Thank you to a Craigslist user who sent this info recently.
Scam Artist: Anthony Collier
Email Address: tonycoll05@gmail.com
Tactic Used: Classic Nigerian Scam including Wire/Bank Fraud
7/13/o8 Craigslist User wrote:
Another scammer who I came across recently when I posted items for sale in SF was tonycoll05@gmail.com or Anthony Collier. Below is the text of his email to me. I sent an email to craigslist (this email from Anthony being the response to my very first posting of something for sale) and never got a response. Don't they have any way of monitoring these?
Text below:
I appreciate your response to my enquiry. Am interested in buying it from you. I would love to come and check it myself but I just got married and am presently on an honeymoon trip to Hawaii with my wife. I would love a surprise change of furniture in our home on our return. Pls do withdraw , the advert from Web as i dont mind adding $50 for you to do that, so i can be rest assured that the item is held for me. I should believe it is in excellent condition as stated.
I will be making the payment via a Certified Check, which my secretary will mail across to you. I'll be picking the item from you with the aid of my mover. My Mover will be coming to pick it from you once the Certified Check has been cashed. Pls I will need both your full name and physical address along with your phone number to issue out the payment.I await your response.Thank You,Tony.How is your day going? I want you to understand that the transaction is on as my secretary as mailed the check payment already and you will recieve it very soon.
There was a slight error which i believe we can handle with care and honesty. Instead of the actual amount, $1045 for the item, she made out the check for $4045. She claimed that was what i requested but she didn't get that straight. Am sure this happened because am not around as am still on my honeymoon, I think I might fire her when I get back to have made such a silly mistake, but am still thinking because she has been a very good employee.Once you have the check delivered to you via UPS, do have it cashed at your bank and deduct the money for my item plus $50 for taking the ad down. The excess funds should please be sent to my mover via Western Union whose information I would supply you as soon as you notify me that you have recieved payment via email , this funds will be used in offsetting the cost of the shipment he as undertaken for me recently and also will be used to come for the pickup of my item at your location.
**Please email at once to let me know that I can trust you to have the excess funds expedited to my mover upon the receipt of delivery of payment**I hope to read back from you very urgently.Do have a nice day as I count on your honesty and trustworthiness.
My Warmest Regards,
Tony.
BY THE WAY - his secretary never could have sent the check as I had never provided my last name or address.Any suggestions for thwarting this criminals in the future?
4 comments:
I have another scammer for you: Frank edwards (franklymaleice@yahoo.com). I replied to a Craiglist post for an English tutor, and this is the response I recieved:
Hello
Am Frank an international model from Spain,my 16 yrs old Step-daughter will be coming for a vacation in the U.S,and I want her to be busy throughout because she is a lil bit playful.Therefore, I just want to know maybe she can always come to you and be her English tutor so she can learn from you. If possible,please get back to me with the cost of your teaching for the month,i mean for the whole Month,Starting date would be August 18th to Sept 19th excluding Sat and Sun.She will be coming to your home or Meet in the City Library for 2 hours each day, I have scheduled a CHAUFFEUR that will always drive her down to your place. My step-daughter's name is Venus Simpson , I want to know the total amount for an hour each for the total month. So that i can arrange for the payments.If its going to work, Kindly get back to me with the total amount for the month and your mailing address,i will be waiting to see your mail soon,bye for now.
Regards,
Frank Edwards
The bad spelling and grammar bothered me, especially since the original post was very nicely written. His claim to be a model also bothered me (why, of all places, would a Spanish model send his step-daughter to the small city I live in?) Also, why is he willing to hire a "CHAUFFEUR" rather than have me drive to the location, the "City Library," and which library anyway - there are at least a half-dozen different branches! In addition, like an idiot, I sent my resume as an attachment - so he has my mailing address and has no need to ask for it, unless he doesn't know how to open attachments (I hope). This also suggests that I am dealing with a complete fraud.
I marked the original post as spam on Craigslist and have no intent to reply to the email. A Google search turns up no hits on the name or email, so this must be a new identity. I hope others who are suspcious read this and don't fall for this old scam.
I just received this email from Mr. Collier for a dresser he is supposed to buy from me. I replied the deal is cash only and I will not accept any checks. I did this because I did a google search about Anthony Collier and someone else had the exact same scenario.
Hello William,
How is your day going? I want you to understand that the transaction is on as my secretary as mailed the check payment already and you will recieve it very soon. There was a slight error which i believe we can handle with care and honesty. Instead of the actual amount, $475 for the item, she made out the check for $3475. She claimed that was what i requested but she didn't get that straight. Am sure this happened because am not around as am still on my honeymoon, I think I might fire her when I get back to have made such a silly mistake, but am still thinking because she has been a very good employee.
Once you have the check delivered to you via UPS, do have it cashed at your bank and deduct the money for my item. The excess funds should please be sent to my mover via Western Union whose information I would supply you as soon as you notify me that you have recieved payment via email , this funds will be used in offsetting the cost of the shipment she as undertaken for me recently and also will be used to come for the pickup of my item at your location.
**Please email at once to let me know that I can trust you to have the excess funds expedited to my mover upon the receipt of delivery of payment**
I hope to read back from you very urgently.
Do have a nice day as I count on your honesty and trustworthiness.
My Warmest Regards,
Tony.
I have a similar response to a recent ad that I placed on Craig's List. The M.O is strangely similar and uses Anthony Morgan with a gmail address. Also, the grammer used was suspect. Here is the email.
"Thanks for the mail im happy you still have the furniture available, i
am okay with the price i would have love to come and see it in your
house but my schedule will not permit me im a busy kind of person,you
can get back to me with more pics if you still have them so we can
proceed with payment arrangements and pick up, i will be making the
payment with cashiers check or certified check, so i will need your
full name that will be on the check and your full address where you
can easily receive the package via courier and i will arrange for the
pickup myself, i will hold till this check finally clears by your bank
before the pickup ,wish to read from you soon.
thanks"
please please make sure you remind people to look closely at the email address and also the content of the message sent. my name is anthony collier and my email is very similar to the one cited. i've been on craigslist and bought and sold items with satisfaction for everyone.
please just remember the scammers may use the name of people they suspect have a great reputation. thanks.
p.s. - irs.phishing.gov thats a good move to make to help stop scammers
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