What's your 411 on the 419?

Seriously - I don't pay enough attention to them to remember any. Just click and delete. It takes sheer greed to cloud someone's thinking enough to fall for that crap. Yeah, the president of a country's son you have never been to is going to sort YOU out of the masses to contact. The FBI suddenly sends email to people. No sympathy here for those that choose to believe they are that damned special.

I think the worst ones are the ones that try to sound like they are 'religious'. These demons have sunk even lower than the rest of their co-harts.

I would like to break their face twice.

In general the ridiculousness of their letters are funny, however I don't think it is funny at all and besides the greedy there are many desperate people who are stupid as well as desperate.

Millions and millions of dollars have been stolen, identities, etc. and even people who have disappeared when they went to meet the people (thinking they were being cautious by doing business in person).

So it is not really funny.

But...Sal - it was from Timothy Geithner personally - it must be real important - :rolleyes:


@ Patrician - "I would like to break their face twice." I like it...a new twist on turn the other cheek - very cheeky...

I know people have been harmed in the process of some of these scams...but seriously, how can you feel that much remorse? You would really have to be gullible to fall for one of these...

I am talking about the really Darwin award ones...not a well-oiled grifter scam - those take an evil twisted talent and go beyond this...

hahaha - now that's funny -

there was no pun intended but now I see it too!

There will always be gullible people. My last 9-5 job was operated by a woman who was incredibly gullible. She would forward emails to me that were, without a doubt, a scam with a message, "can you believe this! Maybe I should try it." I'm thinking, you have got to be kidding.

She's one that would definitely fall for the email scamers and probably the reason they are still in business.

Remember those emails that ask you to accept a cashier's check? All you have to do is deposit it and YOU GET TO KEEP 20%! I responded to one for the heck of it. Had him send me the cashier's check. I googled the routing number and contacted the bank. The check looked completely authentic. Watermark looked professional.

I sent the check to the FBI with a printout of my emails with the guy or gal.


But you got an email from Geithner? I'm jealous. There's a few things I'd like to tell Timmy boy.

Yes Lori - that cashier's check thing is really really bad -

I checked into it with my bank and it can actually take them 2 weeks to find out it is forged or stolen. This is surprising to me even after 15 years in corporate banking - (OK I never worked with money) - but I always thought cashier's checks were 'bullet proof' - and so much for technology - 2 weeks??!?

For those that don't know how this can really screw you up:

You deposit the funds - you write checks against it - the bank discovers it is fraudulent - they remove the 'funds' and you are responsible for all the bounced check fees you will get, (and to cover the checks), and the returned check fee for the bogus deposit;

...and YOU are now suspect for receiving stolen funds, AND if the funds were used to purchase products (such as in accept payments for our customers and ship products for us as we are not in the USA), YOU may be prosecuted for using the US Mail to send stolen goods (since the entire payment was fraudulent, not just your percentage).

It's a really dirty one because people who are desperate to find a "job from home" may do it (I almost did when I was a newbie). The 'job' really sounds like a legitimate one.

Good on you for the FBI.

Report this type of scam to ic3.gov

Note: From an FBI agent (sic): "While these crimes are tracked, and pursued where possible, unless your loss is greater than $500k don't expect anything because they are overwhelmed with serious crimes".

No matter how much you lose you can just write it off because even when the crooks are caught they usually don't have the money to pay you back. (not to mention 'class action' suits where you may get pennies on the dollar - if there are any pennies left after the lawyers get theirs, etc.)

Yes, the cashier's check scam is a bad one. I made sure to contact my friends and relatives to warn them. I was amazed at how many of my elderly relatives received a similar email and were very tempted to accept the deal. These crooks prey on people, but when they prey on the elderly, that's makes them even worse crooks in my book.

You're right about the procedure, clearing time Patrician. That's how these people operate. They know most banks will not even glance twice at the check. Then these unsuspecting people think they just made a few thousand until they get that notice from their bank that the check bounced.

No doubt, it is difficult if not impossible to get your money back from these scam artists.

i don't know why people did that kind of stuff to cheat people.