# G-Mail scammers



## Phishfry (May 25, 2020)

I am a frequent craigslist browser always looking for a good deal.
Mostly boats, campers and vehicles.
Lately I have notice tons of scams that look like this:

"Hi,
My name is Beatrice, and I'm emailing you about 1996 Ford Bronco XLT for
$1,700. This car has been extremely well maintained with a full service
history. It has 100,824 miles but is excellent condition. It has a Engine
V8, Fuel: Gasoline, Drivetrain: 4WD Transmission: Automatic that shifts
perfect. It runs and drives perfect because it has been very good taken
care of. Never been involved in any accidents. It was always garage kept.
Recently serviced witch all receipts. Car is ready to be driven .
If you are interested in buying it or if you have any questions, please
reply to this email.

Pictures available upon request.
Thanks,"


Here is a follow-up with the scam after I ask to view the vehicle:

"I've attached more pictures with my car. The only thing it's I'm selling
this car is because my husband died 3 months ago (he was very sick) and
this car brings me bad memories and that's the reason why I want to sell it
asap...Me with my daughter decided to sell the house and we moved to my
parents trying to start a new life. The car is already at the shipping
company sealed and ready for delivery.. The car is there because someone
agreed to buy it, but he had a family emergency and finally gave up. Anyway
he already paid and prepared shipping for him as he was out of state so the
car can be delivered for free now in the United States.
I will use eBay in this transaction for our protection. I will make the
deal through their vehicle purchase protection program because this way
they can ship for free the car. If you are not aware of this program, you
should know it eBay offer 7 days inspection period for the buyer. So you
will receive the car in a few days and you will have the chance to test and
inspect it for 7 days.
In case you won`t be satisfied, you can cancel the deal and ship the car
back on my expense. But I assure you it won't be the case.
I have to fill out a form on eBay and i need your full name, full shipping
address and your cell so they can register you as my potential buyer for
the car and after that they will contact you to explain the entire
procedure of the deal.

Hope to hear from you soon,"

I have had a very similar reply for boats and campers. One common aspect is no contact info except for a gmail address.
I have seen someone else discovered this scam and is posting warnings for others on craigslist.








						CL BOAT SCAMS GONE WILD!!! - boats - by owner - marine sale
					

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME AND USE CL , I HOPE YOU NOTICE ALL THESE LAME @#@$ ADS ! IT'S NOT ONLY IN THE...



					norfolk.craigslist.org
				



It really is a shame to see a free webmail service abused by scammers.
This is probably an organized scheme as different email addresses are used.

Here is a glimpse at the problem for governments:








						Nigerian ‘Scattered Canary’ gang exploits CARES Act with fraudulent unemployment claims
					

Adding COVID-19 exploitation to its nefarious arsenal targeting governments, the Nigerian Scattered Canary criminal gang most recently attempted to exploit the CARES Act on May 17, filing two fraudulent unemployment claims through Hawaii’s Department of Labor and Industrial Relations website...




					www.scmagazine.com
				




What can we do as consumers to stop this?
I have reported these addresses to craigslist and the local police and that don't help. They couldn't care less.


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## Crivens (May 25, 2020)

To quote a Tom Clancy story: The measures I want to suggest are the measures I'm forbidden to suggest.

But you are doing something against them by blowing the whistle on them.


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## bookwormep (May 25, 2020)

The detailed investigation from Federal FTC almost requires verified evidence before indictment.
These scams are so elusive on the details, is the reason so few proceed to indictment; and why
so few get caught. I don't know maybe more public service announcements from FTC?


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## scottro (May 26, 2020)

I remember a popular one for pure bred kittens at relatively low prices.  (Bengal kittens which can cost in the thousands for a few hundred dollars.)  My friend answered--they said, oh you sound perfect, send us money, we'll ship kittens, my friend said, no problem we'll drive down to get them.  (The people selling the alleged kittens were 6 hours away). They never answered.  So my friend kept looking for kittens and all the pure bred expensive ones turned out to be 6 hours away and the sellers didn't want to inconvenience my friend.  In the end they got two non pure breds from a shelter.  I imagine there's a great deal of fraud on Craigslist.


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## tingo (May 26, 2020)

Good to remember: a tool (any tool) can be used for good or for bad. Scammers or persons looking to separate fools from their money will use any tools available to them. So keep in mind:
1) don't be fooled!
2) go after the scammers, not the tools.


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## CoTones (May 26, 2020)

Wait a sec... you noticed too that brilliant Google that even sometimes block legit mail is hosting scammers/spammers? /sarcasm


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## chrbr (May 26, 2020)

There are so many missed chances. Please see below the truth about a beautiful russian female living in your neighbour hood and an unbelievable ritch prince from Nigeria:

A  German version: https://www.der-postillon.com/2019/10/russin-prinz.html
The origin they refer to is in Spanish: https://www.elmundotoday.com/2019/0...presario-nigeriano-al-que-no-quisiste-ayudar/


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## Sevendogsbsd (May 26, 2020)

These are just social engineering attacks. So much easier to hack people than machines. If it’s too good to be true then it isn’t.


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## scottro (May 26, 2020)

I've also (frequently?  my memory is gone) that scammers/spammers frequently set the bar low, figuring that if someone answers the first email, which isn't all that convincing, there will be less likelihood of trouble down the way when said (sc|sp)ammer gets to the collection phase of their plan. 
Got to agree with tingo about focusing on the abuser, not the tools.  But that seems a forlorn hope.


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## Phishfry (May 28, 2020)

They can delete comments about China but can't take down a Nigerian gang?

I noticed Google actively patrols their app store and kick people off YouTube for covid stuff they don't like.
So they could filter email scams but prefer not to.
I do blame them to some degree. I wonder if the scammers even try and obfuscate thier IP's with VPN.


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## PMc (May 28, 2020)

Phishfry said:


> They can delete comments about China but can't take down a Nigerian gang?
> 
> I noticed Google actively patrols their app store and kick people off YouTube for covid stuff they don't like.
> So they could filter email scams but prefer not to.
> I do blame them to some degree. I wonder if the scammers even try and obfuscate thier IP's with VPN.



There is those in power and there is the cattle. The cattle only exists to be deceived. Therefore, gangs who simply rip off the cattle are of no issue, but whatever might make the cattle question their role is.


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## zirias@ (May 28, 2020)

There's another aspect about scams: They wouldn't happen if they wouldn't pay off. So there are still enough people who are either just stupid or greedy enough to temporarily lose their mind. Services can try to prevent scammers from using them, but as long as there's money in it, scammers will find other ways.

BTW, a scam(?) recently made it through my rspamd which left me kind of puzzled:

```
Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 22:27:39 +0300 (EEST)
From: EUROPEAN UNION <kyrkat@igme.gr>
Subject:
X-Mailer: Zimbra 8.8.12_GA_3807 (zclient/8.8.12_GA_3807)


We are please to inform you that you have been selected for Monetary Assistance
of €3,000,000.00 ( Three Million Euros) from The European Development Fund
(EUDF) in support to scam Individuals around the World.For more details to file
your compensation   Reply   europeanunion094@gmail.com

Mrs. Ilze Juhansome
European Union EU Secretary General
```


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## SirDice (May 28, 2020)

Zirias said:


> There's another aspect about scams: They wouldn't happen if they wouldn't pay off. So there are still enough people who are either just stupid or greedy enough to temporarily lose their mind. Services can try to prevent scammers from using them, but as long as there's money in it, scammers will find other ways.


It's a numbers game. It costs next to nothing to send out massive amounts of mail. Even if only a small fraction (less than 0.1%) takes the bait they will still have a large return on their initial investment. Low initial costs, barely any risk and provides a high yield. I mean it's basically an investor's wet dream.

I think I posted it before but go look at Jim Browning's Youtube channel. He's one of those guys that scam the scammers. It's mostly those fake MS service desks but the set up behind those is fairly similar as with the advance-fee frauds. It would be fun to watch if it wasn't so utterly horrid to hear those morons strong-arm (mostly) elderly folks. I'm not a violent man but these guys make my blood boil and I just want to bash their skulls in.


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## Crivens (May 28, 2020)

Was he the guy who sent them this CreditCard.png.exe, containing Wanacry? I almost suffocated from laughing hearing that.


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## SirDice (May 28, 2020)

Crivens said:


> Was he the guy who sent them this CreditCard.png.exe, containing Wanacry?


No I don't think so. He did manage to reverse their remote control (teamviewer and similar), so he can watch _their_ desktops while they're scamming people. He even got to completely penetrate their network and can access the internal security camera streams too.


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## aragats (May 28, 2020)

Phishfry said:


> So they could filter email scams but prefer not to


I'll tell you a more interesting story. My brother tried to sell old furniture, and a lady decided to buy and sent him a cashier's check for $3000 ― significantly larger amount, then called and asked to hand the difference to "movers" since she's about moving to a new place and had to pay the movers anyway. My brother called the issuer bank, they told him that cashier's check has never been issued. My brother called police, then called FBI. Guess, what did they tell him?
«Are you a victim?» «No? We don't care».


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## Crivens (May 28, 2020)

aragats well, victim of plod not doing their job it is then.

SirDice Ouch. A certain movie scene from Pulp Fiction comes to mind. The red ball one, to be exact.


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## Phishfry (May 28, 2020)

Gmail could catch this since they read the contents of your email. So obviously if the same person is sending out the same spiel from Nigeria then maybe they ought to flag it. I can envision alot of people reponding to the lures.
They price it just right so it seems plausible but improbable.

1996 Ford Bronco is old and 100K miles so $1700 is not unreasonable.
But because this was the last year of the full size Bronco some clowns list these for $15K. Higher than the list price when made.



Zirias said:


> They wouldn't happen if they wouldn't pay off.


I think you hit it right with this remark.
Like the ransomeware guys.
Somebodies paying in bitcoin and that just gives them incentive.


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## Misato (Mar 27, 2021)

Got to pay more attention to these kind of attempts. There are so many ways to get scammed these days.


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## Deleted member 30996 (Mar 28, 2021)

I've recently gotten two phone calls from a male with an East Indian accent telling me there has been suspicious activity with my Social Security Number. Oh no! I am in a panic!

Then I am connected to a female who tells me the same thing and asks for my name.

Well if you have my SSN you have my name. What's that crazy number up to this time? Do I need to call a Bail Bondsman? And how much is it going to cost to bail it out this time...

Click.


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## tingo (Mar 28, 2021)

latest anti-scam measure here in Norway (implemented by some of the phone network providers, no less): if somebody calls from abroad (international) and spoof the calling number so it looks like it is a local number, the phone network turns off the "show the number of the caller" so that all international calls with a spoofed A-number now show up as unlisted / no number.

First that get rid of those "one ring - hope they call back on this insanely crazy expensive number" attempts - no number to call back.
Bonus: if you take a call from an unlisted number, you know ahead that it might be a scammer.


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## SirDice (Mar 28, 2021)

Misato said:


> Got to pay more attention to these kind of attempts. There are so many ways to get scammed these days.


Spammers like you are the bane of the internet.


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## Deleted member 30996 (Mar 28, 2021)

SirDice said:


> Spammers like you are the bane of the internet.


I guess Spamzilla wasn't a good name to join dslreports.com as. They all thought I was a real spammer. 

I had a Godzilla avatar with a spray of black envelopes coming out his mouth like the heat ray.


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