West African Money Order Scam

[diva]

I received these emails in response to an add i placed about my apartment on craigslist:

Hello ,
How are you today ? I am Tracey (My friends call me tray) born in England . I completed my O - levels and my A - levels at Headington school on Oxford , England . I have a Bachelor's and masters Degree in Computer Engineering from Imperial college in London and an MBA from Harvard Business school .
professionally , my experience is in Finance , consulting and enterpreneurship .I started my careeer at citi bank , in London before joining Boston Consulting group .I was based in the London office but workrd across the continents . I came down to West Africa in the year 2005 and joined my branch office here and now working as the software engineer /project manager . I am a very dedicated individual who is totally committed to human development, friendly, very trustworthy and value relationship above anything. I love travelling, sporting and enjoy meeting people. I dont smoke but do not mind people who do being around me. I am cool headed and easy going person with no criminal record and like to have a roommate who is very responsible and understanding, someone i can really get along with.


I'm a quiet and easy going person to live with. My families lives there in London and i have no friends in Canada except you lol. as i am currently in Accra City , but hope to end my current assignment by the 3rd of November and should be in the Canada latest 9th of November as i like to come over to explore my talent and hope to have a more profitable job.
I saw your advert and i am sincerely interested in the room advertised as i will like to move in as soon as possible. Please i will love to know the total cost for initial move in room and the utilities so as to arrange for you to get the money prior to my arrival, since i am currently in Accra , Ghana and will love to move into a comfortable place on my arrival.
Thanks and have a good time.
Please contact me f you are sll looking for a mate,preferably through my email address...........

A little about myself...I am 27yrs,single without kids, from enfield in middlesex UK.I live by the principle of,"do unto others what you want others to do to you".And because ilove it when people are good to me,i always do all in my power to be good,just to get a reciprocate(smiles). I am quite a laid back person,i am the interesting type.I dont drink neither do i smoke and i love pets but i don't have any.I am the neat type.I love visiting new places . Does the house belong to you?.Just asking.Whats the proximity of the higher institution,groceries and stores to the house ? I will be comming down to Canada in about 7 days time to work for my branch company on an assignment that will be taking me 6 to 8 months ,okay.As i will also be sending you few of my pics right away.


However, please i'll like to know the total move in cost , breakdown details of the house and the utilities as well as the picture of the house as i'll not be able to check out the place until my arrival, so that i can make arrangement for payment prior to my arrival since i'll be moving down from Accra , Ghana as soon as i'm able to reach an accord with you. I'll also like to know abit about yourself.
Please try to reply this mail asap as i talk to you soon .
Thanks and have a good time
Tracey

So , let me know the rent and the deposit , okay .
For my furnitures , i will be taking care of that as soon as i get down to canada , okay and thanks for the offer as i intend comming down with my futon and my expensive detachable dresser so i find all other things my room will be needing , okay .
Hope i answered your questions as i wait to hear from you soon as well .
Thanks Ur's Tracey

[diva]

1. she's apparently only 27
2. why's her spelling and grammar so ****ty? i know she's an engineer, but come on.
3. she sent me two tiny pictures of herself. she's really hot.
4. why would i care that she's coming with an "expensive detachable dresser"? and why does she sleep on a futon if she can afford an "expensive detachable dresser"? LOL
5. i read this warning add on craigslist
http://vancouver.craigslist.org/roo/228693917.html

[diva]

>From: Tracey Panes
> > >To: ****
> > >Subject: Waiting ....
> > >Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 02:26:53 -0800 (PST)
> > >
> > >Hello ***,
> > >Thanks so much for the mail. I really do appreciate the breakdown details
> > >of the house ( apt. ) . I'll be so glad if you can reserve the room for
> >me
> > >and remove the advert from craiglist. org as i'll love to rent the place
> > >and will really love to have a view of the place soon as you have them
> > >,okay .Ohh ... did you get my pictures ???
> > >A little more about me :
> > >Name: Tracey Panes
> > >Hair: Blonde
> > >Eyes: Blue
> > >Age: 27yrs plus
> > >Height: 5' 6" (167cm)
> > >Weight: 122 pounds (55.0 kg)
> > >Body Style: Athletic/Fit
> > >Activity Level: Active
> > >Smoking: No
> > >Drinking: Socially
> > >Marital Status: Single
> > >Children: I have no kids
> > >Zodiac Sign: Virgo
> > >Languages I speak: English
> > >Ethnicity: Caucasian/White
> > >Religion: Not Religious
> > >Grew up in: Britain
> > >Education: MCSA/MCSE
> > >Occupation:Consultant
> > >My favorites are;
> > >My favorite cuisines: Barbecue, Chinese/Dim Sum, Deli, Eastern-European,
> > >Fast Food/Pizza, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese/Sushi, Mexican,
> > >Seafood, Soul Food, Thai, Vietnamese
> > >My favorite music: Dance/Electronica, Disco, Easy Listening, Pop/Top 40,
> > >Rap/Hip Hop, Soul/R&B and Soundtracks.
> > >My favorite physical activities: Basketball, Working Out, Dancing,
> >Swiming
> > >and Hiking/Walking
> > >However, based on your mail i will be making a payment of $ 1000 to move
> > >in. I will instruct my client to forward u a money order of pay from
> >which
> > >i will like you to deduct the fee for my room and you will help me send
> > >down the balance through WESTERN UNION OFFICE to my travelling agent for
> > >my flight ticket back down to canada , okay.
> > >Please i will need your phone number , full name and address so as to
> > >prepare the money order.Also i will like to know the nearest airport to
> >my
> > >houe . I am looking forward to hear from you soon .
> > >Thanks
> > >
> > >Tracey

[diva]

This was my reply:

***** <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Tracey,
> >
> >You don't need $1000 to move in. Only half of $672. Which is $336. The rest
> >can be paid when you move in on December 1st. If you're going to be
> >arriving
> >in town next week, there's no need to deal with money orders, or western
> >union. Just pay when you get here.
> >
> >The owner of the apartment is going to need a work reference from you. So
> >you can forward me the name and number of your employer so I can ask the
> >owner to check out your references?
> >
> >The closest airport to the apartment is YVR.
> >
> >Can't wait to meet you, Tracey!
> >
> >This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, I can tell!
> >
> >***

[diva]

Her reply:

From: Tracey Panes <[email protected]>
> >To: ********<=======hotmail.com>
> >Subject: RE: Waiting ....
> >Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 03:41:14 -0800 (PST)
> >
> >Hello *** ,
> > Thanks for the mail , i am very happy to hear from you .Are you awake ?
> >I sincerely all is well with you over there . I am not happy to tell you
> >this .... I am having a kind of little problem here in your home country
> >with the cashing of my pre-salary that i am to use for the buying of my
> >airflight ticket down to Canada for my new assignment that is why i will be
> >needing your help in cashing my money order for me right there in Canada
> >cos' that is the only way my client will be paying me from there ... as i
> >will instruct my client to have the money orders issue in your name which
> >is for the sum of $4500 .... since you are there in Canada it will never be
> >a problem for you to have them cashed as it will only be taking few days to
> >get cleared as soon as you have them deposited in your bank account ....
> >Without you doing me this favor there will be no way i will be comming down
> >to Canada as my company will only be paying me in money order and not
> >physical cash , do you now
> > understand me ?

So i can get myself a house as soon as i arrive in canada
> >and then you have the remainder fund wired to my travelling agent for the
> >booking of my airflight ticket down to Canada after you have the fund for
> >my room deducted and also you will be deducting the sum of $ 200 for
> >yourself as the running arround fee , okay ....Do you nowunderstand my
> >plight ?

> >Please i will still be needing your full name and address to enable me send
> >to my client right there in Canada so as to prepare you with the money
> >order.
> > However , i did send you few of my pics to enable you to put a face on
> >what your new friend really looks like lol ...I am looking forward to hear
> >from you soon and have a lovely day ahead.
> >Thanks
> >

[diva]

My reply:


Hi Tracey,

Why yes, I was awake! I hope you like insomniacs, because I never sleep! Maybe we can have girly sleepovers and eat chocolate covered bon bons and giggle about boys when you get here! Omg, how much fun would that be!

Wow, i'm sorry to hear about your problems cashing your check! You know how those pesky developing countries can be. Oh well, you're moving to Canada now. YAY.

Of course I'll help you cash your check so you can get out of there as soon as possible. I hope you didn't catch malaria or anything while you were there. Oh well, even if you did it's not contageous, so i'm not too worried.

My full name is ********
My address is 1223-Nelson Street Apt. 378 Postal Code is v6d 1j4
Do you need any other information? fake address and postal code

I can use the $200 handling fee to buy my cats some toys. Thank you so much, Tracey!

Hope to hear from you soon! I'm going out today to buy us some chocolate covered bon bons for our girly sleepovers. Byee

[diva]

She replied!

She replied!

Ohh roommie ... a contact number which i can always reach you on cell or home phone , okay ....Ur''s Tracey

I'm going to send her my cell number

[diva]

hi tracey,

this is my cell number

love, ****

[diva]

Hello Roomie ,
Thanks for the informations ... i got them , i am very happy to hear from you . I will be sending down your names and address to my client right away for him to prepare you with the money order as i will always keep you posted on when and via which courier service will be delivering it to you ,okay .I get back to you as soon as the package is mailed out to you hopefully you should be having it with you by next week Wednesday , okay.
I will also be contacting my travelling agent here by Tuesday to get you all the necessary informations you will be needing for the wiring of the remainder fund to him by Tuesday , okay .
Also , i will like to know if you will be able to come pick me up at the airport or you kindly arrange me a cab to come pick me down home as i willtake charge of all the expenses , i will like to know this asap cos' i will be forwrding to you a copy of my flight ticket as soon as the remainder fund is sent to my travelling agent and he has it picked up and as soon as he has my flight ticket booked with this you know the exact time and my gate number for my arrival ,okay .
Take good care of yourself and have a lovely day ahead .
Keep in touch
Thanks
Tracey
See you soon

[Jen-E-03]

hmmm odd

[prozac]

Ha ha ha. I was reading this on myspace.

Has she called you yet? Are you going to call the cops? Think you can catch them out? I wonder if this shit ever works for these people.

[diva]

hey tracey,

what's your company's (or client's name)? the office might be downtown. if it is i can pick up the check for you so you don't have to deal with couriers , allowing you to get here faster.

i'll totally come and pick you up from the airport. i'll have a big sign that reads, "TRACEY, COMING FROM ACCRA, GHANA". remember that, ok?

ps. do you think you could take a few dollars out of my $200 handling fee (which was very generous of you, btw!) and bring me back some milo and hair extensions?

can't wait to hear from you,

***

[prozac]

^I could have brought you milo from Australia, lol.

[kittah]

LOL awesome!

[Pussy*Kat]

I am so confused

[Jonny Dubbs]

people

actually

pay attention to this kind of stuff???

heh

[veN]

Originally Posted by prozac

^I could have brought you milo from Australia, lol.

You can get Milo HERE in Canada. It's at Safeway. I was overjoyed when I got home from Aus and found it.

[r a m a z e]

this is true some guy from nigeria was trying to sell me a apple macbook for 200 dollars.

[diva]

^ It tastes a little different than the stuff you can get overseas, I think. Ovaltine is my favourite warm drink, though.

[veN]

Originally Posted by diva

^ It tastes a little different than the stuff you can get overseas, I think. Ovaltine is my favourite warm drink, though.

Really? Im pretty sure it said its a product of Jamaica. Where's the one from Aus made?

[diva]

Originally Posted by Nev

Really? Im pretty sure it said its a product of Jamaica. Where's the one from Aus made?

I'm not sure. Nestle has a manufacturing plant in Ghana, and the Milo I like is made there. Maybe the Aus Milo is made in Jamaica?

edit: lol at this site
http://www.nestleghana.com/

[prozac]

I'm pretty sure the Australian milo is made in Australia.

It is so freaking good sprinkled on vanilla icecream.

So did they call you yet?!

[prozac]

Originally Posted by diva;1735798
edit: lol at this site
[url

http://www.nestleghana.com/[/url]

omg lol.

"If a good light soup with an appetizing goat or smoked fish flavour is what you have been looking for..."

YES!!! Goat soup! I've been searching all this time... :D

[dj_soo]

keep it going as long as you can and post it here: http://www.scambuster419.co.uk/

[Dean]

hahaha Boston Consulting Group