Rob, this is a classic scam. Alpha Moore is a Non-person. Recently I've had fun messing with someone who calls himself "Michael Campbell", who became so frustrated with me, he had his "Barrister", Alpha Moore, send me a threatening email. Its was actually quite fun. The scam is simple. The "buyer" sends you a check for a few THOUSAND dollars over the purchase amount, ostensibly so that you can cash the check and wire by westeren union the excess money to his "shipper." The buyer will not come and pick the item up and won't accept any other arrangements. By the time you get the phony cashiers check back, you've already sent the money... and the bank comes after YOU. I love messing with these guys just to get them all jacked up and ticked off... its fun. Here are some signs its a scam for the layman (not getting into untraceable ip #'s ect)
Bogus souding name (Alpha Moore? Oh come on! Sounds like "out for more" doesn't it?) Willingness to buy immediately without further information on the item. Insistence on your immediately getting the extra cash wired upon cashing the check. A cashier's check mailed overnight delivery from somewhere other than the buyer's location and with a different name on the return address. Reference to "shipping agents" Generic referal to whatever you are selling as "the item" in subsequent emails. Poor mastery of the English language, punctuation and spelling. Things that just don't make sense. (I recently had a man want to buy a Case corn picker, listing his address as ALASKA.) Phrases that are inconsistent with their purported residence. How often do you see an American end an email with the word "regards" or “hope to read from you.”
Here are a couple of emails I received from “Michael Campbell.” The first one is his response to my having questioned why he would want to buy a corn picker if he lived in Alaska.
Thanks for the mail..well i have told that i want to buy the corn for my cousin in spain..She contact me and let me know that the corn grow in spain..So i want you to deposited the check into your account that you should destory the check..bcos i have spent much money in order to make sure that the check get to you..So pls i want you deposited the check into your account and let me know exact time that the money will be available so that will can proceed on the shipement..Hope to read from you. Regard.
Just for fun this is what I do with these idiots:
1. Have them send the check.. DON’T cash it. ITS FAKE. Period. 2. I tell them that I’ve cashed the check and put the money in my safe. 3. I tell them that I have serious surgery scheduled and will conclude the transaction when I get out of the hospital. I told “Michael” that I was having a cerebral transplant and he didn’t even blink.. THAT’S a clue. 4. I let him stew for a few days, then send an email claiming to be my widow. She goes on to tell him that I died during the surgery and she knew about the transaction, but did not know the particulars. Further more, she does not know the combination to the safe and has no cash, no checks, and all of her ID is in the safe. She tells Michael he needs to send her $150 CASH to pay a locksmith to open the safe. 5. This really jacks them up. They are worried you will get the returned check before you send them their money. 6. I jerk their chain a lot now, going on how their being so callous in my time of despair and making all kinds of excuses for not getting the money, continually pressing them for the $150. 7. Finally, after wasting lots of their time, I let them know how stupid they are and what great fun I’ve had at their expense, pointing out that if nothing else, the time they spent messing with me was time not spent defrauding someone else.
That explains this email I received from Campbell’s “barrister”:
To: sgt.bull@att.net Hello Here is Barrister Alfa More..Well Mr micheal contact me now and let me know that he engage a transcation with your husband..but he le me know that your husband has died by now that you should contiune with transcation and mr micheal told me that your husband has already kept the money in her safe luck that you should find a way to open it and get the money to send to the shipping information that mr micheal gave to you..But i let hime know that i will do everything in base of law...So i do not want anything to happen to you..bcos of your late husband...So i want you to get the safe open and send the remaining money to the shipping information mr micheal campbell gave to you and get back to me..Hope to read from you. Regard.
Do you notice any similarities in the pitiful sentence structure?
Finally, bear in mind you may not be dealing with the same person each time you email. It’s kind of a “business” where the next guy who responds to your reply after “shift change” has never written you before. He looks over a couple of previous emails and responds, but often uses generalities to hide his not knowing the details. Often he’ll misspell his own name as compared to previous emails. The longer you email back and forth, the more difficult it is for them to keep tabs on what has been said Its almost embarrassingly funny. So don’t be surprised at a lot of nonsensical inconsistencies. Generally these scammers are in some 3rd world country (Africa) so I don’t worry about their threats. I figure I’m a well armed, bull headed American and would welcome a visit from any of these computer cowards. M/Sgt “Bull” Hulsey
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