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How to Spot a Scam

Monday, January 5, 2009

James Russell Update: No Longer A Reverend

A CL user would like us to know that the pathetic scam artist known as "Rev. James Russell" is no longer claiming his fake clergy status. Yet true to form, this unoriginal creep still insists on using the name James Russell.

Name: James Russell
Email: jamesrussellss16@yahoo.com

On 1/5/09 a CL user wrote:
Old James Russell (no longer a Reverend, I'm afraid) sent exactly the same response to me today -- saying he'd pay MORE than my asking price on a bicycle, sight unseen -- but that he would have to send a money order. (Earlier today my wife received an email on the now-famous apartment scam. Some day, huh?) That one I get. But this one? I can only imagine that after a while, James will tell you than he'd like to wire the money to your account -- all I have to do is give him my bank account number. Hmmm...By the way, email address was jamerussellss16@yahoo.com

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

james_will2001@hotmail.com


Here's another scammer..


I m OK with the items,however i will like to pay for the bike via US Certified Check, i will need your full name,phone number and address to send the check to you.The check will get to you in 2-3 days and when you got the check you go head in cashing the check at your Bank,i will wait for you to confirm and clear the check before any further transaction.You don't need to worry about the shipment,i have a shipper that will come for the pickup at your location after the check clears in your bank and deduct your money for the items......
The payment will be in excess as i will want you to contact my shipper with the excess fund after you must have confirmed and cashed the check at your bank,you will send the excess fund to my shipper via Money Gram Money Transfer,he needs the money to come and pick the bike up at your location you will also let me know when you will be available for them to come for the pickup after you have your money at hand..If you have any question regarding this transaction please don't hesitate to ask.You can get the posting deleted from Craiglist.Thanks and God Bless

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the heads up - - James Russell just contacted me regarding a craigslisting from email: jamerussellss19@yahoo.com :


Hi
Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by money order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment.I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment have been received by you. I dont mind adding an extra twenty dollars so you can keep it in my favor.Reply with your full name,cell phone number,and address where payment should be sent.Please take the posting off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
James

Anonymous said...

Here is James' latest (2/27/2009)
"James Russell" jamerussells4@yahoo.com

Hi
Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by money order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment.I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment have been received by you. I dont mind adding an extra twenty dollars so you can keep it in my favor.Reply with your full name,cell phone number,and address where payment should be sent.Please take the posting off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
James

Anonymous said...

Here is James Latest from email address jamerussellss23@yahoo.com

Hi
Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by money order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment.I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment have been received by you. I dont mind adding an extra twenty dollars so you can keep it in my favor.Reply with your full name,cell phone number,and address where payment should be sent.Please take the posting off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
James

Anonymous said...

Augusta Ramirez is a new name the scammers are going by --
I just received the following from
aram345@gmail.com

Great,I am willing to pay your asking price, however I will make
payment by money order as its the only way I can pay you at the
moment.I will make arrangement for pick-up after payment have been
received by you. I dont mind adding an extra twenty dollars so you can
keep it in my favor.Reply with your full name,cell phone number,and
address where payment should be sent.Please take the posting off
craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
Augusta

Anonymous said...

Here's another alias e-mail address for James Russels: jamesrussellss4@gmail.com

Here is the same reply I just received today:

Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by money order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment.I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment have been received by you. I dont mind adding an extra twenty dollars so you can keep it in my favor.Reply with your full name,cell phone number,and address where payment should be sent.Please take the posting off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
james

Anonymous said...

He's now up to jamesrusselss23@gmail.com. We received a response identical to the previous one.

You'd think he'd at least use proper grammar and capitalize his name!

Anonymous said...

Another scammer

Hi
Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by money order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment.I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment have been received by you. I dont mind adding an extra twenty dollars so you can keep it in my favor.Reply with your full name,cell phone number,and address where payment should be sent.Please take the posting off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
Paul
paulrussellss15@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

And now he is up to 24...I got this response from him on June 18th:


Hi
Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by money order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment.I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment have been received by you. I dont mind adding an extra twenty dollars so you can keep it in my favor.Reply with your full name,cell phone number,and address where payment should be sent.Please take the posting off craigslist today and consider it sold to me.
Expecting to hear from you soon.
Regards
James


I played along for a while and got this earlier today:


Hi
How are you doing .Your payment have been sent but there is a mix-up in the payment my assistant sent to you, after reconciling my account, I discovered that She sent an over payment to you. The payment meant for another item was sent to you in error. I have been trying to retrieve it but to no avail. I am very worried. Please as soon as you recieve the money orders, get it cashed at your bank, deduct your payment and send the balance via western union to the details i will provide you with. Please let me know if i can count on you to do this for me.
Thanks
James


To which I replied:


Wow - you must think I am an idiot. This is a classic example of a payment scam - you send me a money order for the "wrong amount" and have me cash it then wire you the difference. A few weeks later, when the money order is found to be fraudulent, I get stuck with the bill and you get to keep my money.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

Nice try. I am reporting this.

Oh, try getting a real job - you know, an honest one.


What an ass.

Anonymous said...

He is still up to no good. I received the same emails. He is now using the email jamerussellss29@yahoo.com. Watch out for this creep.

Anonymous said...

got the same scam email from jamesrussellss3, to which I replied, "only taking cash." There's been no response, surprise.

Gmarks said...

Be on the lookout for James - used 2 different e-mails with me - wants to pay with pay pal - not sure how I get scammed with Pay Pal (and if anyone knows out there please tell me), but I know he's a scammer.
100.jbarro@gmail.com
jwestend86s@gmail.com

His e-mail says in part.
I will be
paying via paypal and $150 will be added to the payment as postage fee
via USPS (Express Mail International) for my son schooling abroad. I
want you to get back with your paypal email or send a paypal payment
invoice to this email so that i can be able to make the payment.