of your charges which will be in excess form of a certified cashier's check which you will deduct your fee and have all the rest money sent to the shipping agent via western union,please do get back to me with the following:


FULL NAME...
ADDRESS.....
CITY........
STATE.......
ZIP CODE....
PHONE NUMBER.....


As to been written on the payment and also the laptops will be mailed to you as soon as my shipping agent gets all of the faulty units together from our various offices. Also the payment will be in amount of your money for repairing the system and shipment fee to dispatch the devices down to your location and you will deduct your fee and have all the rest money sent to the shipping agent via western union.


I will appreciate your quick response if you are satisfied with the offer

And like a f'ing idiot I went through and replied.

The process got to the point where their check (for $2,989) is currently in the mail. At this point I've read up on all the laptop repair scam threads here so I know how the scam works, but I need help on what to do next.

Any advice?

When the mail arrives refuse delivery or give it back to the service that delivers it. Tell them them there is a fake check in the package and you almost fell for a scam attempt.

Please post all the email addresses and/or numbers you have for the scammer. Any and all information will be helpful to others if they do a search.

Ok, here is the information I have:

The email of the sender is: [email protected]

I will be happy to post the return address of the check when it arrives tomorrow (according to the tracking number).

I also have info on 3rd person part of the scam, referred to as the "shipping agent" in the email. But it's a full name, address, and phone number of someone here in the US. Is that okay to post here?

Yes, post ( US person info, tracking number, names, emails and address.) everything you have to help other avoid being scammed. Just remove anything that may identify you.

No need to protect the person who tried to steal your money.

Alright, here is the info for the "shipping agent":

Name: Stacey Rubio
Address: 1724 douglas street
city: Sioux city
State: Iowa
Zip Code: 51105

This is the last of the info I have from them. I will proceed as you advised with the check, thank you very much for your help.

What is the tracking number? You can PM it to me if you wish. The mail account is a hacked account and we need to get it reported.

9405501699320027030229 (USPS)

^^^^thank you.

I feel like an idiot here but thankfully the keen sense of a friend decided to google this for me. As a security professional I too got duped by this to a degree. I became cautions when i got the check and the email instructions today of how the funds were to be distributed. Why was I the money person. I was in the process of sending a detailed email to the scammers to further clarify when she said check out this website, sounds like you're being scammed.

I received this today in the mail - along with the same email as the rest of you - minus the amount quoted for work -



So, I'm guessing that I should either notify the police or the postal office. Either way I'm glad I didn't do anything or try to deposit it.

[AlanJones]

So, I'm guessing that I should either notify the police or the postal office. Either way I'm glad I didn't do anything or try to deposit it.

As the fake cheque was sent through USPS, speak to the Postal Inspector - they have Jurisdiction over the regular US mail.

Additional info - the email first came from Lucy Johnson - but the addy was the same one [email protected] - and second time from a myles bernard. The inquiry i sent them wondering what was up previously - got a returned response of - sorry for the delay kraig <<-NOT MY NAME - so i grew suspicious there too - but again like a fool i went with it - so they have my name now and address and phone number of all things - bleh - how i didn't see this pisses me off but oh well - glad i didn't go through further.

Thanks - I will be going to the post office today.

****Update****10:52am CST -

Post Office took the check, the envelope, and a copy of the email traffic stating what to do with the check and the confirmation number. I also gave them the other confirmation number here on this post, and let them know that obviously we may be the "lucky" ones that didn't go ALL the way through with this but that there are probably more of these checks running around unreported but obviously what can they do there. Either way, I'm "washed" of this and they have 2 of them now in hand.

So, I decided to check original message - this was the original sender, [email protected]
and then the second set of emails came from the address we already had.
The IP of the original sender using iptracker site returned this...
http://www.ip-tracker.org/locator/ip-lookup.php?ip=2a00:1450:400c:c03::243<<Don't know if that's google's ipv6 address or not.

Thanks for the help here folks!!



...now I await the scammers trying to contact me to find out what happened.

Since I've not replied to this scammer now, Ii received this email today -
Subject - WHAT IS GOING ON REGARDING THE PAYMENT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU ASAP.
Hello xxxx
How are you doing and how was your Night,what is the update of the payment,kindly get back to us to know the status of the payment and when money would be available to the shipping agent and kindly get back to us with the transfer details because we don't want any form of delay because it really hard for the company to be without those laptop,Your anticipation is urgently required,we do need to hear from you today.

Looking forward to read from you.
Regards
Myles Benard Ginther



PS Slavicdonut did you ever receive your "check" ?

^^that email is written by a West African.

For the bots.

So, I decided to check original message - this was the original sender, [email protected]
and then the second set of emails came from the address we already had.

Since I've not replied to this scammer now, Ii received this email today -
Subject - WHAT IS GOING ON REGARDING THE PAYMENT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU ASAP.

Because the scammer has your personal information, it is best to not contact them anymore. The scammer may get more insistent and even threaten to call the police. Just ignore them. It is great that you took the information to the Post Office.

And............got the legal threat email today. It's actually funny to see them complaining.
AFTER IT CONFIRMED THAT YOU HAVE THE PAYMENT AND YOU KEPT SILENT

After its confirm you have the payment and you sound silent i have no option than to take legal action against you because several emails have been delivered to you and you still remain silent . If before the end of today i didn't hear from you regarding the status of the payment if deposited or cashed and when the funds will be made available to the shipping agent i have no other option than to take Legal Action against you and i know you wont like that either.

I await to hear hear back from you soon before legal action is taken thanks

I'm obviously not emailing them back, just has me laughing is all.