Scuba Dive Center Scam

Dear all, i am the owner of a dive center in thailand and have exchanged a couple of emails with the following person. I looked up the originating server and through google came to this site. The same server is apparently involved in a number of other scams. Thanks !

The originating server to watch out for is "[email protected]"



Delivered-To: diving@**************************.com
Received: by 10.229.237.74 with SMTP id kn10cs103830qcb;
Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:06:31 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.231.121.15 with SMTP id f15mr8053534ibr.171.1277280390751;
Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:06:30 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <[email protected]>
Received: from secure.hostpvt.com (secure.hostpvt.com [67.225.183.157])
by mx.google.com with ESMTP id v16si23145627ibh.54.2010.06.23.01.06.30;
Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:06:30 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: best guess record for domain of [email protected] designates 67.225.183.157 as permitted sender) client-ip=67.225.183.157;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: best guess record for domain of [email protected] designates 67.225.183.157 as permitted sender) [email protected]
Received: from eugccgat by secure.hostpvt.com with local (Exim 4.69)
(envelope-from <[email protected]>)
id 1ORKyX-0001yd-D4
for diving@***********************.com; Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:06:25 +0300
To: diving@*************************.com
Subject: DIVE CLASSES
From: Benjamin Davids <[email protected]>
Reply-To:
[email protected]
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:06:25 +0300
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X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - secure.hostpvt.com
X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - ***************.com
X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [32570 32003] / [47 12]
X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - secure.hostpvt.com
X-Source: /usr/bin/php
X-Source-Args: /usr/bin/php /home/eugccgat/public_html/img/info.php
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Hello,
My name is Benjamin Davids I want to know if there is any availability for 8 students to come to your place for scuba diving course , they are all beginners and their first time diving. If there is availability , kindly let me know about the dates,quotes and accommodation availability as well.They are looking forward to arrival by 2nd week of August 2010, date is not fixed yet until tickets are booked. They have 2 weeks to stay for the Open Water Course and certification.you can write me to my direct email ([email protected])
Regards
Benjamin Davids

There's another example of an email written by this scammer HERE
Thanks for posting Myironlung!

Welcome to scamwarners and thanks for posting! Every scam posted can help prevent someone else being scammed.

You said you exchanged a couple of emails with this scammer--if you have any, could you post the later emails from him? Scammers often use scripts--a series of generic emails which are pre-written- only changing a few words for the next scam. Posting as much of the script as possible can often help others who are recognize scams, especially when the scammer changes email addresses.

First Email

----- Original message -----
> Hello,
> My name is Benjamin Davids I want to know if there is any availability
> for 8 students to come to your place for scuba diving course , they are
> all beginners and their first time diving. If there is availability ,
> kindly let me know about the dates,quotes and accommodation availability
> as well.They are looking forward to arrival by 2nd week of August 2010,
> date is not fixed yet until tickets are booked. They have 2 weeks to
> stay for the Open Water Course and certification.you can write me to my
> direct email ([email protected]) Regards Benjamin Davids


Second Email
On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 8:27 PM, Benjamin Davids <[email protected]> wrote:

Thank you for your mail and confirmation of the classes availability for
the 8 adults who will be coming.I am grateful to that but i will like to
have the total cost of their training and accommodation if you have any
summed up and sent to me calculated in Euro usd or Gbp ,so that I will
make Deposit of your cost services through my credit card for you to hold
the reservation and training for us..

However, I wish to inform you that we also made an arrangement with a
travel agent who will be handling the traveling arrangements/logistic
needs for the group that will be coming

Hope to hear from you soon
Best Regards
Benjamin Davids
+447045782803

Third Email
On Thu, Jul 1, 2010 at 3:47 PM, Benjamin Davids <[email protected]> wrote:

yes get back to me with the total cost

Unlikely to be a bot. Cos I asked him if he'll like us to arrange for their lodging while doing their pool and classroom session and together with the weekend trip.

Fourth Email
On Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 2:16 AM, Benjamin Davids <[email protected]> wrote:

please give me the total cost for the accommodation and your training

Replied after giving him the cost of a single individual.

Most recent which was one day ago..
Greetings ,
We acknowledge the receipt of your response. I wish to inform you that the group have approved your price quotation so Above all, the price quotation is well accepted by us and as such, a prepayment will be sent to you via credit card, so upon receiving my credit card details you are to run the charges of £4,000 which will be deposited with my credit card to enable you hold the training for us and for the accommodation
Moreover,
we also made an arrangement with a logistic agent who will take care of transporting the group that will be coming with a flight and he will take charge of other logistics matters also like procurement of travel documents if any and accommodation ,so for confidentiality,I have decided that only you will have to handle my credit card information..
Summarily,
I would send to you my credit card information as soon as I hear back from you. Once you receive the credit card, this is exactly what you
are required to do;
1. Charge a total of £10,000 from it

2... Deduct £4,000 been the deposit cost of your services

3....Then you will send the balance of £6,000 to the Logistics agent whose.. information will be forwarded to you the balance will be paid to you on the day of arrival or anytime you need it once this arrangement is confirmed..
Finally,confirm this arrangement and provide me with your..

(1) Your company full name/address

(2) Name of the Manager/Owner

(3) company telephone and fax numbers

N.B: all charges from the card will be charged in my account.and the balance will be made on arrival or 1 week before arrival
Regards
Benjamin Davids
+447011174349

You getting the same thing?

Hi Aaron, welcome to Scamwarners.

Thank you for posting teh emails from this scammer, I trust you are now fully aware and know that you need to ignore the scammer completely so he will leave you alone.

If you have any questions please ask