|
How does this unfold?
The following is the
anatomy of a scam.
1: From: Mercy Sanders [mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday,
September 05, 2009 9:59
PM
To: Me
Subject: Your
contact information is
required to secure
room....
Hi Laura,
Thanks for keeping in
touch, Sorry for my late
response, I have been
pretty busy in a
workshop on Laboratory
skills, Yes of course my
interest in the room is
FIRM.I understand it
kind of tedious getting
a reliable roommate via
the internet. I hope
this our relationship
would remain cordial. I
sincerely appreciate you
considering me, this
mail is to confirm my
interest in the room.
Communication is much
more easier when we can
keep in touch together
promptly, To assure you
that I am as good of a
lady as email will allow
one to portray, I would
offer my willingness to
assist you with any
information you may need
as regards to me. I am
actually a coffee
drinker addict:),I hope
you enjoy also .I
forwarded our email
conversations to my
Uncle he seems okay with
you ,he agreed to make
total payment for the
rent deposit including
shipping of my Car with
personal effects, he
will be mailing out
payment in United states
Certified money order on
his business trip
abroad(US ) to hold the
room for me before my
arrival.
Should you agree to
receive payment via
money order in US
dollars, Kindly advise
me of your full name,
contact address with
zipcode and telephone so
that i can forward to
him to issue payment to
you ASAP. Please feel
free to ask any
questions as i am happy
to move in and more so i
will like to meet you in
person also the ad
posted for the room
should be removed to
confirm your motive of
leasing the room to me.
Hoping to read your
email as events unfold.
Regards
Mercy.
PS:my pics are attached
for your view,tell me if
you get them.
2: From: Me
To: mercysanders_07@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Your
contact information is
required to secure
room....
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009
22:31:22 +0100
Me too on coffee. I
drink about a pot a
day! There are two
Starbucks in walking
distance too. Money
order is fine. The
address is (which will
also be yours):
My
Address
I’ll happily take the ad
down. Phone number is
below. Very excited to
have you coming. Trying
to sell off stuff in
your walk in closet
today. Sold my
turntable, globe lamp
and thirty plastic
containers alreadyJ
Making a dent.
Laura
3:
From:
Mercy Sanders
[mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, September
07, 2009 7:24 AM
To: Me
Subject:
Thanks for finally
accepting me....
Hi Laura,
Thanks for confirming
your contact
information. The
environment is conducive
for me. I would update
you when I confirm my
flight itineraries next
week so we can discuss
at length.
(She never sent this)
The payment to secure my
room will be issued and
mailed to you this week
(Wednesday).You 'll
receive within 3working
days.
Don't worry I'll
continue to update you
of my plans as events
unfold. Thanks once
again for your kind
gestures, I look forward
to meeting you soon.
Best Regards.
Mercy.
4:
From: Me
To: mercysanders_07@hotmail.com
Subject: Some silly
stuff for you on America
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009
06:22:01 +0100
Hi Mercy
I’ve been saving Gossip Girl episodes for you.
http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/gossip-girl/
on the DVR.
You cannot come to LA and be a young pretty
20-something and not
know the hottest show on
American TV, Gossip
Girl. You’re going to
love it. Standing appt
Monday’s at 9PM weekly.
Also going to have to introduce you to The Tudors
and Big Love. You’re
really going to love The
Tudors. Jonathan Reyes
Myers is too delicious
as Henry VIII.
http://www.sho.com/site/tudors/home.do
Big Love
is my guilty pleasure.
http://www.hbo.com/biglove/.
Those are my three frivolous shows. I have to
watch a lot of news and
documentaries for my
journalism assignments.
Thought it would give
you a chuckle.
Oh man, Sinatra has figured out how to get on the
counters and just
knocked over the vase
from KSA. Fortunately
it’s silver and brass.
Time to get the squirt
bottle again.
Have great week.
Laura
5:
From:
Mercy Sanders
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009
06:47:19 +0000
To: me
Subject:
Touch base...
Good morning Laura,
Thank you for holding my
room for me, I am so
sorry for not responding
to you promptly, The
Laboratory workshop am
tutoring in got into its
final lapse this week,
I'm so glad the workshop
is over now.
My intentions of moving
in at the end of the
month remains, the
deposit payment was
delayed because of
Monday's Labor day, OK.
I will email you soon as
i confirm payment for
the rent is mailed out
to you next week. I know
you may be worried that
you've not read from me
sooner than now, I've
been very busy with my
relocation plans and the
workshop.
The payment would be
mailed this coming
Monday 14th.How is
Sinatra faring? Thanks
for all the website
links provided, I'll
browse through them now.
So anything special you
want me to get for you
here? I can't wait to
move in and get settled.
Sincerely,
Mercy.
6:
Subject: Re: Touch base...
From: Me
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:19:00 +0000
I know it's hectic
getting ready:) no
worries. Can't think of
anything specific that I
need unless you can
figure out a way to pack
my friends into your
luggage. They're who I
miss. Sinatra's figured
out how to get on the
counters so I'm trying
to break him of that.
Little twerp.
Talk to u soon.
Ldl Sent via BlackBerry
7:
From:
Mercy Sanders
[mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, September
14, 2009 12:51 AM
To: me
Subject:
Payment delivery this
week unfailingly.....
Hi Laura,
How is your new week
going? All is well
according to my plans. I
am happy to let you know
that the money orders
payment have finally
been issued and mailed,
it'll be delivered to
you this week.
The payment was sent via
priority mail, so please
inform me when you
confirm having the
payment in your mailbox
soon, I am arriving on
29th of Sept, I will
keep you posted with my
itineraries as event
unfold.
What is the present
condition of the room?
What paint color is it
having now? Is there any
floral shop around our
place? How is the
weather there? Its been
raining for few days
here..I like rain.
Hope there are no
leakages in the house
(Roof and Pipes).lol
Here’s where the scam
gets revealed
My shipping fee was included as i earlier stated, so as soon as you
confirm having payment,
deduct your rent fee as
deposit and help me keep
the shipping fee till
the shipper comes to
deliver my things.(My
Car and personal
effects)I'll keep in
touch and am sorry if i
am stressing you with my
problems, I hope you
understand that this is
a big move for me.
Thanks for being there.
I can't wait to meet you
soon. I'll sure keep you
posted as regards the
shipping of my things
and my flight
information as the date
gets closer.
Can't wait to get
settled
Sincerely,
Mercy.
9:
From: Me
To: mercysanders_07@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Payment
delivery this week
unfailingly.....
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009
10:00:41 -0700
Hi Mercy
Good to hear.
The room is a light tan color with lots of
sunlight in the
afternoon and a ceiling
fan on the ceiling. We
have a Home Depot next
door that carries lots
of flowers. Weather is
finally cooling off. We
were in the 100’s last
week. This week we’re in
the low 90’s. Very
sunny.
The building is new and it does shake a lot.
These aren’t
earthquakes. We’re on
rollers, which prevents
damage in an earthquake
but it does scare people
if you don’t know about
it.
When are your things set to arrive? How large is
the shipment? I have to
move the bookcases and
some things out of the
closet in that room.
Still trying to figure
out where to put themJ
I’m swamped and falling behind with all the work
I’ve got.
More later. Got to get back to work!
Laura
10:
From:
Mercy Sanders
[mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday,
September 16, 2009 10:50
PM
To: Me
Subject: Payment???
Good morning Laura,
How have you been? Hope
work isn't too
stressful.....I just
wanted to touch base
again. How is Sinatra?
The deposit payment
should have been
delivered now, Kindly
update me when you have
the payment.
Your New Friend
Mercy.
This is the point I’m
sure I’m being scammed
and I decided to play
this through since I
have an entire chapter
on scams and cons
targeting the
unemployed. I
hadn't looked into
roommate scams, given
they weren't employment
related. Being the
mark in this con,
convinced me this also
needed to be covered.
Santa Clarita, the town
I mention below is just
north of the San
Fernando Valley near Los
Angeles. That fact made
me nervous, because I
realized these scammers
might be local.
11:
From: Me
To: mercysanders_07@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Payment???
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009
11:01:18 -0700
Hi Mercy
I did get a strange envelope yesterday mailed
from Santa Clarita with
no return address, no
note and three money
orders in with the
business mail. I’m
assuming that’s yours
and not one of my
vendor’s payments since
they usually include the
invoices.
Sinatra’s doing well, growing and getting into
EVERYTHING! I’m trying
to break him of his
belief that people are
trees before you get
here. He likes to jump
on my back when I’m
walking by and it really
hurts. I have more cat
scratches on me than
ever. He’s getting
declawed and fixed in
December but be warned.
He is a kitten and now
that he’s figured out
how to get on the
counters and open doors,
nothing is safe.
Work is stressful just because I’ve got so much
to get done in a very
little space of time and
we’re in a very deep
recession so I’m having
to work 10X’s harder to
make the same amount of
money.
Afraid I’m not too much fun to be around right
now just because I’ve
got to get these books
out and finish
populating the online
mall. It feels like all
I do is work. My sister
finally persuaded me to
go to a Riedle wine
tasting next week.
That’s my social life
right now. It will pick
up after October. I
should be able to slow
down just a little then.
Welcome to the world of
entrepreneurs.
I did take out the Halloween decorations
yesterday, part of
cleaning out your
closet. Any word on when
your flight comes in?
Cheers!
Laura D Lewis
going in for the
kill…What
she doesn't know is I've
already notified my bank
and the FBI (FBI, case
number
I0909172226033311) about
her and this con. These
were not certified money
orders as she contends
and they were not sent
via a courier. The came
in a plane six by four
envelope with a stamp in
the regular mail. Upon
opening the envelope,
the money orders looked
quite strange.
12:
From:
Mercy Sanders
[mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday,
September 17, 2009 11:32
AM
To: Me
Subject: I need your
favour Laura....
Hi Laura,
Thanks for the update,
Im happy  you finally
received the money
orders .my Uncle
intentionally included
my shipping fee in the
payment you received,
yes payment is in form
of 3 pieces of United
states Certified money
order($975 each).I
should have provided my
flight itinerary by this
time early next week
,you shall be the first
person to receive it
immediately I confirm.
However I am very happy
and sad, I am happy that
you have gotten the
payment for my room. my
shipping fee was
included in the payment.
Please deduct your rent
deposit, right now my
things are my concern
and that is why I am
sad, Because I have
delayed shipper
ultimatum ,my shipper as
advised that customs
will not clear (my Car
and the little stuffs
that I have)due to the
funds needed for
paperwork, So all that
you need to do is help
me get the remaining
money after deducting
the rent deposit to my
shipper via western
union money transfer
soon.
If you’ve lived overseas
like I have you know it
takes about 2months to
ship a car and about six
weeks to ship personal
belongings. Customs
requires you or an agent
of you, usually an
attorney or the shipping
company present all
declarations. These are
pre-paid. No reputable
international shipper
will ship your items
without full payment
upfront, including all
customs fees. When I was
considering shipping my
car to South Hampton
England, I was
personally required to
clear it. Payment is
made with a credit card,
not wire transfer.
Sending money via
western union in the US
(MONEY IN MINUTES ) is
definitely not a long
process and can be done
in few minutes. That is
the only help that I'll
need you to do for me
today. Please do let me
know as soon as you are
free soon so that I can
forward her information
that you need to send
the money to in the US
as she is in the US on
vacation, I don't know
what I would have done
if you didn't get the
payment.
I will be waiting for
your email soon. Thanks
for your kind
understanding, I truly
am looking forward to
coming into the home and
having the opportunity
to get to know you and
Sinatra better.
Sincerely,
Mercy.
I
decide to test her and
find out who she's
working with
13:
From: Me
To: mercysanders_07@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I need your
favour Laura....
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009
12:45:33 -0700
Hi Mercy-
I won't be able to do
that until next week.
My bank, because we do
so many international
transactions and we've
had issues with fraud,
holds funds coming in on
money orders and
cashier's checks until
they clear. Money
orders and cashiers
checks are the number
one vehicle used to
perpetuate internet
fraud and are therefore
flagged. This won't
affect your items. They
can be stored for up to
three months and I'll
have them here before
you arrive. There's
nothing I can do about
it. It's already in the
process and this
is simply a safety
precaution instituted to
protect small businesses
individuals here in the
US.
As soon as they clear,
I'll be happy to take
care of that for you.
Normally it takes 7-10
days so that will be
rectified before you get
here. If there are
issues with customs,
they take credit cards.
You don't need me to
wire money to them.
Standard protocol is to
pay with a credit card.
They don't require cash
transfers. I know
because we do a lot of
international business
and I've shipped my own
items.
I've already deposited
them which means I can't
touch the funds until
they clear. Once they
do, I'll take care of
the rest and everything
you need will be here
when you arrive.
BTW, you need to tell me
to whom the funds need
to be sent and exactly
what amount. You forgot
that below. Also, the
money orders didn't
arrive certified. That
would have required a
signature from me upon
delivery.
Looking forward to
seeing you. Just hang in
there and let the bank
do its thing. We've got
time.
Laura
At this point she’s
starting to get nervous
so she’s attempting to
get me to wire her the
money despite my
objections. The
counterfeit money orders
were deposited on
Wednesday, September 16
and they posted to my
account on September
17. They came back
counterfeit on Tuesday,
September 22 and the
funds plus a $10 fee per
bad money order were
removed from my account
that Tuesday. In this
e-mail she begins to
play the victim, hoping
I’ll feel sorry for her
and help her out.
14:
From:
Mercy Sanders
[mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday,
September 19, 2009 3:44
AM
To: Me
Subject: Please complete
the WESTERN UNION
TRANSACTION ......
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your kind
gestures,I understand
the Bank can be a pain
with there policies, but
I assure you the funds
shouldn't take that long
to CLEAR bank. Kindly
check your account
online frequently so you
know when the funds are
posted in.
I'll need you to help me
send the funds ($2050)
to my shipper soon since
she is supposed to have
received her money this
week. The papers from
the western union office
should also be kept in
your personal
records/care till i
arrive to verify.
I would really
appreciate it if you can
help me get the payment
sent over soon. I must
let you know that i am
trying to make it up to
the shipper as she had
tried for me, and you
have sounded like a good
roommate that shows
concern, i must confess.
You have to get a
western union location
around you (you can
search for the nearest
western union agent
office around you on
there website
www.westernunion.com)
with the money and the
information
Here is the information
the shipper advised the
money sent to...
RECEIVER: Sarai Garcia
ADDRESS:1721 N Waterman
Ave
CITY: San Bernardino
STATE:CA
Postal code: 92405
Please help me get to
the western union when
you are less busy with
the money and please
email me as soon as you
get the money sent
The information that you
need to email me with
are below..
1...Name and address of
sender
2..Total Amount sent
(after western union
charges is deducted)
3..Test Question and
answer(if required)
4.MTCN number{Ten digits
reference number that
will be given to You by
western union}
I will be waiting for
the information ASAP.
Thanks in advance for
the kind assistance and
honesty you have
displayed, Can't wait to
meet you.
Your New Friend,
Mercy.
Again I warn her I’m on
to the scam,
but she doesn’t seem
phased. I even outline
the holes in her
presentation. I expect
this to be the last
e-mail I send her and I
won’t hear from her
again. To my surprise,
she continues to press.
She's focused on the
money.
15:
From: Me
To: mercysanders_07@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Please
complete the WESTERN
UNION TRANSACTION ......
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2009
10:19:14 -0700
Hello Mercy,
I won't do it until the
money clears. You'll
have to wait. It's the
bank's policy and I'm
not sending it out of my
own funds. I work in
international business.
I own a company and I
have an excellent
relationship with my
bank. The branch
manager has been
informed. We made
copies of the Money
Orders and he will
contact me when they
clear. We've had a slue
of bad money orders in
the Los Angeles Area and
since yours didn't come
in on American Express
or one of the other
well-known vendors and
they arrived in an
unorthodox manner,
they've been flagged and
are being tracked
through the system.
When they get through,
if they get through,
I'll take care of this.
But I'm not doing
anything until they
clear.
If time is of the
essence, why didn't you
send the money orders to
the shipper? She could
have deposited them and
wired herself her own
money. This tactic
you're using doesn't
make sense Mercy. Rather
it's a common tactic
used to launder money in
the US and that's what I
think you're doing. I
think you're setting me
up, so if that isn't
your intention, I'd
suggest you handle
deposits in the proper
protocol from this point
forward with others. My
attorney also thinks
you're setting me up. I
contacted him the minute
you did the switch to
find out if I could be
held liable for passing
counterfeit money
orders.
You say you're from
England but your English
isn't proper, your
punctuation is
elementary and no where
near the syntax of
someone raised there.
You're a college
graduate yet your
sentence structure is
that of a 6th grader and
it sounds like English
is your second language,
not first. I've traveled
enough around the world
to know when I'm
'speaking' via e-mail
with people due to the
language structure. I am
a journalist as well.
It's my job to see these
things and analyze
written words. I'm very
good at it. I have to
be.
This and several other
issues have raised the
red flags. If you're
innocent, then you'll do
me the courtesy of
allowing the time
necessary to complete
this. That builds trust
and respect. If you're
not, you'll continue to
push. That's what con
artists do. To that end,
I'm not doing anything
until they clear and my
bank gives me the okay.
If you want to terminate
this, that's fine. Once
they clear I'll return
the funds, minus the
deposit to hold the
room, back to the
address you gave me. If
they don't clear, and I
believe they won't, I'll
be delivering all these
emails and other
information I've
collected from this to
the FBI's Internet Fraud
division.
I'm firm on this. And
I'm not budging.
Laura
To my astonishment, she
ignores everything I’ve
said in the previous
e-mail.
Of course by now the
money orders have come
back counterfeit.
16:
From:
Mercy Sanders
[mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September
22, 2009 3:35 PM
To: Me
Subject: WESTERN UNION
TRANSACTION DETAILS????
Hi Laura,
Kindly update me on the
situation of things.
Mercy.
Now I’ve had it.
I can’t believe she’s
still trying to play
me! This is my last
communication with her.
17:
From: Me
To: mercysanders_07@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: WESTERN
UNION TRANSACTION
DETAILS????
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009
08:35:11 -0700
You'll need to talk to
the FBI and the SEC.
These are the law
enforcement agencies
handling your scam since
last Thursday. Your
money orders were
counterfeit as I
thought. Since they
were mailed from Santa
Clarita, that makes it
counterfeit, money
laundering, mail fraud
and a violation of RICO
since you conspired with
several other people.
You may not be in the
US, but your
counterparts in Santa
Clarita and San
Bernardino are. That's
Tens of thousands of
dollars in fines and
25-life in a Federal
penitentiary when you're
caught. Which you will
be. Hope you have a good
pair of running shoes.
Laura
her response,
realizing she’s not
getting the money? It’s
a tad R-rated and it did
unnerve me for about
five minutes…fortunately
my attorney calmed me
down and reiterated the
following is scare
tactic. She's, or
I should say he as the
language used isn't
something a woman would
say; he's simply trying
to scare me into giving
him the money even
though we both know the
money orders were
counterfeit.
18:
From:
Mercy Sanders
[mailto:mercysanders_07@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday,
September 23, 2009 2:48
PM
To: Me
Subject: I'll get you
What do you mean," So this is the kind of
person you are???" I
trusted you with my hard
earned money and you
stab me at the back....I
would make sure my
attorneys sue you when
I come next week.
Now you have the money
to yourself...Enjoy your
life.
I'll make sure I get you
when I get to CA,I'll
make sure your
my cousins fuck your
cunt till it sores.
I must get my money
back....two timing
bitch.
Just know your address
is with me. I'll deal
with you immediately I
arrive.
Fuckingly Yours
Mercy.
That is the scam. Of
course I sent copies of
all the e-mails to my
attorney for safe
keeping and notified
local law enforcement
given the money orders
came from a local
address and the money
was to be wired to
another. Wouldn’t you
know it, within five
minutes of reposting my
roommate ad, another
scam attempt came in.
This time the person was
located in Chicago and
trying to move to Los
Angeles. They used
exactly the same
language. I was stunned.
The use of false checks
to get your money and
access to your bank
account can be played in
many ways. A complete
list of known check
scams and ways to avoid
them are available at:
fakechecks.org
My hope is, by
disclosing this and
outlining the warning
signs, I'll save others
from falling prey to
this scam. In the
meantime, I still need
to find a roommate. This
scam cost me valuable
time and thirty dollars,
not much. I was lucky
but it must work or else
it wouldn't continue.
Stay vigilant. |
