Scamming the Scammer - A Craigslist Story

You can't make this stuff up.  I was trying to sell a bed on Craigslist.  My second response, from Kay Maxwell...or so I thought.  You'll have to read the email interactions below to get the full effect, but suffice it to say, I knew pretty early on that this was a scammer.  But frustration and curiosity got the best of me.  Instead of just walking away like I should have, I decided to play along.  You'll notice the hints I give in my responses to the effect that, I know your a scammer, but I'm going to keep pulling you along.  So as I was on my way to Western Union  sitting at my computer in the comfort of my own home, I was making up a grand story about my travels to wire the fraudster the money.

Presented here for both your entertainment and awareness, a "scammer" attempting to get $400 from me when I was selling a bed on Craigslist.

For more information, this scam is known across the web. You can see these links for more info:
http://www.419scam.org/419-mail2consultant-com.htm
http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

Without further ado, the scammer....

Matthew Dimich myemail@gmail.com

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Hospital Bed - great condition! - $800 (Apple Valley)

11 messages

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Kay Maxwell damishell11@gmail.com	Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 11:10 AM
To: me
** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY ** Avoid:  wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping ** More Info:  http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html -- Hi, What's the condition of this item?I want to know if its still for sale.. ------------------------------------------------------------------ this message was remailed to you via: sale-zgp2v-1965351927@craigslist.org ------------------------------------------------------------------

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Matthew Dimich	Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 1:34 PM
To: Kay Maxwell damishell11@gmail.com
Hi Kay, I have one other person that emailed me before you. So I'm going to schedule a time for him to look at the bed. After that I'll know if it's still available. I can let you know what happens after that if you would like? Thanks for the email! Matt

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Kay Maxwell kaymax03@googlemail.com	Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 8:55 PM
To: Matthew Dimich
Hi , Thanks for the swift response, just to let you know that am okay with the condition and price of the item, am ready for its purchase and my form of payment will be by  PayPal.I would have really love to come for the viewing but due to my work frame that might not be possible as am on work inspection to Mexico at the moment and I do not have access to a phone,but if you have more pictures, might want to have a good look. I'll be responsible for the pick-up and the pick up money will be included in your payment to avoid delay and to enable pick up company to schedule an appropriate time for the pick-up  at your location after funds has been received as I have other properties to be moved alongside with yours. All I will need is your PayPal email address to make the payment and I will send the money as a gift so you'll not be charged by PayPal and then I will make arrangement for pick up.I will be expecting your email. Kay...

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Matthew Dimich	Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 9:22 AM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
Thanks for the info Kay. I appreciate it! Here's where I'm at. The guy that emailed before you is coming to look at the bed tomorrow night at 6:30. I will know at that time if it is still available or not. I will email you after that visit either way and let you know. Thanks, Matt [Quoted text hidden] -- Matthew Dimich

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Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 9:23 AM
To: Matthew Dimich
OK

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Matthew Dimich	Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 3:29 PM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
Kay, The bed is yours. Would you like to come take a look at it? Thanks for your patience. Matt On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 9:23 AM, Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com> wrote: OK

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Matthew Dimich	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 10:55 AM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
Hey Kay, I missed your last question before...my paypal email address is ******@gmail.com. As soon as you transfer $800 to it, we can plan a pick up. Do you pay the moving company that you mentioned in advance? Thanks, Matt

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Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 11:04 AM
To: Matthew Dimich
Thanks I am actually going to include the movers fee in your payment as I am not in te states to take care of things.I will email you as soon as the payment is made. Kay

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Matthew Dimich	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 11:05 AM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
Sounds great. Thanks. Matt

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AND THE POST WHERE I DISCOVERED THE SCAM....

Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 11:48 AM
To: Matthew Dimich
I have just made the payment now and I expect PayPal to have emailed by now.I sent $1250 in all,PayPal said they would be holding the funds and it will not be credited into your account because of the excess payments of $450 I added meant for pick up and delivery.They said they have emailed you to this effect, I will need you to please send an upfront payment of $400 out of your pocket to my pickup agent via Western Union Money Transfer which you can do online at www.westernunion.com, or go to any of their stores around you.You will have to email them the Wire transfer details(senders name and MTCN) so your account can be credited.I added an extra $50 to cover the western union charges. Here is the pick up agent info needed to get wire the money Here is the info to wire the money to; Reciever's name; Kathleen M. Davis Address; 1948 South Broad Street,Taylors SC 29687 Please get back to me with your address as it will be needed at Western Union to pick up the money. Hope to read from you soon. Kay

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Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 1:02 PM
To: Matthew Dimich
I have not heard from you since I made the payment.the funds has been deducted from my PayPal account.please go ahead and send the funds to the movers info I gave you via Western Union and get the wire details sent to PayPal so your account can be credited. Kay

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****************Missing conversation***********************************
I don't know where this response from me went.  I think gmail frowned on me sending more email to someone who I had marked as "spam".  So I think it deleted it.  But the main point is, I asked what her real name was.

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Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 1:54 PM
To: Matthew Dimich
My name is Kay Maxwell.Send the $400 via western union to the name I provided in the payment. Receiver's Name: Kathleen M Davis Address: 1948 South Broad Street Taylors SC 29687

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Matthew Dimich	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 1:57 PM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
Kay, Who's Kathleen? Can I call and talk to her on the phone? I'm on my way to western union. Are you from apple valley? Just curious where my hospital bed is going. Matt --

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Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 2:18 PM
To: Matthew Dimich
Kathleen is the mover in charge of the pick up.I dont have her direct line. Get back to me with the transfer details. the sender's name and address with the 10 digits MTCN. I'm looking forward to your email so i can forward to paypal immediately to effect payment into your account. [Quoted text hidden]

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Matthew Dimich	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 2:52 PM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
If you could pick your favorite country in the world, which one would you pick? I'm almost to western union. Traffic is bad. Matt

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Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 3:25 PM
To: Matthew Dimich
UNITED STATES of course.I need your address as it will be needed for pick up.

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Matthew Dimich	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 3:31 PM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
Still in traffic. Bad car crash so I'm pretty much sitting still. You don't need my address yet. I haven't wired the money yet. So how many things do you buy from craigslist? Do you buy often? How are you able to do that with your'e busy schedule? You said you were travelling to Brazil for work? That must be exciting. What company do you work for? Thanks for emailing me back while I wait in traffic! Matt

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Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 3:36 PM
To: Matthew Dimich
Mexico i said not Brazil.This is my second transaction oc craigslist.When do I expect to read from you?

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Matthew Dimich	Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 3:41 PM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
"When do I expect to read from you?" That doesn't make sense. It's not even a sentence. Ahh yes! Mexico! Good stuff. Sorry, I was confusing you with my friend that was in Brazil for business. Have you ever been to Nigeria? The accident is clearing now...should be another 30 minutes or so for the police to get me through to Western Union. Matt NO RESPONSE ...hmmm was it the Nigeria question?  (FYI> I asked this specific question because a scam on their mail service providers website was called the Nigerian scam. See: http://www.419scam.org/419-mail2consultant-com.htm

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Matthew Dimich	Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 12:23 PM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
Hey Kay, Didn't hear back from you on whether or not you've ever been to Nigeria? Just a random question. Anyway, sorry I didn't get back to you last night. My phone died so I couldn't email anymore, and by the time I got to Western Union they were closed. So I'll have to wait until monday. Are you still ok with that? Thanks, Matt

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Matthew Dimich	Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 9:16 AM
To: Kay Maxwell <kaymax03@googlemail.com>
So Kay, (or whatever your real name is) Now that we both know you were trying to scam me, and you know that I knew from very early on, level with me. You're not going to get caught...but seriously, what country are you from? Do you do this full time? Do you actually get some people to wire you money? Matt

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