A few days ago, I once more received a Facebook “friend request” from a person with whom I was already friends.
Not realizing that the person was already on my list, I went ahead and accepted him as a new friend.
Immediately after doing so, I started to receive some messages that I knew couldn’t be coming from that friend. Remembering what I had gone through before on a Facebook scam, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I was now involved in a potential con.
Relying on my previous experience with the situation, I decided to have fun with it. I spent the next half hour corresponding with the scummy scammer through instant messaging.
Although a bit of a guilty pleasure on my end, I figured it was more fun, and maybe more productive than taking a lunch break.
Below is the string of messages exchanged between the two of us. [Note— the scammer is identified as S, and I am identified as N, and I did not correct any spelling or grammar on the scammer’s posts.] Also, I will put my added comments to our readers in brackets. These bracketed comments are to clarify to our readers some of not only what I did to verify that the event taking place was indeed a con, but also to share with you folks the silliness taking place:
S: Hello. How are you doing?
N: I am great.
S: i am doing pretty good i was wondering if you have heard about the good news ?
N: Yes, I have. How wonderful.
S: Tell me yours
N: I got $70,000 in the mail! [I figured the scam would be the same as the one that I dealt with back in February and figured I’d get the jump on the scammer].
S: Wow how do you do that
N: Did you check and see how much money is coming to you? I will see if I still have the information. Let me look… Darn it, I can’t find it. Maybe it is the same as yours. What is yours? Did you get the same $70,000?
S: Am having a new grandchild
N: Great. When is the baby due? How does your daughter feel? How about your wife, Lisa? [The fellow he is pretending to be does not have a daughter; he has a son, and his wife’s name is not Lisa.] Are you still there? [I was trying to determine if my fun was going to continue.] S: Yes doing fine
N: When is the baby due?
S: Sam [Huh? What does “Sam” mean? Oy!] N: Are you still working for the state police department? [ I figured this statement might give a con artist a bit of a scare].
S: yes
N: How many Facebook hackers have you arrested this week? [ Hey, fella. Haven’t you figured out that I know that you are a fraud?] S: None
N: Too bad. Last week you caught 10. Let’s get back to the money thing…did you get your money yet?
S: No How can i contact them
N: You asked me about the good news. Don’t you have the information? I can’t find mine. Please share yours with me so I can tell all my friends! So sorry that I can’t find my info. Darn it. I would love to share it with you.
S: That mine good news having a new grandchild
N: Oh, ok. Never mind. Say hi to the family for me. Wish I could talk about the money. I guess I was supposed to keep it a secret, sorry. [ At this point I figured he/she must be on to the fact that I knew it was all a lie].
S: Can you please give the link or website so that i can contact them to
N: I can’t find it. I think it was something like… ageteraef@gmail.com [This is a scrambled version of an email account I had received from my former scammer.] I wasn’t given a website. I don’t actually have the money yet. I was told it was coming soon. I am waiting to hear from the people.
S: okay do you have to pay for this
N: My computer’s email isn’t working very well, and I lost their email. I think I have to pay something, but I can’t remember how much.
S: How much do you pay
N: I am sure it is only a small percentage. Do you think it is a fake thing? [Just more fun on my part.] I hope to hear from them today. If I do, maybe I should give them my address and phone number.
S: Can you give me your cell# so that i can call
N: I am not getting cell service. Can we just keep working off of Facebook for now? How much do you think I should pay?
S: How much do you win
N: $70,000! Do you think it is real? [Further baiting him/her.] S: Can you send me there message which they sent to you to check if this is real Are you there with me..
N: Yes. I was looking for their email. Do you have any information on this kind of thing? Do you think it is real?
S: Yes it can be real Send me there message if they send to you which they sent to you when you contact them
N: OK. I will print it out and bring it to your house. [I figured this statement might scare him/her off.] S: Send it to me here
N: It would just be easier to drop it off at your house. You only live a mile from me.
S: Send it to me here
N: What is your email? I have to pass your house on my way home. I will stop by if I see your car in the driveway.
S: Send it to me here
N: Why can’t I come over on my way home? Or, I would rather send it by email…not on Facebook. I don’t want anyone to see this. Would you rather I stop by your office at the police department?
S: ok [I was shocked by this response].
N: What time shall I come by? Or send me your email. I hate to stop our conversation here. It is so nice to hear from you. Can I have your cell number? Maybe I can call from a friend’s phone. Are you still there?
S: Yes
N: Can I have your cell number?
S: Yes Can you send it to my phone
N: Yes, when I get it. What is your number?
S: (401) 552-3656 That my number send it to me now so that i can check if this is real or a scam because i don’t want you to loose your money scammer [Right then I checked the area code and determined it was one for Rhode Island].
N: I don’t have it yet. Why is your area code from Rhode Island?
S: Yes (401) 552-3656 send it to this number
N: Why is your area code from Rhode Island?
S: (401) 552-3656 send it to this number
Have you send it yet?
N: I do not have it yet. I am waiting for them. I am so frustrated. I wish you would understand that I don’t have it yet. Are you still there?
S: YES Have you send it to the number
N: I DO NOT HAVE IT YET. [I am trying to get this moron to give me more information.] S: What
N: I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM [My version of letting him know that he is not listening to me, and that repeating himself/herself was not going to get me to cooperate.] S: About what Neena Have they send the money to your bank account Or do you receive the alert through your email
N: I AM NOT NEENA. the alert came through Facebook with another friend. I am still waiting. I don’t know who Neena is. This is your cousin Cynthia. [Oh, crap. Now I’m nervous because I realize that he/she has my name.] S: Have you pay for your deliver fee Can you send the message sent to you from them so that i can check
N: Who is Nenna?
S:What your profile name
N: I can’t find the message. No. My profile name is Cyndy Suzi. Hello, remember— this is me, your cousin Cynthia! [ I am a liar, liar, pants on fire!] S: get back to me when you are ready to send the message sent you by the agent you contact
N: Ok. How is your cat, Stinky? I love that cat. [Who the heck is Stinky? Where did I come up with that name?] S: get back to me when you are ready to send the message sent you by the agent you contact
N: Why did you call me Nennnaa? OK. How is your Mom?
S: get back to me when you are ready to send the message sent you by the agent you contact
N: Why do you keep repeating yourself? How is your cat, and your Mom?
S: get back to me when you are ready to send the message sent you by the agent you contact
N: No, you keep repeating yourself. Why don’t you answer me? [Oy]!
S: What is the name on the Agent you contact
N: I think the guy’s name was Pete. [This is the name given to me by the last scammer].
S: I need is full name
N: I don’t have his full name, but I found this information that I wrote down. Cash Fund donated to selected people by the International Monetary Cash Fund and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Does that sound real? [I had saved the old information, and that is the name of the agency that the other scammer gave to me].
S: Do you receive the alert through your email
N: No through a friend on Facebook. [Scammer repeating a previous comment].
S: Do you receive the alert of the money through your email
N: No, through a friend on Facebook.
S: Send me another message they sent you Are you there….
[At this time I called the elected official this guy was pretending to be. I told my friend that he had been hacked.] N: Yes, I am here. I just got off the phone with the man you are pretending to be. I knew you were a hacker from the start. You are a horrible person and should be ashamed of yourself. I enjoyed taking up your time. Maybe the minutes you spent communicating with me kept you from hurting someone who would have believed your lies. The man you are pretending to be is shutting down his Facebook account…NOW!
S: okay Send me another message they sent you
N: You are a fake. GOODBYE
S: nice
The End
