Thumbs up or down: nigerian scammer?

[calmloki]

In response to a craigslist ad i got the following. It showed up in my MSN junk mail, with a junk rating "very high", sender: John Smith. My Spidey-sense is tingling and I'm calling this really likely to be a scammer. What do you think?

"Hello,

I saw your apartment advertised on craigslist.com and am interested in renting it.I will be signing a one year lease for it and want to know the modalities for renting it.

I will be doing a one year research on pharmacy work while in the states and will be staying with my wife and two kids .

I will appreciate it if i hear from you in time as i will want to conclude the rental process before the end of this month.

Thank you."

 

[W2R]

Sets my "spidey-sense" off too. My advice? Proceed with caution...

 

[Martha]

We have advertised apartments in Craigslist and have received similar messages, always someone who professes to be from another country looking for a "flat" and who speaks in awkward English. I assume they are looking for my email address to send me something yucky so I don't respond.

 

[calmloki]

We have advertised apartments in Craigslist and have received similar messages, always someone who professes to be from another country looking for a "flat" and who speaks in awkward English. I assume they are looking for my email address to send me something yucky so I don't respond.

That's my take as well - somehow the Japanese, Chinese, Micronesian, and Saudi students sound different and ok - even in print. I think the offer to be signing a one year lease, when that wasn't requested in the ad, is kinda a tip-off, along with the desire to conclude the process within the month.

 

[travelover]

I advertised some balloon tire bikes on Craigslist and got a bunch of responses from people that wanted to buy them full price, sight unseen. I blew them off, assuming it was a fake cashier's check scam.

 

[Moemg]

You mean the letter I got about inheriting millions from a long last relative in Saudi Arabia is a scam ?

 

[EngineeringMyFinances]

My vote is that it's a scam, similar to this one.

 

[Darryl]

Sold a truck last year. Listed it on craigs list and received immediate offers for full price in twisted english. I didn't respond to them because it was an obvious waste of time. Martha's comment though makes me really glad I didn't respond. It might have turned in to a bigger mess than I was thinking.

 

[kumquat]

Is there a place nearby where someone might do "one year research on pharmacy work"

If not, easy.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Cash only, bubba.

 

[Brat]

I created a Yahoo e-mail address to use with Craig's List and similar venues. Easy to kill, so to speak, if it receives spam.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

This is why I quit using craigslist.

Might also explain all the naughty spam showing up in the email account I created to use with it, because I responded. I believe my responses are not something that could be printed in a public place.

 

[bssc]

Sounds like a variant on Pacific Heights (spoilers in link).

I also like the vague comment about pharmacy work in the states. It reminded me of when I lived in Washington and asked a friend what her dad did. She said that he "worked for the government". I looked at her and said, "Your dad's with the CIA, right." and she just looked shocked that I could have seen through her elaborate cover story.

 

[twaddle]

Here's a list of Nigerian scams:

Advance fee fraud - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I assume most of the craigslist scams are the "overpayment fraud" type. I'll sometimes ask the fraudster to send their fake cashier's check to our local chief of police. (Don't tell him it was me.)

 

[kiya]

I just got the exact same email

I just got the exact same email and I did a search to see if it was a scam. And sure enough it is. Here is the email I received. Stay away from this guy!

Hello,

I saw your apartment advertised on craigslist: san francisco bay area classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events and am
interested in renting it.I will be signing a one year lease for it and
want to know the modalities for renting it.

I will be doing a one year research on pharmacy work while in the
states and will be staying with my wife and two kids .

I will appreciate it if i hear from you in time as i will want to
conclude the rental process before the middle of next month.

Thank you.

 

[calmloki]

I just got the exact same email and I did a search to see if it was a scam. And sure enough it is. Here is the email I received. Stay away from this guy!

Hello,

I saw your apartment advertised on craigslist: san francisco bay area classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events and am
interested in renting it.I will be signing a one year lease for it and
want to know the modalities for renting it.

I will be doing a one year research on pharmacy work while in the
states and will be staying with my wife and two kids .

I will appreciate it if i hear from you in time as i will want to
conclude the rental process before the middle of next month.

Thank you.

What fun! Looks like i scammed the scammer - he overpaid for my rental and paid in full for the year - i'm to send the change back (several thousand dollars!)and he hasn't even moved to the states yet!


I'm kidding - I'm kidding!

 

[RunningBum]

I just got the exact same email and I did a search to see if it was a scam. And sure enough it is. Here is the email I received. Stay away from this guy!

Hello,

I saw your apartment advertised on craigslist: san francisco bay area classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events and am
interested in renting it.I will be signing a one year lease for it and
want to know the modalities for renting it.

I will be doing a one year research on pharmacy work while in the
states and will be staying with my wife and two kids .

I will appreciate it if i hear from you in time as i will want to
conclude the rental process before the middle of next month.

Thank you.

What scam? Calmloki wouldn't rent him an apartment, so he had to try to rent yours. The guy's got to have a place to live, right? (also kidding)

 

[FinallyRetired]

Looks like the Nigerian guy has franchised his scam and sells his kit to other would-be scammers. The kit comes complete with sample phrases that are a cinch to bring in money. All they have to do is to mention "modalities" in a contract, and money rolls right in.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Include a free p-p-p-powerbook with every apartment rental!

The Powerbook Prank: He wanted a Powerbook. We gave him a P-P-P-Powerbook!

 

[mickeyd]

the modalities for renting it.

What the heck does this mean in American?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Modalities: "The ceremonial forms, protocols, or conditions that surround formal agreements or negotiations"

 

[FinanceGeek]

If you want to see a non-PC but HILARIOUS site on Nigerian (and other) internet scams by a guy who's giving-em-their-own-medicine, check out Ebola Monkey Man: Nigerian 419 Scam

 

[thefed]

i got the EXACT email 3 weeks ago in response to a craigslist ad

 

[FinallyRetired]

Modalities: "The ceremonial forms, protocols, or conditions that surround formal agreements or negotiations"

That's what I go through with DW when I want to buy a new toy. I'm getting ready for the modalities of a large screen LCD monitor.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Oh that went easy for me. My wife called me in the car one afternoon and said "Some smoke just came out of the old tv set. I pushed it outdoors into the rain, so that should be okay. Stop at Sams Club and get a new one, willya? Get a big one. Something good. Bye."