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New Low in the Nigerian Scams

CJBianco Oct 21, 2005 01:32 PM

How low can these people get? Impersonating the hearing impaired!?!

I just got a phone call from some woman who spoke so fast that I could hardly keep up. It seems this was one of the TDD services where she reads the typed message and types my response back to the sender. The rules are simple. Listen, and reply directly to the sender while ending the response with either "go ahead" or "over".

So she reads the message: "Hi. I'm (so and so), and I am responding to the advertisement for the (such and such). How much are you asking and what is the condition?" (Okay. The red flag. What is the condition? Typical scam question.)

My reply: "Well, I guess I could let it go for (whatever), but I'd rather hold out for (whatever more)." (And I can hear her typing super wicked fast the entire time.)

She replies: "In that case, I can pay (whatever a little more). Do you have an email address? I can pay with a cashiers cheque, and I have a reputable shipper..."

My reply: "Hold it. Go ahead. Over. Stop. This is a scam. I'm sorry ma'am, but this guy is a scammer. I can tell you everything he is going to say word for word. I will pay by money order blah blah blah. I have my own reputable shipping company blah blah blah. I am overseas on business for the next four weeks blah blah blah. Sorry. No. This guy is a fraud. This is a Nigerian money scam. I appreciate your time, but no thanks." (And then I realize she is typing everything word for word to this person. And she's giggling as I call him out.)

How much crazier can this stuff get???

Chris
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mean people suck

Replies (9)

bristen Oct 21, 2005 02:52 PM

>>How low can these people get? Impersonating the hearing impaired!?!
>>
>>I just got a phone call from some woman who spoke so fast that I could hardly keep up. It seems this was one of the TDD services where she reads the typed message and types my response back to the sender. The rules are simple. Listen, and reply directly to the sender while ending the response with either "go ahead" or "over".
>>
>>So she reads the message: "Hi. I'm (so and so), and I am responding to the advertisement for the (such and such). How much are you asking and what is the condition?" (Okay. The red flag. What is the condition? Typical scam question.)
>>
>>My reply: "Well, I guess I could let it go for (whatever), but I'd rather hold out for (whatever more)." (And I can hear her typing super wicked fast the entire time.)
>>
>>She replies: "In that case, I can pay (whatever a little more). Do you have an email address? I can pay with a cashiers cheque, and I have a reputable shipper..."
>>
>>My reply: "Hold it. Go ahead. Over. Stop. This is a scam. I'm sorry ma'am, but this guy is a scammer. I can tell you everything he is going to say word for word. I will pay by money order blah blah blah. I have my own reputable shipping company blah blah blah. I am overseas on business for the next four weeks blah blah blah. Sorry. No. This guy is a fraud. This is a Nigerian money scam. I appreciate your time, but no thanks." (And then I realize she is typing everything word for word to this person. And she's giggling as I call him out.)
>>
>>How much crazier can this stuff get???
>>
>>
>>Chris
>>-----
>>mean people suck

CJBianco Oct 21, 2005 04:45 PM

I was just relaying this story to a good friend of mine, and she freaked as soon as I mentioned the TDD service! Those good ol' hearing impaired TDD-users in Nigeria just stole 10K from her company. Last night.

It seems one of the sales girls received a call yesterday from the same TDD service. The buyer ordered 10K worth of supplies and gave a false credit card number. The sales girl ran the credit card number through the system which required the company's personal access code to the credit card company. Somehow the scammer is notified through his computer about the autorization and all of the company's employee credit card numbers are instantly accessed. Along with the company's access code. Then the funds are withdrawn by the scammer. Thank goodness the credit card company monitors this activity and can contact the business owner at home at 4:00 in the morning. (After the money is gone, of course.)

It's a crazy chicken world!

Chris
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mean people suck

bps516 Oct 21, 2005 04:56 PM

TDD Service...

Back when I was insane enough to manage a phone customer service center I had to deal with those systems... Nothing like being cussed in VIA proxy! One operator got so into it she forgot that she was actually not the one yelling at me. Ugh!

It does make one laugh though (Sorry Chris) that you would be the one breeder that would get this kind of call! You should have just moved on to corns! LOL!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

CJBianco Oct 21, 2005 08:16 PM

Isn't it funny? I think someone wants me out for good. It's a conspiracy.

Chris
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mean people suck

bps516 Oct 21, 2005 08:24 PM

LOL! Yeah they always go after the crazy people first. It gives them more time to effect the sain and the crazy people desensitize everyone else to it during the process. It makes sense that they would go to South Carolina first!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

CJBianco Oct 21, 2005 08:52 PM

"It makes sense that they would go to South Carolina first!"

I agree. They have to test the waters before diving head first into Georgia.

Chris
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mean people suck

bps516 Oct 22, 2005 09:13 AM

They would make a killing here! I am in Conyers, right down the street from the cow field that the Virgin Mary appeared in all through the '90s. Not saying that the two things are related (nigerian scam and Mary), but I am sure you could make a good amount from selling your invisaballs here!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

amayon Oct 21, 2005 06:52 PM

roftlmao what i would give to be the woman thats the go between!! too funny :D
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1.0 alb. okeetee "Grissom"
1.0 American Pit Bull Terrier "Vanyel"
0.1 Somali "Willow"

NorthernRegius Oct 22, 2005 08:57 AM

Ghana too,
I just finished declining a "Credit Card payment" done exactly like this at my business. He wanted the authorization code after the card was ran. Found out that Ghana is leading the way in this type of scam. Here's an edited series of e-mails, when he actually e-mailed me the card numbers the last doubt of whether this was a scam disappeared- also note the denomination below...

Hope this helps so no one else gets scammed:

I want you to run 4489.435 on each card .
Thank you.
I will be waiting to hear from you.

Deb wrote:
John,
How much do you wish to charge on each?
Best of Health & Wealth,
Deb

From: john wright
Subject: Re: Thanks for your business
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 14:22:42 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Deb,
This is my 2 mastercard information below:
First card Name on Card : John Wright Card Type: Mastercard Card #: *0862 Exp Date:09/2006
Second Card Name on Card : John Wright Card Type: Mastercard Card #:*1118 Exp Date:09/2006
As soon as you run the card send me the Approval code.
Thank you
John Wright

Deb wrote:
Absolutely John,
I've just finished with my last client for the day, I'd be pleased to accept your payment.
NorthernRegius

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