A Victim Offers Sage Advice

Posted in database, scammer by Chief on January 26, 2011

Seth Kugal writes of how he was scammed in apartment rental fraud. He provides these tips that will serve online buyers well:

1. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

2. Use reputable and tested sites. Craigslist does not assume responsibility for vetting fraudulent postings.

3. Always use a credit card. As the Craigslist scam information page (which I wish they forced you to read before clicking on an ad) notes: “NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM, or any other wire service — anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.”

4. Check for previous scams. Search Web sites like Scamwarners.com, Fraudwatchers.org, Scam.com and 419legal.org, to see if people have reported similar scams.

5. Do a keyword search. Googling is one of your best defenses.

6. See the goods yourself before committing funds.

7. In English-speaking countries, look out for poor grammar.

8. See if you can get someone on the phone.

Tagged with: victim

20 comments

20 Responses

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Christina said, on February 6, 2011 at 10:36 am

I’ve posted a vehicle scam on here before, but here’s the latest result of an item (a wedding gown) I listed on Craigslist recently:

His “name” is Andrew Wilfort. He wrote:

This is to confirm the safe receipt of your message regarding to my inquiry of this Item, am delighted to read from you. I am quite comfortable with the condition of the item. I really need this Item, and will like you to consider it mine, so I will add $40 to the purchase price… for you to hold it for me and keep other buyers away from it,Please provide your the following details Full Name, Address and your Phone number so that I can send your payment.I will be paying you by a Money Order which is as good as cash. It will take 2 -3 days for the payment to get to you,As for delivery, I will make arrangements for the pick-up after you have received payment,If this meets your approval,kindly get back to me, as soon as possible, with your Name, Phone # and mailing Address where payment will be sent, that I can have my assistant get the Money Order ready, No P O Box please because fedex will not deliver in thereso Note: As soon as you have your money in hand, we can talk about the picking up of the item.

I would like you to take the posting off craigslist.org today and consider is sold to me.

Best Regards.
Andrew
Chief said, on February 6, 2011 at 2:58 pm

Christina,
Thanks for posting this. While most of the scammers here are sellers, as you have observed, the criminals portray buyers also. Please reply if you have more info on this scammer. If you want to tell the story in a format that is easy for reader to grasp, I would gladly allow you to author a post detailing this scam attempt.

— Chief
horzluber[at]gmail.com
Mary said, on February 28, 2011 at 8:29 am

I just got the exact same email from him. Thanks for posting this.
Chief said, on February 28, 2011 at 8:30 am

We’re glad you found us before becoming involved with the criminal, Mary.

— Chief
Sarah said, on March 6, 2011 at 10:15 am

Thank you so much for letting us know this, i was just emailing him because he wanted to buy my car. He does respond, and sounds professional and legitimate, but something felt off about it. So thanks for posting this.
hannah said, on March 10, 2011 at 6:18 am

Just received almost the exact response, but a check was offered, not a money order. Something felt off. I wrote to him stating I only accepted paypal. If that was good with him, I would send a payment request, after he provided information, that I never gave out private information. After I sent that, I looked him up, and found this site. Thanks!

The email address he used the first time was chief.nana1@gmail.com
The email address he used the second time was heveanlytrinity65784@gmail.com

This is the second email body…

This is to confirm the safe receipt of your message regarding to my inquiry of this Item, am delighted to read from you. I am quite comfortable with the condition of the item. I really need this Item, and will like you to consider it mine, so I will add $40 to the purchase price… for you to hold it for me and keep other buyers away from it,Please provide your the following details Full Name, Address and your Phone number so that I can send your payment.I will be paying you by a Check which is as good as cash. It will take 2 -3 days for the payment to get to you,As for delivery, I will make arrangements for the pick-up after you have received payment,If this meets your approval,kindly get back to me, as soon as possible, with your Name, Phone # and mailing Address where payment will be sent, that I can have my assistant get the Check ready, No P O Box please because fedex will not deliver in thereso Note: As soon as you have your money in hand, we can talk about the picking up of the item.

I would like you to take the posting off craigslist.org today and consider is sold to me.

Best Regards.
Andrew
Chief said, on March 10, 2011 at 8:05 am

Hannah, thanks for the info. While most of the scams here are criminals posing as sellers, those posing as buyers use some of the same methods of separating us from our money.
Robin said, on April 18, 2011 at 3:34 pm

Ha — so glad to find this — while the email I received today from “Andrew” was not as detailed — he said

“Still Up for sale, and what is the Condition? and the final price you wanted to sale it out! Can I see more pics?

Yours sincerely,
Andrew Wilfort”

I felt like “SOMETHING” was off and low n behold I find this site — so glad I went with my gut feeling and did not reply — i literally had typed out the reply and attached 1 other photo I had and googled this name before I was going send. I was very specific in my CL post however saying to email me a name and phone number and if it was on CL then it was still available.

Thanks for posting the original.
Chief said, on April 18, 2011 at 3:57 pm

Robin, we’re glad you found the site. Kudos to the hundreds of folks who have submitted emails from scammers!

— Chief
Betty said, on April 19, 2011 at 11:45 am

I received the extra reply from “Andrew” as Christine did yesterday for something I was selling on Craigslist. I googled his name and this site came up. Glad I looked him up, even though I was leaning toward not providing him with any information until I got more from him. I did send him an email back asking where he was located. Haven’t heard anything from him yet…probably won’t.
chris said, on April 21, 2011 at 9:52 am

Wow!! I have got these “exact” emails! Definately felt that something was not right. Then offered up an extra 40 and don’t care about the condition sent off some warning bells in my head right there. First you want to know then condition and then you don’t care the condition and offer more. Geesh!!
Tiffany said, on May 19, 2011 at 1:27 pm

I got this same email from him today.

You message was received concerning my inquiry. I am quite comfortable with the condition of the item.I am willing to add $40 to the purchase price for you to hold it for me and keep other buyers away from it,Please provide your full name, Address and your Phone number so that I can send your payment.I will be paying you by a Money Order. It will take 2 -3 days for the payment to get to you,As for delivery, I will make arrangements for the pick-up after you have received payment,If this meets your approval, kindly get back to me, as soon as possible, with your name, phone # and mailing address where payment will be sent, that I can have my assistant get the Money Order ready, No P O Box please because fedex will not deliver in there so.

Note: As soon as you have your money in hand, we can talk about the picking up of the item.

I would like you to take the posting off craigslist.org today and consider is sold to me.

Best Regards,
Andrew
Mark said, on May 21, 2011 at 9:35 am

We also got that same message from “Andrew Wilfort”. Thanks for posting your message! What a scammer!
John said, on May 30, 2011 at 6:37 pm

Got the exact same e-mail from him today, as well. I am selling multiple items and he also e-mailed under the name “Mathew Christ” and the e-mail donaldbank01@gmail.com

I plan on messing with this guy for a bit and wasting his time.
Cynde said, on June 1, 2011 at 11:33 pm

I also got these replies from Andrew Wilfort to my craigslist ad. I replied back with the information he requested. What will happen now? I did notice I had over 20 emails in my spam folder today. Thanks for your info.
Nick said, on June 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm

I’m currently trying to sell some concert tickets, and this guy emailed me, same emails and all. Thought something was up. I’ll probably mess with him a bit, but as he’s offered to come pick up the item, is there any way to get the police involved? Just to get rid of this guy?
Chief said, on June 2, 2011 at 9:27 pm

Cynde, all scammers are attracted to your wallet. The criminal will tell a few dozen more lies in an attempt to get you to send him cash.
Chief said, on June 2, 2011 at 9:28 pm

Nick,

If you have the criminal’s real name, by all means, report him. If he has your personal identification, I would just drop him. Tell him the tickets are sold.
Arnold Harris said, on September 27, 2011 at 7:22 pm

Chief,

I too have been contacted by “Andrew Wilfort”, with an email message almost identical to the one he sent to Christina in Feb 2011.

In my case, I am selling a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse model GS 2000cc with 5-speed manual transmission. I have priced the car at $650 and my Craigslist ad lists all relatively recent repair work on the car, plus some ten repairs still needed for restoration. Here is what he sent me via email late this afternoon:
—————————————————————————————————————————

“You message was received concerning my inquiry. I am quite comfortable with the condition of the item.I am willing to add $40 to the purchase price for you to hold it for me and keep other buyers away from it,Please provide your full name, Address and your Phone number so that I can send your payment.I will be paying you by a Check. It will take 2 -3 days for the payment to get to you,As for delivery, I will make arrangements for the pick-up after you have received payment,If this meets your approval, kindly get back to me, as soon as possible, with your name, phone # and mailing address where payment will be sent, that I can have my assistant get the Check ready, No P O Box please because fedex will not deliver in there so.

Note: As soon as you have your money in hand, we can talk about the picking up of the item.

I would like you to take the posting off craigslist.org today and consider is sold to me.

Best Regards,
Andrew
—————————————————————————————————————————-

I have no idea what this person has in mind, but my suspicions are aroused by someone who wants to purchase a 21 year old automobile from a private seller without even showing up to inspect it. Also, I do not accept personal checks for articles that I am selling. I have told all potential buyers of my car that the only way I will deal with them is that they come to where I have the vehicle stored, inspect it carefully, then accompany me to the nearest local branch of my bank where both he or she will deposit the sale amount in my account, then both of us will sign a bill of sale legal form with an appropriate “as-is” clause protecting me from after-sale liability, and both our signatures will be notarized by a bank officer. At that point, I will turn over to him or her the signed vehicle title and the car key, and I will drive us back to his newly-purchased car and drive it home.

I have not sold anything before on Craigslist. I am following an appropriate procedure?

Arnold Harris .
Chief said, on September 28, 2011 at 7:10 am

Arnold, your instincts are on track. Trust them. Said “buyer” would likely give you a forged cashiers’ check. This is a no-win deal for you.

Chief

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