Page 1 of 1

Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 3:32 pm
by podgerodge
I have just joined this community having just been told that there is such a community of scambaiters! I didn't know this a few weeks ago when I started scambaiting a 419 group. I'm having lots of fun and wasting their time, and will post about it in due course.

I have a question though - the scammers I am dealing with are definitely doing a 419 - promising millions and looking for a few hundred dollars "postage" in advance - but as my scambaiting continues they have offered up new names and addresses to send the money to - a couple of which appear (on a google) to be real people in Vegas etc.

Could the request for "$400 postage" to me, if I was to send the cash to some individual, be part of a bigger scam i.e. that it could be an innocent recipient getting cash as "proof" of something ultimately involving a bigger scam on them?

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 3:45 pm
by Myon359
So they are asking for money to be sent a US address? That's a likely money mule racket. Of course there is the chance you may be dealing with a US based lad, but that's seldom. More than likely, the guy in Las Vegas you were asked to send money to is a mule. Basically, mules work with scammers, either knowingly, or unknowingly, and receive money from victims. They get to keep a cut of the loot, and the rest is sent off to Lad-Land. Some mules know exactly what is going on and are thus criminals themselves.Some however, think they have a real job working for some foreign guy, and thus have no clue that they are dealing with stolen money. Therefore, if you find a mule NEVER put his information on here, because we have no clue if the mule is a villain or an innocent little Munchkin.

As to how to take care of mules: I'll usually ask for a bank to bank transfer, regardless of the method the lad wants to use. They will often comply and I will get the mule's bank info. It is then shipped off to the good people here at Eater. Otherwise, there isn't much you can do to fight mules. Contacting them is out of the question. Hopefully that long-winded reply helps :)

And allow me to be the first to welcome to the community! I hope you stick around and post some baits you currently have going. Keep up driving the crooks crazy!

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:12 pm
by Bertje
Welcome here!

The explanation of mules above is correct.most likely the recipient is most likely the victim of a scam too.

If they are asking you to send via western union, please use the link in my signature to report them. Bank accounts can be reported too!

One question: are you using your 'real' email address to engage with the scammers? If so, please stop all contact immediately! Tha tis not considered safe baiting. If you are using a dedicated baitng address: carry on!

Let me know if you have any questions . Here to help!

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:13 pm
by podgerodge
Thanks Myon359!

Yes, I've had 2 addresses in Vegas supplied (the second one because I pretended that the "FBI were contacting me about the first address"!) - then also they provided a "Go2Bank" IBAN to forward the money to - this intrigued me as it is clearly a real account. When you say you get a mule's bank info and give it to the people here at Eater, what do you mean? (Sorry, newbie!)

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:15 pm
by podgerodge
Bertje wrote: Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:12 pm Welcome here!

The explanation of mules above is correct.most likely the recipient is most likely the victim of a scam too.

If they are asking you to send via western union, please use the link in my signature to report them. Bank accounts can be reported too!

One question: are you using your 'real' email address to engage with the scammers? If so, please stop all contact immediately! Tha tis not considered safe baiting. If you are using a dedicated baitng address: carry on!

Let me know if you have any questions . Here to help!
Hi Bertje
Thanks for your response.

It was moneygram initially, then they offered the Go2Bank, then I said the FBI were onto that and they reverted to moneygram. I've been messing with their heads for nearly 3 weeks now. I'm using a secure email with no personal details, and for good measure, have my VPN on when communicating.

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 4:40 pm
by B8er
You can report bank accounts to the Moderators as per this topic - viewtopic.php?t=362

The account details will then be passed to the relevant authorities for investigation.

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 6:49 pm
by podgerodge
No need to quote the post above you, we can all see it - crashhoot ;)

Thanks B8er. Can I just ask, I'm still in the middle of my scambaiting session - if I report the bank account at this stage, is the general advice to dispense with the scambaiting and move on, or continue and see if they come wondering did you report them :)

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:37 pm
by crashhoot
By all means, keep baiting the lad. Give him whatever excuse you want as to why the transaction didn't go through. I'm thinking the lad will send you another account!
Lather, rinse, repeat.

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:34 pm
by bware419ers
Welcome to Eater! I go under the general assumption each lad has access to three different bank accounts. While that may not always be the case, it seems to be close and who doesn't need a goal?

Eater has worked hard, for years, to establish contacts with financial institutions and Western Union to really screw up all the hard work lads put into gathering bank accounts. They just love when that account is no longer available to them. ;)

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2022 11:39 pm
by podgerodge
Removed the full quote of the previous post. Think of this as a conversation with no need to repeat what was just said! - bw

Thanks - i sent by pm some bank account details to crashhoot. They are still showing as in the "outbox" of my PM's for some reason, rather than in the "sent" folder...

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 12:51 pm
by bware419ers
They will move to your "Sent" box once Crash has read the PM.

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:05 pm
by Bertje
Shhhhttt... don't tell them that...now they know when we are ignoring them very busy with important stuff and not able to read our PM's

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:01 pm
by Kitty La Gore
Shhhhttt... don't tell them that...now they know when we are ignoring them very busy with important stuff and not able to read our PM's passed out drunk in the mod lounge.

[Fixed it for you!]

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:09 pm
by crashhoot
^^^ i wanst binking deer was jst inpsectin the botltse for defice...decfichens...problems. (hic)

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2022 10:23 pm
by podgerodge
crashhoot wrote: Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:37 pm By all means, keep baiting the lad. Give him whatever excuse you want as to why the transaction didn't go through. I'm thinking the lad will send you another account!
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Hi all, I have continued my engagement with the scammers. It's over a month now. I'm not sure who is more stupid, the scammers or the person they think they are dealing with - cos I have made him very very stupid indeed.

I told them 3 weeks ago that I had borrowed $150,000 for a sports car, and that their complicated payment process had resulted in the shady loan people coming looking for me, taking my car away, and still making me pay loan interest! No sympathy, still wanted $500 postage. (I do wonder why they have spent a month working for $500 - I think there is an innocent mule involved, and if he gets $500 he'll think they are legitimate.)

Anyway, I've since explained that I'm now broke, owe criminal loan people loads of interest, and had to resort to loaning out relatives for sexual favours. Still no sympathy, it's still "give us the money". I've told them it's been sent, but I'm not engaging any further with them until the Secretary of the US Treasury confirms they are legit. You can't be too careful!!

Re: Question - reason for advance "postage costs" from scammers

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2022 6:39 pm
by Thursten3rd
In baiting, stupid is good. If the scammers think they have a wealthy idiot on the hook, they are more likely to stick around for more pain.