Messing with Scammers
I posted a craigslist ad for my camera and immediately started getting scam/phishing replies, so I decided to e-mail a few of them back and see how long I could keep a ridiculous conversation going. Enjoy.
………………….
dickey frank:
“is the item still available for sale?”
me:
“Yes, it’s still available.”
dickey frank:
“Good to hear back from you I’m in San Diego right now but I’ll be leaving for London for a soccer coaching job in a 2days time.I want to buy this item for my son that is studying photography at a university in africa. .I’ll have to add $100 for you to send the item to him as soon as possible through the USPS express mail international(ems)..I’ll be paying you through paypal as soon as you make your decision i will pay you $500 for the item and shipments fee; it’s secure and protects two parties in a transaction. Get back with the following information so that your payment will be delivered as soon as possible.
Full Name:
Full Contact Address:
PayPal Email Address;
All this information should be provided correctly please to avoid wrong payment. I will forward my son’s residential address to you for shipping as soon as the payment reaches you. I will be very grateful to hear from you soon.
Best Regard”
me:
“Your story makes perfect sense. This camera was actually made for world-travelling soccer coach’s sons, although I found it useful as well. Could you pay in pennies? I love pennies.”
dickey frank:
“okay thanks for the mail kindly give me your pay pal email address so that i can pay you up.”
me:
“Okay, but only with transactions of $.01 each. Or maybe you could pay entirely in 1 cent checks…that would be awesome. I would probably frame the checks. You’d be famous, Dickey. Famous.”
dickey frank:
“kindly give me your pay pal email address”.
me
“Don’t you think “paypal” is kind of a weird word? Have you ever thought about it? I think about it a lot. I also think you should change your name. How about Fricky Dank…or maybe Franky Dick? Actually, now that I think about it don’t do that.”
He didn’t respond after that.
1Athalia
wrote on 8 July 2010 at 20:10
LOVE IT!!! I got spammed for three days from my craiglist post before a real person made me a real offer. This is way more fun than getting mad and reporting them for spam.
2Jean
wrote on 9 July 2010 at 0:40
Absolutely fabulous! You are so funny Doug! I love how you kept him going and can not believe he kept trying! Do more!!
3dkaufman
wrote on 9 July 2010 at 12:24
Most of the others I’ve tried haven’t lasted this long. This guy had some endurance.
4Melissa
wrote on 1 August 2010 at 19:05
Dickey Frank really loves cameras. He sent me the same email about my camera on craigslist. He did offer me more money for mine, though