As many of you know I am a scambaiter. I bait the Nigerian 419 scammers who try to steal money from people. One of the things I collect is fake checks. There’s more info on what I do and how I do it in this post – Snoskred Made 5 Million Dollars Online This Year.
I regularly check the PO box where the scammers send their checks to me, and I contact the companies who appear on the checks to let them know their bank account information is being used by scammers. Sometimes this is no easy task. I prefer to send them an email if possible but many companies don’t get back to me and I want to make sure they received the warning so I have to get on the telephone to speak to someone – and that is not the easiest task either. Especially given that I am in Australia and I receive checks with company names from many countries. I use Skype to make the calls, it is fairly cheap but the calls do add up.
How do the scammers get the bank information of these companies? They simply call and ask for it, claiming they have to make a payment. Most companies give out their bank information far too easily. But you know who gives out their banking information much more easily than a business? A charity.
I have feared this day was coming for a while now. Look what I just received.
Yes, this is supposedly a check from the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Only I know that it hasn’t come from them at all. I baited the scammer and they sent me this check. And guess where the scammer wanted me to send money to? And how they wanted me to send the money? No really, go on and guess. I bet you’ll never get it right! Here’s an email from the scammer who sent me this check.
Dearest Chloe,This is to inform you that you will be receiving a cheque for $35,000 via fed ex today. As soon as you have received the package, you are required to send within 24 hours the sum of $2500 via western union money transfer to my supplier in west africa with the information below;
Name: Steve Thompson
Address: Lagos Nigeria
Ensure the transfer information of the western union is sent to me such as, sender’s name and address, 10 digits money transfer control numbers and security test question and answer.
I look forward to your positive response as soon as possible
Regards,
Michael Brown
You’ll note I have edited out all the bank information on the check. That is because any scammer could create a counterfeit check with just a printer, some paper, and your bank account information – the stuff that appears along the bottom of your checks is all they need – and those counterfeit checks WILL BE CASHED if you have money in your account.This causes a problem for companies and charities because in general they do have money in their account – and some companies and charities do not have someone like an accountant in house watching the outgoing money.
Michael is apparently very unhappy with Chloe. He sent the check via Fedex, and that means he can see when it has been collected. ;)
Dear Chloe,I am miserable to learn from you that you didn’t receive the package that was sent to you via fedex, whose tracking number indicates that it has been delivered to you. I called fedex and I was told the package has been delivered to you, so I can’t figure out what exactly you are talking about.
I will sincerely appreciate you call the local fedex outlet around you with the tracking number I previousely gave to you and find out the through position of the payment that was sent to you.
Please ensure you do so and get back to me with a positive response.
But mind you, should anything happens to my money, you will have yourself to blame for it because you will have the FBI to face.
Regards,
Michael Brown
Those scammers just love to threaten their victims with the FBI. They will steal money from anyone they possibly can. It is a pity there is no FBI in their country who might actually arrest them. The police in Nigeria are terribly corrupt. :(
I love how the amount of money they want you to send is just under the $3000 threshold. Having worked for a company that had WU as part of its services, I know that any wire $3K and over requires additional paperwork and reporting. The scammers are keeping it just under that amount to try and avoid additional hassles in getting their money.
It’s great that you’re doing this. And the nerve of this “Michael Brown” to threaten you with the FBI. Too bad not much else is being done about it.
Scary – sometimes it can be quite liberating to be broke. :-)
Will it ever end? Do we always have to not believe before we can trust anyone. i wonder what happen to honor and integrity. Sometimes if I think about it too much it’s depressing.
Thank you for your dedication….and I hope others recognize what your efforts and how tey help us…
Dorothy from grammology
remember to call your gram
http://grammology.com
You are too cool! My husband would love you.
we have to give out our account numbers because we have customers pay directly into our account but I check the internet regularly for any thing unusual … this is scary stuff.
The FBI bit made me laugh … you certainly get them.
I am vastly amused at you for doing this. If i had but the time…..
I love stories of screwing those who would try to screw us.
Saw a bit on tv recently where a bunch of 419 scammers were rounded up and arrested. They were being handcuffed and led to police cars, then L changed channels……….At least SOME of them have been caught.