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How Scammers Recruit Victims Via Instant Messaging

 
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frodo
Victim Support


Joined: 12 Nov 2004, 5:47
Posts: 231
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Fri 07 Jan 2005 06:40    Post subject: How Scammers Recruit Victims Via Instant Messaging Reply with quote

A victim I warned about a previous scam, has given permission for me to post an Instant Messaging session she had with a scammer.
The victim was smart enough to ask if the new proposal was a scam before she went ahead with it.
The scammer uses the ID "evance4u".
(victim's name withheld by request.) Here's the conversation:

Quote:
victim: did you find someone to help you?
evance4u : no
evance4u : will u
victim: ok
evance4u : will u help me out
victim: yes
victim: what do I have to do?
evance4u : just give me ur address
victim: why do you need my address?
evance4u : so i can send the packages to u
victim: ok
evance4u : thanks
victim: you're going to send me packages?
evance4u : yes and u will reship it to me
victim: what does that accomplish?
victim: you send something to me, and then I
send it back to you?
victim: I don't understand
evance4u : ok
evance4u : that company i order from dont ship down
out of the state
victim: I see
victim: so, how exactly does it work?
evance4u : yes that why i need u to accept them 4 me
and reship them to me
victim: what is in the packages?
evance4u : shoe,clothes and electronics
victim: what do I do when they arrive?
evance4u : accept them
evance4u : and tell me
victim: how do I tell you?
evance4u : just give an offline
victim: send you an email note?
evance4u : yes that better
victim: can you email me your address and phone
number please?
victim: so I have a way to contact you
evance4u : ok
evance4u : give me ur address
victim: email me the address where you want me
to send them
victim: and your phone number, in case I have a
question
evance4u : ok
evance4u : i will give to u now
evance4u : here
evance4u : name :jimmy jones
evance4u : address:16b lawani street jibowu ikorodu
road
evance4u : city:ikorudu
evance4u : state:lagos
evance4u : country:nigeria
evance4u : zipcode:23401
victim: thanks
victim: what is your phone number? in case I
have a question
evance4u : 2340828748226
victim: is it legal to send you the packages?
evance4u : yes it 's legal
victim: I don't want to do anything that's not
legal.
victim: ok.


How the scam works
: The fraudsters use fake or stolen credit card information to purchase goods over the Internet. These goods are purchased in the name of the victim and then shipped to the victim's address. The victim is told to ship the goods overseas to the scammers. This effectively "launders" the fraud by making the victim appear guilty of credit card fraud.

The victim is then tracked down by the police, the credit card companies and the stores. Typically, the victim is then forced to pay for the stolen goods and may also be charged by the police if they cannot prove they weren't a part of the fraud gang.

The lesson to be learned from this
: Never agree to take part in a transaction on behalf of another person you met over the Internet. Never give them personal information like your address or account details. Never forget that no matter how sweet the person you chat to may seem, the Internet can be a dangerous place.
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residentofoz
NEW Forum Member


Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 4:13
Posts: 1
Location: Houston, Texas

PostPosted: Fri 28 Jan 2005 04:32    Post subject: Another IM scam Reply with quote

Hi,

Here is a post that happened to me.

joyad11111777: i need help to get out here
i came to meet a guy in here who has been my friend for three years now
he used me
he made away with all my money
all moves to get him was to no avail
they got me down that
i have to pay
Click the "Ignore" button above to stop receiving messages from this person.

BUZZ!!!
BUZZ!!!
joyad11111777: are u back now
me : yes
me : you are stuck in Nigeria
joyad11111777: YES
me : Have you been to the U.S. consulate there?
joyad11111777: no
me : They could probably help you get to the U.S.
joyad11111777: i can't leave here
joyad11111777: they had all my travellnmg document seized
joyad11111777: i need help as my return ought to be tomorrow i have a return ticket
joyad11111777: i need more money to settle the hotel bills
me : how much is that
joyad11111777: 35,000 naira
joyad11111777: the money was 87,000 naira beore
joyad11111777: i had 400 dollars sent down
joyad11111777: from my friend
me : so you need about 325 dollars or so
joyad11111777: not up to 300 dollars
joyad11111777: a dollars is 130 naira
me : so about 270 dollars 300 was a close guess
joyad11111777: yes
me : how would you get the money?
joyad11111777: i will be happy if u help me get it send to the hotel manager
joyad11111777: via western union
joyad11111777: that's how Diana send money to him three days ago
me : What hotel is it?
joyad11111777: KAS HOTEL
joyad11111777: are u there?
BUZZ!!!
me : Yes I am here
joyad11111777: can u help me out?
joyad11111777: i promise with an oath that i will get it back to you
joyad11111777: so can help me raise anything
me : I don't see how
joyad11111777: please do help me think of how
me : I still say you should contact the consulate. A foreign goverment cannot seize a U.S. passport without notifing the U.S.
me : They can arrange for payment and get you home
joyad11111777: they seized so i can pay
me : Who seized it?
joyad11111777: the hotel management
me : Call the consulate now! The hotel management definatly cannot seize a U.S. document!


This conversation actually took place on yahoo im. Yes that is "her" yahoo id.

If you travel abroad folks the hotel management CANNOT seize your passport! If you are arrested in a foreign country ask to see the U.S. Consulate immediately.

The biggest question is how can she be on the web if she has no funds?
_________________
Don't be a sucker!
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frodo
Victim Support


Joined: 12 Nov 2004, 5:47
Posts: 231
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Sat 29 Jan 2005 06:10    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the forum, residentofoz, and thanks for posting your experience!
Well done for spotting this scam. As you have found out, there are a few varieties out there and they follow a pattern: The scammer alerts you to some problem related to an urgent need for money. The sum of money is not very large, so it seems like it might be genuine. The scammer tries to create sympathy by saying that whatever trouble they are in will get worse if you don't help them *now*. Other examples of this instant messaging fraud are - claiming to have been robbed or an injured/sick friend in need of urgent medical treatment.

If you are contacted by someone like this - ask lots of questions. Scammers are rarely prepared to back up their lies with a convincing story that will stand up to close questioning.
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