A little taste of Nigeria ...
6/1/09
After two weekends of back-to-back yard sales keeping with Laura's New Year's resolution to PURGE; I have found myself listing some of the remaining household items from the yard sale online, using one of our local news station websites, WBOC's Classifieds, and our local Craigslist.
I have had a lot of people viewing my listing, but no one has seemed really intersted in buying anything until yesterday. I received an email from a person expressing interest in the ad for the trash bin that we have listed for $25. This trash bin is one of those stand alone cabinet like contraptions which houses the trash can inside it so you don't see the actual trash can until you open the drawer. Here is the initial email inquiry I received:
" Just a note to show my interest in your advert , kindly let me know the actual selling cost and the present condition,Perhaps more pics if available... My method of payment will be by Check or Money Order drawn from a US bank and it will surely clear fine ,Shipping is not a problem, I will make arrangement on the shipment.. I have a shipping company that will take care of the shipment.
If you are ok with the transaction and you're honest in selling to me,Kindly email me with the Information above to my email address (alexson7329@yahoo.com )...Awaiting your swift Response.Thank You.RegardsMr Alex Ferguson
62.173.35.6 : 35-6.rv.ipnxtelecoms.com "
A few odd references, but being excited that I might get rid of something else from my garage and make some cash at the same time got my attention. Interested in possibly movin this trash bin, I reply back giving some of the requested information, regarding contact information and requesting a Money Order as form of payment. A few hours later I get the following reply:
"Thanks for the mail, I really appreciate your prompt reply and i'm glad you are selling to me... First,I'm okay with the selling cost, secondly i don't want you to bother about the shipping process,I have a shipping company that handles my shipments,All you need do is to keep the item in a safe and good condition.
I will instruct my staff associate to issue out a check for the payment and shipping to you, When you get the payment you are to deduct your selling cost for the item and send the remaining funds to my shipper via Western Union or Money Gram to enable him come down to your location for the pickup. I bought some other mechandise too and my shipper will be picking them up also,so they will need the remaining funds to enable them come for the pickup. It takes 1-2 working days to clear a check, so check must clear before pickup. Notify me immediately when you get the funds so i will email you with my shipper's information who will be coming for the pickup at your location. "I HOPE I CAN TRUST YOU WITH MY FUNDS", you are to also deduct $100 from the money for the stress and hazzle you may go through in cashing and wire the remaining funds to my shipper... I'm sure you can await the payment in the mail, It will be sent to the Information you provided for me. Can you remove it from the posting and consider it sold to me? I will be happy if you can do that today ok..I will be looking forward to read from you. Regards, Alex Ferguson"
After reading his email, it quickly became clear that this bonehead was trying to scam me. Despite the fact that a lot of people do not write gramatically correct and can't spell; his use of the word "hazzle" instead of "hassle" combined with the US Bank reference and the overall idea that this person would want to pay $125 for the trash bin I have listed for $25 convinced me that this guy is wack. I did not notice the final piece of info until getting his reply back, but there was an IP address at the very bottom of his email
"62.173.35.6 : 35-6.rv.ipnxtelecoms.com ." I looked up the WHO IS information to trace this IP Address and sure enough the IP Location is Nigeria Lagos Ipnx Nigeria Limited .
So long story longer ... even selling something as inocuous as a trash bin for $25 on my local classified ads brings out the scam artists ...
Posts
1 comments:
Wow! What a triumphant day.!
I know your sense of journey traveled and lessons learned from deep in your soul, after many an hour of struggle to master knowledge, fear and anxiety, and overwhelming fatigue at what you had to face and overcome, must have soared as you experienced that conversation where you were able to sooth a grandmother's fears, to reassure based on your own solid stance after conquering so many moments from out of a scary past.
I'm so proud of your accomplishments, including finding a school that will accommodate Alec's needs, and thus, those of his Mom and Pop, grandparents, aunt, uncles, and cousins, as well as his dear friends. I think you did win the lottery at arriving at such fantastic places in this journey, culminating on one day.
I love you all and continue to marvel at your resilience, your courage, your optimism, your leadership, your tireless, sweet and fierce love of your son. I congratulate you both on being who you are, and I send hugs and kisses and well wishes to the three of you.
Mom Mignon
Post a Comment