O/T Screwing with Craigslist scammers

Garwood · Aug 28, 2016

I regularly list things for sale and buy things using craigslist as I'm sure most folks here do. The Nigerian scammers have always been around, but lately I've been inundated with texts from these bastards. One or two of several dozen I actually thought were real buyers! At first, I was texting rude things back and attempting to call them, but they use a fake email to text service, it's not a real phone number.

I wanted to do something to get back at them for wasting my time. I decided to waste their time and cost them money.

I have been having a blast going right a long with their scam. I text super politely and when they offer to pay with a check or money order and ask for my info I tell them to make the check out to Clint Eastwood or Babe Ruth and send it to my PO box. A few days later Babe Ruth gets a check in a usps envelope. I text the scammer that I haven't received his check so he sends another one! This time he pays the extra for tracking info and texts the tracking number. When Babe Ruth gets his second check I text the scammer back that my bank says his check is not real.

I figure it's costing those bastards $5 or so each time they respond to one of my craigslist ads. I also have quite a collection of bogus checks made out to famous people.

Try it yourself!

feasant · Aug 28, 2016

i got a bogus cashiers check one time and they even sent it fedex

TGTool · Aug 29, 2016

feasant said:
i got a bogus cashiers check one time and they even sent it fedex

Fedex so they can't be accused of mail fraud.

Seems like a fine point when you're already running a scam. Like my ex-MIL wasn't an alcoholic because an alcoholic will drink anything and she won't drink scotch. The figleaf of propriety.

challenger · Aug 29, 2016

TGTool said:
Fedex so they can't be accused of mail fraud.

Seems like a fine point when you're already running a scam. Like my ex-MIL wasn't an alcoholic because an alcoholic will drink anything and she won't drink scotch. The figleaf of propriety.

Well done sir, "ex MIL". Killed two birds with one stone there.
There really has to be a way to effectively screw these turds. All this extra work IS time. Maybe satisfying but does it make any other sense?
Maybe asking them to make the check out to some Washington wig, Id like to name names but I won't, and a Pentagon address??
C'mon people there are minds in their forum that can think of a way to mess with these people and make it count.

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing

Mebfab · Aug 29, 2016

Fedex/UPS shipments are on a stolen account number.

morsetaper2 · Aug 29, 2016

I sell a lot of stuff on craigslist. And I have little response if non at all from scammers. I post good pictures that leaves no doubt in their mind what the item is and its condition (minimizes tire-kickers), list price as firm, state NO texts, and if ad is up its available. Phone calls or emails only (phone # listed is a land line). And if they email, ad states to add pertinent text relative to themselves and the item such that I can discern between real interested persons and scam/phishing emails. Otherwise their inquiry gets deleted.

Why waste your time on these assholes at all? You have better things to do.

SteveM · Aug 29, 2016

Here's a guy with the same idea, except he put it in a book so that WE could all enjoy it too:

Amazon.com: The Good the Spam and the Ugly (97886528243): Steve H. Graham: Books

We have some people locally who are listing large motorhomes at cheap prices (like a fairly new bus chassis motorhome for $9,000).

Common threads are only 1 or 2 pics from the outside, never the inside, and no view of the license plate. Other than mugging someone that is dumb enough to show up with $9,000 in cash, not sure what they are trying to do.

Here's one:
1997 caMpEr vaN, airsTrEam MotORhOME rv CLAss B
Note that the only contact info is in the picture, so it can't be searched.

Steve

michiganbuck · Aug 29, 2016

Had a scammer call me on the phone and tell me my computer needed a repair that he could fix from his station if I would do as he suggested.
I played with him for a time then I said You must be mistaken because I don't even have a computer.
He paused and then said "Well then you are just a Mother fu....er" and slammed the phone.

dcsipo · Aug 29, 2016

morsetaper2 said:
I sell a lot of stuff on craigslist. And I have little response if non at all from scammers. I post good pictures that leaves no doubt in their mind what the item is and its condition (minimizes tire-kickers), list price as firm, state NO texts, and if ad is up its available. Phone calls or emails only (phone # listed is a land line). And if they email, ad states to add pertinent text relative to themselves and the item such that I can discern between real interested persons and scam/phishing emails. Otherwise their inquiry gets deleted.

Why waste your time on these assholes at all? You have better things to do.

it is rather simple to keep them away....

You just have to state it: Local pickup in person, cash only, no third party shippers. Have not gotten one scam call on items listed for multiple thousands.

dee
;-D

SteveM · Aug 29, 2016

michiganbuck said:
Had a scammer call me on the phone and tell me my computer needed a repair that he could fix from his station if I would do as he suggested.
I played with him for a time then I said You must be mistaken because I don't even have a computer.
He paused and then said "Well then you are just a Mother fu....er" and slammed the phone.

They tell me they are from Microsoft, so I tell them they must be mistaken because I have a Mac. Then they tell me "That's OK, I can switch you over to our Mac department".

Yea, like Microsoft has a Mac support department.

Steve

kenscabs · Aug 29, 2016

I went along with the computer "Microsoft" scammer for a while (I had time to kill) then after having him repeat everything a dozen times I started yelling my screens blue what did you do? He finally gave up and realized I was screwing with him and started cursing me out. It was entertaining.

goldenfab · Aug 29, 2016

kenscabs said:
I went along with the computer "Microsoft" scammer for a while (I had time to kill) then after having him repeat everything a dozen times I started yelling my screens blue what did you do? He finally gave up and realized I was screwing with him and started cursing me out. It was entertaining.

That is a good one. I get these calls all the time too. Either I tell them I run linux or if I'm not busy at the moment I play stupid and act like I am hard of hearing making them repeat themselves over and over.

SteveM · Aug 29, 2016

goldenfab said:
Either I tell them I run linux ...

Next time, I'm going to tell them I am on Solaris.

Steve

goldenfab · Aug 29, 2016

I have heard of people setting up a computer and purposefully putting a really bad virus on it and letting them try to take control of it only to really screw with them.

Scottl · Aug 29, 2016

I'd advise all of you to be real careful about screwing around with these people. After all they are criminals and cheating is just the bottom rung of nastiness. Many Nigerians are just scammers but there are some real violent people in that country and more than a few have migrated to the U.S. so you wouldn't want to make them mad enough to seek revenge. They may have a pal living a few towns away.

mfisher · Aug 29, 2016

I had one of the computer virus calls when I was working from home one day. I knew what it was, and figured I would have some fun. Can't remember the whole conversation, but it basically ended with me saying 'why would I want to get rid of all the viruses on my computer? I am trying to cross breed computer and human viruses, to make a cyborg virus that can be passed between computers AND humans'.

My daughter was just staring at me as if I was insane (which hearing only one side of the conversation, it would certainly have sounded like that). I explained it all later.

fish123 · Aug 29, 2016

I appreciate all the CL tips so as to reduce scammers and spammers.
I just retired from my "day job", and have a TON of stuff to sell off.
ebay for the light weight stuff, but I want to try selling on CL the engines and other car/motorcycle parts

awake · Aug 29, 2016

Yes, been there/done that with the "Microsoft" calls. I exclusively run Linux, so sometimes I have played along, acting like I'm just really slow as they tell me to look for the Start button, etc. - I just can't seem to find it on my computer. Finally I say something about this being Linux, not Windows - usually they just hang up at that point, but one time the person didn't even pause: "Yes, that's right, this is about your Linux machine." Not sure what he hoped to accomplish at that point, since whatever Windows virus he was going to infect me with likely would not have done much to my Linux machine ...

On a somewhat related topic - I get a LOT of calls from various charities asking for a donation. I always immediately ask them how much of any donation goes to the actual charity. Of course they never volunteer this information, but are required by law to give a response if you ask. The normal answer is, "I am glad to report that a minimum of 10% of every dollar goes to the charity." At which point I say, "I'm glad to report that I give directly to charities so that they receive 100% of my donations; therefore I think I'll pass on giving 90% to you." And then IMMEDIATELY hang up - give no chance for them to try to respond, because they are trained to be persistent!

dkmc · Aug 29, 2016

Scottl said:
I'd advise all of you to be real careful about screwing around with these people. After all they are criminals and cheating is just the bottom rung of nastiness. Many Nigerians are just scammers but there are some real violent people in that country and more than a few have migrated to the U.S. so you wouldn't want to make them mad enough to seek revenge. They may have a pal living a few towns away.

Point well taken. In this day and age anythings possible.
Really not worth the time or risk.
But also handy to have a room mate named Mr. Glock
I'm sure they'd be surprised if they met him.
He gets loud and can "go off" when provoked.

challenger · Aug 29, 2016

fish123 said:
I appreciate all the CL tips so as to reduce scammers and spammers.
I just retired from my "day job", and have a TON of stuff to sell off.
ebay for the light weight stuff, but I want to try selling on CL the engines and other car/motorcycle parts

Above all DO NOT allow pick ups at your home. For serious buyers make arrangements to meet at a local area police station. Some towns have set up exchange spots for c'list transactions. Also do not deliver the item to an address. You set the rules and that means every rule. If people can't follow the rules for the sake of safety then screw them.

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing

O/T Screwing with Craigslist scammers

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