Scammer trying to buy my Item! What a Hide!!

This forum has lots of different people, all from different places and with different backgrounds, and multiple conversations happening at the same time--sometimes that leads to confusion. When Alan posted, I'm sure he thought that everyone in the thread knew the emails were fake--he was just posting the information to show how the scam works.

Never hesitate to ask if you're not sure about someone's response--sometimes we just aren't thinking the same way, and we're always happy to clarify. I can tell you that Alan is definitely on the side of the good guys!

Does anyone on this forum lives near the place where the money should be send to:

Transport Company: " COURIER EXCHANGE "
Address: Name :Shawn Pantoga.
Address:21925 agness illahe rd.
City:Agness.
State:Oregon
Zip-Code.:97406
United States.

I would be nice to pay them a visit (with a 2x4)

+++Also see this+++
http://www.spokeo.com/email-search/sear ... .com&sst=9
Supposed to be the famous Monalisa James ?
I would sell my car to her any time

[AlanJones]

A couple more emails received from the fake PayPal

Subject: ***Transfer Getting Updated*****Western Union Information Needed****

Dear xxx,

We are still waiting for you concerning the transaction between you and Monalisa James.We want to assure you that your money is already deducted from the buyer account.You have to get the pick up fee of $700.00 USD send and get back to us with western union details for confirmation and your account will be credited.We assure you that you have 100% Guarantee and Security that you shall get your money as soon as the Western Union information is received from you. We assure you that this is a safe and approved transaction and your account will be credited with the total amount ($13,100.00 USD) immediately we verify the Western Union details.

You can contact us anytime if you have any question(s) about this transaction.We want you to understand that the payment can't be reversed neither can it be canceled or divided, so we assure you that you are 100% SECURED doing this transaction. Once again be rest assured that you will have your Money, Once the Western Union Information is received from you for verification.

You are required to send to us the Western Union Information Stated Below for Verification:

(1) Sender's Name;
(2) Receiver's Name;
(3) MTCN;
(4) Amount Sent;
(5) Western Union Receipt.

Sincerely,

A. Williams,
The PayPal Team.

Subject: ***Transfer Processed Into Your Account****Western Union Information Needed****

Dear xxx,

Thanks for contacting the PayPal Transfer Department,We really understand your concern about this transaction.This Transaction is already approved and confirmed by PayPal transfer department.We are using this medium to confirmed that PayPal transfer department have already processed the money into your account.The Funds is being pend and held in our escrow external PayPal account, the funds cannot be reversed or canceled under any circumstances.The total sum of ($13,100.00 USD) has been transferred into your PayPal account and is already pending into your account,You will be sending the total sum of $700.00 USD to the pick up agent who will be coming over to get the car picked up.This is due to the nature of PayPal Policy of AUTO MOBILE PAYMENT.Your Client's (Monaliasa James) made the whole payment into your PayPal account so that you can help him send the funds to his pick up agent who will be coming over to get the car picked up.So we strongly advice you to get the money send to shipping agent details given to you through western union money transfer and get back to us with the western union details and your account will be credited immediately.

We would like you to know that the funds are already pending into your account and would get fully updated into your account in the next couple of Minutes once you get the funds sent and send us the western union information for verification,Your funds will be only credited into your account once we get the western union information from you,You have to be fast about this so that we can get your account updated with your funds.

You are now mandated to transfer the sum of $700.00 USD to the buyer's shipping agent and email us the proof of transfer within the next 12 -24 hrs failure to do so would result to the involvement of the FBI for violating PayPal's instructions and users agreement in act of the 1999 Law in collaboration with the World Law Enforcement Agency.We request for the western union transfer information from Western Union to prove the transfer has been made within the next 12 -24 hrs and we will fund the money into your account or you will face the consequences of LEGAL ACTION.


You are required to send to us the Western Union Information Stated Below for Verification:

(1) Sender's Name;
(2) Receiver's Name;
(3) MTCN;
(4) Amount Sent;
(5) Western Union Receipt.

Note: As this transaction was done via our e-mail payments service,all inquiries should be mail directly to our 24/7 PayPal online customer care service e-mail :[email protected]. Please, understand that this is a security measure to help protect our client interest,both the Buyer and the Seller. Therefore, we apologize for the inconvenience that we may have caused you.

Thank you for using PayPal!

Sincerely,

A. Williams,
The PayPal Team.

@ Alan
do you know where the fake paypal emails come from (the source)?
Someone is spending a lots of time writing those and they do look very convicing.
This looks like a large organization of well organized scamers.

PS
you just published your real name, but you are safe with me

[AlanJones]

@ Alan
do you know where the fake paypal emails come from (the source)?

Unfortunately, the scammer is using Gmail to send out the messages, so I can't get a fix on his location yet, but I'm working on it.

you just published your real name, but you are safe with me

Thanks I've removed it now, although it's not my real name of course

@ Alan
Can't you disply the details in header from gmail?
I just tried in with my gmail account and it shows details like IP
ISP etc..
Let me know if I can help!
got some time to do it, and some primitive computer skilz!,

[AlanJones]

The problem is that the scammer is using Gmail to send out the emails and Gmail strips out the sender's IP address, so that all it shows is the IP address of Google in the US.

Well,
I just send my self a email (to my gmail account) and then opened the detailed header in gmail and did the trace with the "ipTracker, and it did show the corect source.

[AlanJones]

PM me the header, I would be interested to see the results you are getting.

DONE
let me know if u can see my gmail address?
If yes do not publish please.

[AlanJones]

No I couldn't see your gmail address.

@Alan
you are right with gmail- they suck.
So do not use your gmail for online selling.
We could get the admin here to make a top forum with:
How to safely sell items online- or Safety tips how to sell online.
Would you help me with writing the instructions?
I for example do not use my real name nor my "normal" emails for that.
When posting item for sale and registering at any of the sales site I use my pseudonym name and email.
I even have a pseudonym phone number (thank you google).

Borderline,

Typically if you use gmail with a mail program (e.g. outlook, etc.) or you access from a phone, your IP address may be revealed. If you go to the website and log in and send messages that way, it doesn't show originating IP--it stops at google's servers.

On the other hand, google apps typically don't strip IP.

@Dotti
I checked with Google and they do strip the IP since they consider it a sensitive information.
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answ ... &ctx=topic

The point I am trying to make is to advise your members to:
1- Do not sell items online using gmail as your contact.
2-do not register at any hosting site (selling) with your gmail


Here is a sample
Suggestions for selling online:
1- Give yourself a nick name (that you will use in all transaction) until you are sure not to be dealing with a scammer.
2- Using your nick name create and email account with any of the Internet free emails like (mail.com etc)- do not use Gmail (it will not show you where the actual email came from).
3- Use your Nick name and your [email protected] to register at any of the hosting (for sale) web sites. Yes, even they do not need your real email.
4- Do not under any circumstances disclose your real email or your name, or you address UNTIL:
a. You were able to verify who the buyer is (real name, traceable phone # and address you can look up. If they are a real person, they have no reason to hide any of the information.
b. Look up on this forum HOW to- check who is really sending you emails.

If it is too late and you have been smeared with scammers emails do not panic:
YOU ARE NOT ALONE, WE ARE HERE TO HELP.

Next
how to create a "safe" phone number.