A new kind of Fraud to be aware of!

In recently looking to buy an RV I found one that seemed like a good deal. Too good IMHO. I sent an email and got back a response from the seller that using www.escrow.com would be okay so I thought the transaction might be legit. The sample agreement that was attached to the email had a redirecting program built in that makes my computer use a similar web site to the llegit one for the escrow service, but one that is set up by the fraudster. Just for fun I told him that I set up the trtansaction from the home computer through escrow.com (the real one he should assume). We'll see what happens! Any suggestions for more time wasting? Don't think the 419.eater will work, this guy is an American. Just want to give a heads up that if you are buying a Ferrari and the seller sends you something it might change your browser to use alternate sites and you will get burned! I know this is not really Ferrari general discussion, but pretend I am buying a Ferrari RV.

BT

 

If you really want to waste his time try calling the FBI. I think they can keep him busy for 10 years or so

 

Call the FBI, jail the bastard.

 

If you suspect the escrow site is a fraud , do a "who is" on the website to see when it was created. I almost fell for one of those on a big screen tv many years ago, turns out the escrow website had been created the day before ! Obviously a scam.

 

Many of the escrow accounts are scams.

 

The fake escrow site is in NJ and was created about 6 months ago. It is identical to the real www.escrow.com except that it is not secure (http vs https) and does not give the info that the real one has about all their pages starting with https. It has a different IP address and I assume he is going to give me some bogus info about where to deposit the money. We'll see how this develops.
Some of my messages to him:

Okay, I agreed to your terms and have set up the transaction on escrow.com. I went to the bank this morning and had a wire transfer set up to escrow.com per the instructions. I also booked a plane ticket to the Chicago area for Friday to pick up the RV. Obviously time is of the essence for this to work. Please give me an address and VIN# for the vehicle. I booked the transaction from my home computer so you should receive an email shortly with confirmation of the funding.
BT
(the home computer is what will mess this up the way he reads it)

My insurance company said they need a photocopy of the title immediately. Please fax it to me at (772) 402-4555. thanks!
BT
(fake fax number)

 

Looks like Dagoberto might be getting an RV title faxed to him soon.

http://www.telolife.com/

Check out his fax number.

 

Nice!

 

Sorry Dago! I doubt there will be any faxing done, since the 'seller' doesn't really have anything to sell. although a forged title is a possibility. funny that I number that I pulled out of the air is for an actual insurance company.

BT

 

tell him you are flying out to see it and ask him to pick you up from the airport. that will usually waste a couple hours of his time.

 

He claims he cannot fax the title since it is in chicago and he is in AZ. He also claims to have not gotten the notice from escrow.com. I think I'll have him check with their customer service department.
BT

 

why waste their time? is your time less valuable than theirs? I would hope not since they are gutter POS scums. Its like a high stakes game of poker when you have more chips than everybody else sure there are going to be some bluffs at your stack, that is normal. Do you spend 30 minutes fooling with the guy that is bluffing or move on to the next hand?

 

True, but if I can get a loser fraud artist to waste some time and some money maybe they will find more positive ways to spend their time. I think I'll drop the hammer on him tomorrow and be done with it.
BT

 

True, there are no fax machines or people who know how to use them in Chicago...

I agree with the 'call the FBI' posts above. All these scammers know how to do is try to defraud people. It's not like he's going see the light, go to college and get a job, despite your good intentions.

 

While you're having your fun how many others is he taking cash from?
Call the authorities.

 

If the fake escrow site is located in NJ, contact the New Jersey Attorney General's office. They have a computer fraud division and would probably investigate it for you.

 

+1. that will teach him a lesson far greater than a couple of days of running around. 10 years of doing nothing but sitting will bear far greater on his mind...

 

Okay, I'll let the FBI internet fraud and NJ offices know about his attempt to defraud. We'll see how this pans out.
BT

 

Now, if you could get the investigating officer to post progress in this thread right up to pictures of arrest. That would make a thread worth following

 

And we want an FChat feature story in the newspaper.

 

I live in AZ, tell him I'll come by and meet him to verify he is legit.

 

I was thinking of letting this Friday's transaction go down the tubes and then starting one on his fake escrow site the same day with the deal to be done 10 days later. I will be in AZ next Friday so I can offer to meet him, although I am sure he will say something to the effect of 'Military says no visitors for me,......". After thinking about the request to alert the authorities I believe this is the best course of action. I am sure this clown picked selling RV's as his arena because most of the buyers are elderly and not so computer savvy. I would also have gone further down the road (and maybe lost many $$$) if I hadn't already been burned when trying to buy a watch a few years ago. I filled out the complaint with the FBI IC3 division and should hear from an agent soon. This might get good!

BT