Greg's NAB 

(Not A Blog)

 

Fun with Craig's List. Bidpay and Nigerian Scammers

Recently I decided to list my TV for sale on craigslist. I acquired a projector a while ago, it meets my movie watching/game playing needs much better than the TV does.  I never use it anymore, it just takes up space.  I got a few legitimate inquiries, there are even a few people who want to stop by and take a look.  But the most fun was "Larry Don."  He made me suspicious and amused from the first email he sent me:

Hello,
how is life rowing with you i check on your item and i will like to know if you still have this item for sale,so i can make quick payment on it.Hope to hear from you soon.
 Thanks

His second email set off my scamdar full force:

Thanks for your mail,
well i will be sending the payment in money order through bidpay online,and after payment went through you will have to receive a confirmation mail from bidpay about the payment sent,once i receive the confirmation mail here too,i will like to offer you a fedex pre-paid shipping slip which i have registered with fedex courier service and note that upon the slip pasted there is no shipping cost for you,i will like to offer $400.00 for perfect 32 inch Flat Screen KLH TV w/ Service Plan and Stand that we can close the auction and have the shipment asap,hope you will like this offer.waiting for your quick response,and hope to have some other business with you in nearest uture.thanking you in anticipation,if it is ok by you get back to me on time,and send me your full information so i can continue with the transaction okay.Hope to hear from you soon..

Uh huh.  400 dollars. For a TV I listed for 350.  And you dont need to see it before buying. And i should ship it to you? Haha.  Anyways, I decided to play along. I wanted that prepaid label so I could send him a crate of junk.  Eventually I got this precious email from "Bidpay." My favorite parts are in red.

Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Western Union Auction PaymentsRight-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. UCC

Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Money Orders and payment services for auct ions.Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Money Orders and payment services for auct ions.Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Money Orders and payment services for auct ions.Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Money Orders and payment services for auct ions.Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Money Orders and payment services for auct ions.Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Money Orders and payment services for auct ions.Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Money Orders and payment services for auct ions.

 

           Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

 

Dear Greg Hegedus,
 
Western Union ®Auction Payments hereby congratulate you and at the same time informing you once again that the ®Money OrderSM sent to you from Larry Don has been Approved.®Money OrderSM:$400.00  

Auction item:32 inch Flat Screen KLH TV w/ Service Plan and Stand

Please verify that the following address (as entered by the buyer) is correct once again.
 
Greg Hegedus
Evanston
IL
60201
USA

This is the sample of the money order that will be delivered to you after we have receive the shipment tracking number from you.

Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

This order has been approved and will be send to the above address in 3-5 days.You CAN NOW send the items to the buyer, you will also identify yourself with your ®driving licence or your ®Social security number.
 
N.B
 
NOTE THAT THE MONEY ORDER WILL NOT GET TO YOUR RESIDENT UNTIL THE SHIPMENT TRACKING NUMBER IS E-MAIL TO US FOR SHIPMENT VERIFICATION IN OTHER TO SECURE BOTH THE SELLER AND THE BUYER.YOUR MONEY ORDER TRACKING NUMBER WILL BE SEND TO YOU AFTER THE VERIFICATION.
Mr Mac.F.Brown

** Cashier **
WESTERN UNION ® MONEY ORDER

-As always, thank you for your business

Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Use Western Union Online Services

Thank you for using Western Union ® Auction Payments. We look forward serving your online auction payment needs in the future.

Sincerely,
 
Western Union Auction Payment
 
 
NOTE:Due to the fact that seller recieves payment and dont ship out item, We have made that our policy that until item has been shipped out before we can update your account.
 
Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Pay For Your Auction                            Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Credit Cards Accepted                       Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. fbi logo
Pay for auction items easily with BidPay. Fast, convenient, reliable.             FBI SCAM

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION,PLEASE CONTACT OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE PROVIDER AT bidpaycashingpoint@deliveryman.com

 

Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.  Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.  Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.  Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.  Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.  Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.< /EM>

 

 


 


--

___________________________________________________________
Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup

 

If you want to read all the emails back and forth, they are here.  I'm still toying with the idea of sending random worthless junk to this guy with that prepaid shipping label.  Others have done it.  It remains to be seen if I get motivated enough to take this to that level.  Here is Larry Don's email if you want to send him a message or sign him up for spam: larry_don2@yahoo.com  haha :)

btw, the TV eventually did sell to a real live person.

 

Greg Hegedus

Gregory Hegedus

Gergely Hegedus