This thug intended to take me for at least $3000.00 and perhaps the whole boat!!! They even sent me a very realistic looking cashiers check. I believe they may try this scam with other boat owners who are selling their boats... Be Aware!!!
The complete correspondence is listed below the photo.
Once I was aware that this guy was running a scam, I decided to have fun with this him. I wanted to make him think I was desperate to sell my boat and decided to string him along. What appears below is the content of our emails from beginning to end. Keep coming back as I will be posting more information until the game plays out.
SCAMMER JOE: hello, im interested in buying your boat, pls. give me your best price as soo as possible. williams.
ME: JOE ONE TIME OFFER. $75000.00 AS IS WHERE IS. OFFER GOOD THRU MON. 04/25/05
SCAMMER JOE: Hello, the price is okay by me,
I will go ahead and Instruct a personal client in the states to issue you a
certified cashier check which would cover all expenses
for it. It is most likely you would get it sometime next week or even sooner.
He will be issueing you a cashiers check to the tune of $12,000 .The reason being that after you deduct your $7,500and other expenses emanating from all forms of charges. The rest could be wired by you to an international shipping agent via western union money transfer,who will be communicated to you in due time.
He will help in the shipping of the item to my
location I would want it to be packaged and
delivered in the safest and most proffesional way.
The shipper is likely to be reluctant to pick
it up until he is mobilised, i.e the balance wired to him is his fees for his
services,tranportation to and fro,clearing and all other charges
involved in this transaction okay.
He would be advised to come to your house or the location that you give me for him to pick it up as soon as he is mobilized by the funds you send to him.
Also before I forget send me your full name and
contact address asshould appear on the check and to where it is going to be
sent to and for shippers pick up point, and also your phone number so I can
always contact you on to monitor proceeding of things.please do get back ASAP.
Thanks and Best Regard
williams.
ME: Joe,
1. Where is the boat going to be shipped to?
2. Do you want me to assist in shipping arrangements?
3. What is your name, address and phone number?
4. The price of the boat is $75,000.00 USD not $7,500.00.
Per your request, my name is L.A. Goddard, phone number 912-XXX-XXXX, address:
XXXXXXXXXXX, GA
After I receive the above information, I will inform you as to how to make the
cashiers check out.
Thanks, L.A.
SCAMMER JOE: Hi im williams, I live at 45, further
road e56 h2r london.
The boat is to be shiped to London, im sorry about the price its $75,000. the
extra $45,000 is to be used by the shipper. thanks
ME: Joe, I have not received anymore email back from you. Was any of the below assistance able to help you? I would appreciate your reply. Best Regards, LA
SCAMMER JOE: LA, thanks for your email, I have someone that can handle it. i would instruct my client in the state to issue you a check of $75,000 as soon as possible. reply if you are still interested.
ME: Joe, We understand now what you are doing. We are familiar with the process of transporting the boat overseas due to a previous potential buyer. We have the abilities to assist you in getting the boat to London. If this will save you time we will check into this and give you a price and may be able to save you money. LA
SCAMMER JOE: Hello Goddard, How are you today.
i have just been informed by my client and his wife that check payment of $75,000
have delivered to you .
They have instructed that you send down the extra balance of their money via
MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER to their agent presently in the US doing some jobs.
The agent will be taking charge of shipping the property that they have purchased
from you along with some other goods that they are have purchased. You are also
required to provide the "address / location" of where the purchased
property is presently located at the moment, so that as soon as the agents receives
the funds and the address / location from you, they will be able to seal-up
the contract on pick-up and shipping arrangements, for their pick-up and shipping
services to be possible.
Please NOTE, for safety of the property, the customer has given the following
instructions and requirements that the pick-up agent who will be meeting with
you will possess to be a valid agent who represents the customer. My client
has instructed that for an agent to be able to pick-up the property, the agent
must meet up with the following requirements :
(1). Provide the Power of Attorney letter to Seller at point of pick-up, which
would have been signed by the Buyer showing that the Buyer gives the authority
to the agent to pick up the property from the Seller and hand it over to the
Buyer.
(2). The agent must provide two forms of valid identification (i.e: state ID,
driving license, working ID, passport, etc.)
(3). The agent will sign the change of ownership of the property.
(4). The seller will then hand over the signed property title / receipt and
documents to agent as a sign of complete transaction between the Seller and
the Buyer.
(5). The agent will do the rest of his/her tasks which includes shipping the
item to the Buyer.
It is agreed that the sale is final, after the transfer of ownership is completed.
Below are the AGENT's payment Details that you would need to transfer the payment
to the agent money via MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER as these funds will be needed
as payment before he can render his services as regards the pick-up / shipping
arrangements.
Name:John Peters
Address: 337 39th Street Brooklyn, New York 11209
There are Money gram outlets around you, where you can go and send the balance to the agent.
We have made enquiries from MONEY GRAM MONEY
TRANSFER office here and we have been informed that you would be required to
pay some charges as cost of transfering the money to the agent. Our customer
and the agent are both aware of these transfer charges and have agreed on these
terms, so they have instructed that you go ahead and deduct the transfer charges
from their balance money that you would be sending down to the agent.
As soon as you have made the transfer, Please forward the transfer details to
agent via the agent's email that i have provided for you below.
AGENTS EMAIL - gtgntyhcm_gtgntyhcm@yahoo.com
Please note that it is very important that you also forward to this my own email
a copy of the transfer details, as evidence that you have made the transfer
to the agent and to indicate the date that the transfer was made, this as this
is very important for office record and as evidence to show that payment was
made to the agent and Date the payment was made.
ME: Joe, No problem. I was just offering my assistance if you needed it. When should I expect your client to contact me? Thanks, L.A.
SCAMMER JOE: LA, thanks for your email,I have
someone that can handle it.i would instruct my client in the state to issue
you a check of $75,000 as soon as possible.reply if you are still interested.
williams.
ME: Joe,
We have received your email, however we have NOT received the $75,000.00 payment
you refer to in your email. Please let me know how and when the payment was
sent. Do you have a tracking number, or reference number? I await your response.
Best Regards, L.A.
SCAMMER JOE: Hello Sam, How are you today? Have
you gotten the check today? My client told me that he send it through mail box
post ok.. so check you mail and get back to me. Thanks and have a nice day
Jones
ME: Joe, I don't know what's going on here. But
whatever you are doing is not
consistent with the way we do business in the US.
All these different people and email and agents, clients etc. sounds more
like a scam than a business deal.
In lieu of that, I must inform you that I have another customer who is
ready to buy the boat.
If you are on the up & up, then call me today before 5:00 PM EST - US. LA
SCAMMER JOE: Hello Sam, What is the meaning of all this? What do you mean by scam? is it how they do scam? by buying goods from a person? Please stop this,I called my client who issue out the check, and he told me that he have contatcting the poster mail and the told him that it will be delivered today..So as soon as you received the check through your poster mail today, i will like you to follow my instruction in sending the balance to the agent today.... Thanks and god bless you...Joe
ME: Joe, I am in receipt of your check. I apologize for all the confusion. You may come and pick up your boat, whenever you are ready. LA
SCAMMER JOE: Hello LA Goddard, Thanks for the
mail, The Price that will told you that will are going to buy is $72,000 and
the check that you recieved is $75,000, So all you will do now is for you to
send the balance of $3,000 to the agent via Money Gram money transfer in Brooklyn,
New York ..
Below are the AGENT's payment Details that you would need to transfer the payment
to the agent money via Money Gram money transfer as these funds will be needed
as payment before he can render his services as regards the pick-up / shipping
arrangements.
Name:John Peters
Address: 337 39th Street Brooklyn, New York 11209
AGENTS EMAIL - gtgntyhcm_gtgntyhcm@yahoo.com
There are some Money Gram outlets around you where you can go and send the balance
of the funds to the agent today...
I will like you to e mail the details that you use to send the funds like this;
1] sender's name
2] amount sent after deducting of cost transfer
3] contol number
As soon as you have send the funds to the agent today, Then the agent can be
paid and also to pocess and come over to your location for the pick up
I will be expecting this from you today asap. Thanks and God Bless, Joe
ME: Joe, Our deal was for $75,000 for the boat. You told me that you would be sending additional money for your agent. What should I do now? LA
SCAMMER JOE: Hello LA Goddard, If you are not willing to sell the boat of $72,000 ,Then tell me now, so that will can give you address to return the check, because will have told our customer that the price of the boat is for $72,000 and that is why he send a check in amount of $75,000 for you to send the balance of $3,000 to the agent..... Thanks, Joe
SATURDAY 5-14-05
SCAMMER JOE: Hello LA Goddard,
Have you e mail the agent money gam details that you use to send the balance
of $3,000 to him in Brooklyn New York today?
Thanks, Joe
ME: I couldn't get
to the bank before it closed yesterday. I'm trying to borrow
the money from a friend to send to your agent today... LA
SCAMMER JOE: Hello LA Goddard,
As soon as you send the funds today to the agent, i will like you to e mail
the infomations that you use like this:
1] sender's name
2] amount sent after deducting of cost transfer
3] control number
I will be expecting this from you today asap...
Thanks, Joe
ME:
Joe,Here is the information you requested.
senders name: LA Goddard
amount: $3000.00
control number: 19270629 (we gave him a phoney number)
LA
SCAMMER JOE: Hello LA Goddard, The agent told me that the number that you provided is incorrect, Please check the numbers and get back to me. Thanks, Joe
ME: Joe, I don't understand,
I double-checked the numbers and they appear to be correct. I'm sending you
a scanned copy of my receipt.
I hope this helps you out. I tried to get it as clear as I could... My scanner
is old.
Unless they made a mistake at the money gram place you should have gotten the
money about 4 or 5 hours ago.
They were training a new girl at the money gram place. She could have made a
mistake. I don't know.
Email me if you need me.
God Bless, LA
SCAMMER JOE: Hello LA Goddard,
The agent told me that what he saw there was 3 dollars, So what is all this
about? I want you to go back at the MONEY GRAM that you send the funds to the
agent,So that you can correct the mistake immedaitely.. i will be expecting
your urgent Respond....
Thanks, Joe
ME: Joe, I have just
returned from Walmart. It appears that the new girl that waited on me for the
money gram has made some kind of mistake. The Walmart people tried to call her
at home because her work shift ended at 3:30. they told me that they can not
do anything until they contact her and try to figure out what happened.
As soon as I have more information I will contact you again.
God Bless, LA
SCAMMER JOE: LA, i have called
your number and the lady there told me that the number is not belong to you,
What is going on la? I am not happy at all. With the receipt that the gave you
in the MONEY GRAM, you can use it to correct the mistake that the girl do in
the transcation.. La i want you to get back to me with the correct details that
you use to send the funds to the agent today..
Thanks
Joe
ME: Joe, I do not live
at that phone number. That is a business number that I use because I am almost
bankrupt. I am allowed to use the phone for outgoing calls, but the lady gets
very angry when too many calls come to the phone for me on weekends or at evening
hours. I apologize for this... It is very difficult for me right now because
of my money situation.
I will be back at Walmart first thing tomorrow as soon as church is over. I
am as anxious as you are to find out what happened with my money that I borrowed
from my best friend. The Walmart manager told me that we would get it all straightened
out as soon as they could locate the girl who helped me.
Did you get the copy of the money gram receipt that I sent you? The Walmart
manager said that they believed their was a problem but they would not tell
me anything else until they talk to the girl...
I believe that the girl didn't type in enough zeros on the computer when she
made my money gram. That's why I have a receipt for $3000.00 and you got $3.00.
I really believe it was an honest mistake and I'm sure we will clear it up tomorrow.
God Bless, LA
SCAMMER JOE: LA, make sure that you do it tomorrow as you say, my agent leave the funds there, so that you can know that it is $3 that you send to him.. Thanks, Joe
SUNDAY 5-15-05
SCAMMER JOE: Hello LA, I want
you to e mail me the new details that you use to send the money to agent today........
Thanks, Joe
ME:
Joe, I went to Walmart early to see if they were open, and they were. I got
the problem straightened out and they gave me my money back. The girl had made
a mistake like I thought. I'd like to suggest a different way to handle this
because the people here are so stupid. I'd rather not use money gram now because
the people are such idiots.
This transaction is getting awfully complicated. May I suggest that I wire the
money to your account, or send you a cashiers check or give it to your agent
when he arrives to pick up the boat tomorrow? If you have another way to get
the money to you let me know...
I need to give you a different phone number where you can leave messages for
me, because I'm not at the other phone number very often... So please use this
number: 912-xxx-xxxx. I will be in and out today because I have a lot of errands
to do before your agent picks up the boat tomorrow.
SCAMMER
JOE: LA, You can have the wiring done via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSER, i guess
this media wont proof to much dificuilty.Below ae western union outlets where
you can have the funds transfered with no problem:
HARDIES DRUG STORE
38 SOUTH TALLHASSEE ST
HAZLEHURST, GA 31539
WINN-DIXIE #133
US 341 COMAS ST
BAXLEY, GA 31513
MICHAEL VARNADOE ACCT & INS
191 BURNS ST
LUMBER CITY, GA 31549
J A
JONES INC
108 MYRTLE ST
UVALDA, GA 30473
Do have that done and get back with the details used like :
MTCN NUMBER.........................
SENDER'S NAME ......................
AMOUNT SENT.................................
joe
SCAMMER
JOE: La, I need the details of the western union that you use to the funds to
the agent now...
Joe 5:22 PM
SCAMMER
JOE: La, I need the details of the western union that you use to the funds to
the agent now...
Joe 5:23
PM
SCAMMER
JOE: La, I need the details of the western union that you use to the funds to
the agent now...
Joe 5:24
PM
SCAMMER
JOE: La, I need the details of the western union that you use to the funds to
the agent now...
Joe 5:25
PM
SCAMMER
JOE: La, I need the details of the western union that you use to the funds to
the agent now...
Joe 5:26
PM
After Joe sent the same email five times in a row I sent him the following email.
ME: Joe, I have decided to keep the money and the boat. Thanks, LA
MONDAY 5-16-05
SCAMMER JOE: Hello La, Have you returned the check? Joe
ME: JOE, I PUT THE CK IN THE BANK FRIDAY I'LL HAVE TO GO THERE TODAY AND GET YOU A NEW ONE. JUST BARE WITH ME. THANKS AND GOD BLESS L.A.
ME: ON THIS NEW CHECK HOW DO YOU WANT IT MADE OUT TO YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE? L.A.
ME: I AM ALSO GOING TO TAKE OUT MY CHARGE THAT MONEY GRAM CHARDED ME .$14.33 - $75000.00= $74985.67 IS THIS OKAY?
SCAMMER
JOE: Hello
LA, I want you to go and send the balance of the $3,000 to the agent via western
union money transfer, Is that am not happy with you, because of what happen
in saturday, i need the boat urgent, so i want you to go ahead and send the
balance of the $3,000 to the agent today, so that the agent can use the funds
and come over to your location by tomorrow for the pick up the boat...
As soon as you have done that today, i will like you to e mail western union
details that you use to send the funds like this:
1] sender's name
2] amount sent after deducting of cost transfer
3] mtcn number
I will be expecting this fom you today asap..Thanks, Joe
ME:
Joe, I don't think you understand. Let me explain: I can't
do money gram... I've tried it twice and it's nothing but a problem. I've asked
you for other options but you will not respond to them or give me any other
ideas... I'm mad at you because you are making this to damn difficult.
I am planning on selling the boat to another buyer. The new buyer has offered
$80,000 and he lives here in the US. If he likes the boat he will write me a
check.
I have already deposited your check in my bank. I am going to send you a new
check for $75,000 dollars. Where should I send your new check?
I can't send it until I make it out. How should I make it out and what address
should I send it to?LA
We
thought we lost "Scammer Joe" at this point but aparently he wanted
to play for a while longer as you can see below.
Now we have a new twist for him...
SCAMMER
JOE: LA,
Have u returned the check
ME: Joe,
I sent your check back registered mail (return receipt requested) to the following
address.
Name:John Peters
Address: 337 37th Street Brooklyn, New York 11209
My other buyer who was going to pay me $80,000 changed his mind... He is not
going to buy the boat.
If you are still interested in the boat, could you check with your agent and
have him send additional money so you could buy the boat for $80,000.
You'll need to send me a check for $8,000 so that I can send your agent $3,000.
this should make it work out even. God Bless, LA
SCAMMER
JOE: LA,
Im not happy about this transaction,you are making this whole transaction difficuty.its
ok i will contact my client to know what he thinks about the deal but i would
want you to send the $3,000 to my agent via WESTERN UNION TRANSER so that i
would know if u are really serious because of what happened the last time then
i would send you a check of $80,000
get back to me... joe.
ME:
Joe, I'm extremely
sorry that there have been so many problems, I'm not very good at managing money
I need you to send me another check for $83,000.
I sent your check back to you so now, I don't have any money.
My friend who did lend me $3000.00 the last time is on vacation.
I can't get the money from anyone else. Thanks, LA