Love these scams

[Kirk Gittings]

Gotta love these scam artists. Someone must fall for this crap or they wouldn't keep trying. Here is a new one I received today from a person who was "born in my state' yet cannot write the language. This is one of the most pathetic I have seen. The only change I made was to obscure the full name.

"Good day.
How you dong? My name is D T ..I was bron in the state.. i am an artist also a art contractor..i help people in fixing different kind of art into there houses and estates...I won a estate contract in Western African (Nigeria)... In my art searching for a art work which i will like to order for the contract... i find your artwrok suitable and beautiful.. so i will like to now if you accept money order or certified check for the payment method...Awaiting to hear from you soonest.
Thank you
D T

[Bruce Watson]

An oldie but a goodie.

[Paul Cocklin]

You'd think by now they would know not to mention Nigeria...

[Kirk Gittings]

Bruce, This is the first time I had received this particular one. I didn't know it was an old one.

[Mike Lopez]

But they must have done a little research to find someone with "suitable and beautiful" "artwrok." That's a step above a mass e-mailing about having to export millions of dollars to an American account...

[Jack Flesher]

Oh $hit.... I just wire transfered $5000 to his account to confirm I was interested... You think I'm screwed?

;),

[Kirk Gittings]

I was so flatered too that he saw my images as "suitable and beautiful" "artwrok" instead of just photography. He really had me going there for awhile. He was so very insightful and knowledgeable.

[Jim_3565]

He doesn't really seem to be up on the latest techniques. Perhaps you should reply with a suggestion that he update his repertoire by attending this conference (http://j-walk.com/other/conf/index.htm). I'm sure they'll be having another one soon.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I guess "they've" played out their "I've come across millions of dollars that was left over in a deceased person's account at Nigeria National Bank" routine and they are changing tactics. Pretty funny.

[neil poulsen]

I have to ask, what's the scam? Yes, it sounds suspicious. But, where do they gain? What are they after?

[Raymond L. Fenio]

Eventually $ money!

[Geert]

That's not scam: it was not written in CAPITALS!

G

[medform-norm]

For more on the Nigerian scammers, you can always go and look at http://www.419eater.com/ - (warning: some photos are not fit for minors) - the 419eater may be in parts very British in his sense of humor, it's still intruiging to see someone spend so much time on such an obscure hobby. BTW: I love the latest woodcarvings he has the Nigerians produce for him

[Michael Gudzinowicz]

This doesn't seem slick enough to be part of the long running scam that's netted over $100,000,000.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/nigeria.asp

You always can reply to a mass emailing from an anonymous account, run them in circles, and insist payment was made to a slightly different account to create the impression that someone on their end is ripping them off. That's an old net counter-tactic.

[Dean Tomasula]

I hate to burst your bubble guys, but these people probably haven't even seen your artwork (not that Kirk's work isn't first rate, it is). You are just an email address on a list to them. They know the list was culled from photographer's web sites, so they say how wonderful your work is without ever really seeing it. That's why its called a scam.

[Alec Jones]

Do take a look at the 419eater.com site. Those Brits are simply wicked! They SCAM the scammers - actually getting them to pay money instead of receive it. It will make your day.

[Jim Rhoades]

Kirk, A while back you wrote about how you know that you have "arrived" in ones pursuit of photography. Well, this is how. You have reached the big time, better than a one man MOMA show. Nigeria, international.

[Paul Metcalf]

My last three (unsuccessful) bid attempts on fleabay have netted follow-up emails on "Second Chance" opportunity (one netted three different emails, and all have had the same email address at least once). In an unrelated transaction, I was curious about specific Western Union questions, and their security enlightened me that this particular scam originates in the UK and has now been copied. The emails are exactly the same, almost as if there is a market out there to buy scam material (must be, as there are scam conventions).

[Kirk Gittings]

Jim, I had that thought too. It doesn't get any better than a knowledgeable international dealer thinking that your work is "suitable and beautiful" "artwrok".

[Bruce Watson]

Kirk,

I've seen and heard about variations on this scam for three or four years. Since I wasn't actively looking for them I can only assume that it's older still. It's yet another variant in the family of "Nigerian scams" of which there are more than one can count.

Just like there are only a handful of themes for plays (many of them date to the ancient Greeks) that get recycled, refreshed, and renewed with each generation, so too are 'net scams.

I'm thinking, BTW, of updating my website to the correct new spelling of "artwrok" as it looks right to me. Ain't a little dyslexia grnad?

[paulr]

if you want inspiration on how to get some scammer revenge, take a look at http://www.p-p-p-powerbook.com/

it's a lot to get through, but you have to admire these guys for their perseverance and sense of humor.

[Steve Baggett]

You can have some fun with this guy and burn up his time. See this site Ebola Monkey Man (http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/) for a hilarious lesson on how to mess with these guys for total fun. Read the first "case" he lists ("Albert Fred") for an enjoyable and funny thread.