I found a CraigsList scam!

Also, butts.

Moderators: Blitzen, Almighty Benny, Falk

Post Reply
User avatar
Tzan
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Location: Boston

I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Tzan » Mon Apr 11, 2016 4:20 pm

So I'm looking for an apartment, and expanded my search radius in CraigsList on sunday.
There was a place in Boston, 580 Washington St Apt 4D, Boston, MA 02111, USA
2 bedrooms, 1475 sf, $900
Its one block east of Boston Common, the building is brand new 2013, high end condos.
Check it out on street view, its an awesome location.

So at first I'm thinking its a typo.
Then I think, fuck it, I'll respond, they wont because they are going to get 100 emails and realize the mistake.

I got an email today.
Thanks for your interest in our apartment, Our home is in perfect condition and ready for occupancy.

You might be surprised at the fact that i am renting my apartment out at a low price but i want you to know that i am not interested in the financial aspect, I and my family are in search for an occupant who knows what it means to own a home and who would take proper care of our apartment like it belongs to him/her.

I know you might be weary to deal with someone who is overseas but i want you to know that Myself and my family and other Native Americans have been missionaries with Global Ministries for a long time now. We served as missionaries in major parts of the world, we now serve as United Methodist missionaries serving in Southern Africa But we just received a letter to move to west Africa where the need is greater.

I want you to know that you can stay in the apartment as long as you would like to stay as we are not planning on moving back into the apartment. But we would be checking up on you once in a while to ensure that the apartment is well taken cared of, if we come to a conclusion regarding renting our apartment to you, we would also arrange on how to get the Keys and House Documents to you so you can view the apartment before you sign any Document or Lease Agreement.

Rent Fees:
Rent Per Month:$900(Including Utilities:water, sanitation, sewer, electricity, light, heat, gas, power)
Security Deposit:$900 (Refundable)

Location:580 Washington St Apt 4D, Boston, MA 02111, USA

Please fill the rent application form below so we can proceed with the Lease process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIRST NAME:_________
MIDDLE NAME:_________________
LAST NAME:__________________
AGE:_____
SEX:________________
PROFESSION:________________
MARITAL STATUS____________
TIME ON YOUR JOB:______
PHONE NUMBERS
(CELL)PHONE_____
(WORK)PHONE____
(HOME)PHONE_____
KIDS___ (YES/NO), HOW MANY_____
PRESENT ADDRESS:____
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING?_______
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN?________
DO YOU AGREE TO PAY FOR THE DEPOSIT?________
HOW SOON CAN YOU MAKE THE PAYMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT?______________
IF YOU HAVE A PET?_____-
DO YOU SMOKE?______________
DO YOU DRINK?_________
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHTS____

After i have received these details above, i would discuss with my wife and let you know my terms and how we would conclude the Lease process and also send you the Keys to the apartment so that you can move into the apartment asap.
I hope to hear from you soonest.

God bless you,

Rev Mattew.
So now I'm thinking its a scam, but what if its not?
So I called the building, Millennium Place.
I explain to the guy, he tells me there is nobody by that name in his computer.
So we figured it was a scam, I flagged the post, wish I had copied it first.
He had never heard this before.
So its a new scam at least for this building anyway.

I'll bet money somebody is going to call to see the unit, or show up, or show up with a moving van of furniture and try to get in.

In the photo posted in the ad, the window pattern doesn't quite match the actual building.
But it was close.

User avatar
stubby
tl;dr: the rule of fudge is the entire rulebook
Posts: 5204
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 8:31 pm

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by stubby » Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:58 pm

This was a really common scam in Los Angeles ten years ago, I remember. For a little while it was tough to find listings that weren't exactly this kind of scam.
Natalya wrote:Wtf is going on in this thread?

User avatar
Tzan
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Location: Boston

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Tzan » Tue Apr 12, 2016 6:42 pm

I guess its super successful that everyone wanted to try it.
I couldn't imagine sending money in the mail without seeing the unit first.

User avatar
stubby
tl;dr: the rule of fudge is the entire rulebook
Posts: 5204
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 8:31 pm

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by stubby » Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:54 am

It wasn't the money, as far as I recall, but collecting info for identity theft.
Natalya wrote:Wtf is going on in this thread?

User avatar
Tzan
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Location: Boston

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Tzan » Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:43 am

Ah, they could get more info from people than checks.

User avatar
Keldoclock
My Little Pony
Posts: 1834
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:19 pm
Location: New York City

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Keldoclock » Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:42 pm

Tzan wrote:I guess its super successful that everyone wanted to try it.
I couldn't imagine sending money in the mail without seeing the unit first.
African scammers take a sort of "spray and pray" approach. They make their scams a little dumb on purpose to be sure that only gullible idiots reply, giving them a greater return on their time.
Image
stubby wrote:omg noob, balrogs are maiars too, don't you know anything

User avatar
Keldoclock
My Little Pony
Posts: 1834
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:19 pm
Location: New York City

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Keldoclock » Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:59 am

Gentlemen, I return. Just minutes ago I saw this:

Image

"once all sessions are completed, compensation will be paid for your time"

Like come on my guy, I am sure you can find some very respectable prostitutes at the $300 price point, why produce this charade?
Image
stubby wrote:omg noob, balrogs are maiars too, don't you know anything

User avatar
RedRover
I want you to be
I want you to be
Posts: 2706
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:36 pm
Location: CA
Contact:

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by RedRover » Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:15 am

Keldoclock wrote:
Like come on my guy, I am sure you can find some very respectable prostitutes at the $300 price point, why produce this charade?
This is academic research. Grant money doesn't work for prostitutes.

User avatar
Tzan
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Location: Boston

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Tzan » Sat Apr 23, 2016 5:44 pm

Disconnecting my computer now so I can move at 8am tomorrow.

If you don't hear from me again, tell my computer I loved it.

User avatar
Tzan
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Location: Boston

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Tzan » Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:53 am

Tzan wrote:Disconnecting my computer now so I can move at 8am tomorrow.
If you don't hear from me again, tell my computer I loved it.
Comcast said it would be back on Monday.
The box outside has a lock on it, he just walked away and marked the job done.
I had to call on Tuesday, they sent out a guy today.
He had the key and replaced an old part at the box, screwed in the loose wire.
It all works now.

I like it when people know their class.

User avatar
Silverdream
Nice use of noise
Posts: 6080
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 5:33 pm
Location: Sweating like a guy in a basketball manga

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Silverdream » Wed Apr 27, 2016 2:10 pm

Comcast? lol.

User avatar
Tzan
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Location: Boston

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Tzan » Wed Apr 27, 2016 2:57 pm

Most of the field guys I've met over the last 5 years have been pretty good.

User avatar
Tzan
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Has anyone ever used those holes before?
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Location: Boston

Re: I found a CraigsList scam!

Post by Tzan » Mon May 02, 2016 3:07 pm

I'm going around various web sites to change my contact info.
But 2 of them have the fields grayed out and that symbol "do not" circle with diagonal line, appears when you move the mouse over a field.

I sent a message to my web host.
He altered it himself.
I asked if this is a feature?

MDD Hosting:
Well the issue is fraudsters... They sign up using details of wherever they actually are [to pass fraud checks] and then they change their address, and try a credit card. Change their address, try a credit card, ad nauseam.

Sometimes they use a proxy that isn't yet known to be a proxy somewhere like the US, Australia, Sweden, etc and register and then begin with the address changes and credit card tries.

I'm sorry that you're not able to make the changes yourself any more - we're happy to help if you need it.
If anyone is curious, MDD seems pretty good.
They answered my support ticket in 36 minutes.
I asked a follow up about why its grayed out.
Answered in 4 minutes.

Post Reply