I just prematurely ended the transaction from Hell.

And not the good Hell, either. It all started from an innocent enough desire: to downgrade my TV's viewing size by one inch, and buy a flat-panel HD TV instead. Obviously, as Wal*Mart no longer does layaway, and I'm not going to take out a loan to buy a TV, I needed the money from it up front. The TV I wanted was $450. I had that nifty $300 check from Uncle Sam coming (ironically, the U.S. government was easier to get money from than the person who contacted me, but more on that later...), meaning I wanted about $200 for the TV. I bought it in 2006 for $750, though, so I decided to work my price down from $325. I talked to my friends, they didn't want my TV. I had people talk to their families about it; no one was shopping for a TV. Finally, I turned to Facebook. It's a popular tool at my University, and I figured that I could pawn it off to someone for $325 as they were leaving (there were a lot of families coming to pick up their students). I don't have a Facebook of my own; I had a good friend of mine, named Trent, post it for me. A week passed, before he gave me some good news: "Someone's very interested in buying the TV. They're willing to pay $325 for it, like you asked, and then pay for shipping on top of that." It wasn't exactly a dream-come-true, because that was what I expected, however, in retrospect, it all seems a bit too good to be true.

Now, I'm going to copy and paste the log of e-mails that I kept as a memento of our transaction. My messages are in bold, his are in plaintext. The Italic paragraphs are my continued narration of the story.

My name is Nick, his name is "Lucky James." Of course, I'm going to withhold addresses for AfterDawn's sake; if he got 10,000 spam post cards a day for the rest of his life, he still wouldn't have been as inconvenienced as I have been these last two weeks.

It's good to know that you are interested in buying this television.
As Trent (the guy whose Facebook this was on) may or may not have said, it's in great condition; the problem I have with it is space. The initial price of $325 still stands, though there are two things I would like to know: (1) How do I get this television to you, and (2) how are you going to pay for it?
I hope to hear back from you soon,
~Nick

Hi, What is mean is that i agreed to pay any amount you want to sell the item for me any additional money for handling. and i am using this opportunity to inform you that the amount that i am purchasing this item on behalf of my client.and ur payment will be made inform of cashier check also the amount that will be on the check will more than your item fees because i will be including the shipping and state tax fees .i don"t really know the exact amount that will be.b cos it will be issue by my client who is owning me some money .and the reason of the over payment is that.the amount on the check has been signed already,and it is more than your item fees.so once you receive it.you must deduct your item fees and western union the balance money back ok...there will be no problem about the shipment.i will responsible for it by sending shipping company for the pick up at your address once you have receive and csh the payment ok..so want you to make sure you deduct ur item fees and western union any additional money on the payment once you receive it ok..so get back to me with your full name and address also your mobile# and your final asking price asap today if you agree so the payment can be sent immediately.thanks..

It would be easier if you gave me the address I need to ship it to; then, I
could tell you how much shipping is going to be on top of the price of the TV.

At any rate, my mailing address is:
Nicholas Edit: Thanks, LocoEng
WITHHELD

I would prefer to handle things over e-mail; I don't like giving out my
cell phone number over the Internet.

I hope to hear a reply from you soon,
~Nick


Hi,
I'll let you know once the payment as been mail out to you ok..so i want you to make sure you let me know once you receive the payment.also make sure you take the item off the facebook immediately. bear with me ..
thanks..

Update: I had Trent take the TV off facebook a few days ago.

Could I please have the mailing address that I'm supposed to ship the TV
to? I need it to shop around for shipping prices.

~Nick

All the info you need wil surely comewith the payment ok.


During this time, two weeks pass. I figure, no harm, no foul, so I start to look for places to sell the TV again.

Dear seller,
I am very sorry not to have contacted you all these while, I've been out of communication do to a situation in my family 'cos my wife has been seriously ill. It was confirmed to me that your payment has been sent and made out to the name and address you gave me. i was also told by the ups that the payment as been delivered to you so here is the tracking# ( 798450472379 ) you can track it as www.Fedex.com .

Kindly confirm to me via e-mail if once have received the payment.My wife has been down with Cancer of the breast, i even need funds to settle some of her bills bcos she was admited at the hospital.

I huge you to kindly deduct your item fees and Western Union the balance money once you get the check payment .

Deduct ur fees and can have the funds sent directly to the name and address below once you receive the payment:

NAME: James Scott
WITHHELD
COUNTRY: Republic of Benin
WITHHELD

There is no problem about the shipment i will responsible for the shipment with my DHL acc# by sending DHL to ur addres to come and pick the item.you will only write out the shipping address. and my DHL acc#. and give it to DHL when they come. they will not ask you to pay any money. they will only bill my DHL acct# for the shipment. that is how the shipment will be done ok.
Everybody knows that check is cashable instantly at any bank without any delay. so make sure you westernunion the balance money to the name and address given to you as son as possible today once you have received the payment .also fulfil ur promise as ealier agreed to cash and send back the remaining money the same day you receive the payment.Also email me the the information below once the fund has been transfered.

Money Transfer Control Number mtcn#
Sender and Receiver full name and address once fund has been sent
Exact amount send after Western Union charges.
Secret question: what is the receiver name
Answer is : Jerry

Regards.


That's right. The Republic of Benin. He wants me to send a wire transfer to ****ing AFRICA of all places! I figure, "Oh, well, it's probably going to be a check for $500 or so; change off of that is only $175, and that's no big deal, no matter if he's in another ****ing continent...

DEAR SELLER,

THANKS FOR WAITING TO RECEIVE THE CHECK PAYMENT: INSTRUCTION MAKE SURE YOU GET THE ITEM READY FOR PICK UP AND ONLY DEDUCT YOUR ITEM FEES AND FULFIL YOUR PROMISE TO VISIT ANY WESTERN UNION LOCATION WHERE THEY TRANSFER MONEY IN CASH NEAREST TO YOU TO SEND THE BALANCE MONEY IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL. BELOW IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILLWESTERNUNION THE REMANING MONEY TO.

NAME: Bankole Kolawole
WITHHELD

BELOW ARE THE INFORMATIONS YOU WILL SEND THROUGH EMAIL ONCE THE FUND HAS BEEN TRANSFERED.

1)SECRET TEST QUESTION AND ANSWER.
2) MTCN I.E MONEY TRANSFER CONTROL NUMBER
3)THE EXACT AMOUNT YOU SEND AFTER W/U CHARGES
4)NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE SENDER.
5)NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE RECEIVER

SO THAT THERE WILL BE NO DELAY FOR THE RECEIVER TO RECEIVE IT,
EXPECTING W/U MTCN# AND AMOUNT YOU SEND AFTER W/U CHARGES
The shipping company will come and pick the item the next day you send the shipping fees. you will only deduct the amount of your item out of the payment and send the balance as we agreed.so make sure you get the item ready and packed and email me back immediately you receive this email and the information to send the balance money

Thanks.

This is where it gets ridiculous. And I mean "am I on Candid Camera?" ****ing ridiculous. The check comes in the mail, as planned. Made out to me, as planned. IN THE AMOUNT OF FOUR ****ING THOUSAND DOLLARS! I was apprehensive, but I still needed to sell the TV, so I deposited it into my bank account, and decided to try and handle it as best I could out of my personal bank account. However, this ****-tard (no offense to the mentally disabled, as they seem more capable of purchasing things than this piece of scum) has now given me TWO separate names to wire money to. I proceed as best I can, asking for clarification, and beginning to package my TV to survive a trip to Texas (where the check was mailed to me from).

Should I send it to James Scott or Bankole Kolawole?

Also, when I was packaging the TV, I had to buy Styrofoam to pad it, which
ended up costing $31.27 (due to the amount I needed to properly secure the TV).
With that in mind, I kept $355 out of the check that was sent to me instead of
$325. As soon as I know who to send the money to, I will go to the Western
Union located at my local grocery store, and send the rest of the money.

Have a good weekend,
~Nick

Hi,
SEND THE MONEY TO James Scott AND EMAIL ME THE W/U INFO ASAP TODAY

Here is the name and addres you need to send the remaining money back to bellow:

Name: James Scott
HE LIKES GIVING HIS ADDRESS, DOESN'T HE?

Also email me the the information below once the fund has been transfered.

Money Transfer Control Number mtcn#
Sender and Receiver full name and address once fund has been sent
Exact amount send after Western Union charges.
Secret question: what is the receiver name
Answer is : Jerry

Regards...

I WILL BE HERE WAITING FOR THE W/U INFO ASAP TODAY..

THANKS.

Then, I get delayed a lot in depositing the check (before this, I have merely decided to deposit it; the cost of the packaging came out of my own pocket).

By the time I got to the bank today, it was closed. I will go back early tomorrow morning, and will send the money via Western Union before noon.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

~Nick

OK...SO I WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE MONEY SENT BACK THIS MORNING
AND EMAIL ME THE WESTERN UNION DETAILS AND THE AMOUNT YOU SEND AFTER W/U
CHARGES OK..

THNAKS..

I did not know the policy my bank had for cashing out-of-state checks; any
checks from out-of-state banks have a two-day waiting period before one can
receive the cash from it. Apparently, this is so my bank can contact the other
bank in order to transfer funds.

I understand that this is frustrating; personally, I am annoyed that I have to
run another errand this Tuesday. As long as the check clears and the funds are
deposited into my account correctly, I will have your money will send it on
Tuesday.

Once again, I am deeply sorry about this inconvenience. I am trying my hardest
to get you the money as soon as I can.

Have a good weekend.
~Nick

OK..Please i need your help and i will be happy if you can help me out of this. B'cos i told you that my wife illness by cancer and i need money for her operation so i will like to know if you can still get me $1000 so once you have collected the money by tuesday you will just deduct the money out of it with your item fees and send the remaining money back ok..so please i want you to help me out of this by making sure you get the $1000 send today so i can pay for her operaton and the operation can get started today ok..so i will be waiting for you to email me the western union info asap today ok..

thanks..

Every hair on my body prickled at this. There was no way in hell I was going to send him a single cent.


I'm sorry, but I don't have $1,000 to my name right now. I'm a student in college; any money I have goes towards books and tuition, meaning that I don't have a lot of money stored away.

I wish you and your wife well during this troubling time.
~Nick


Hi,
Ok...i understand you ok..so please i will expecting the w/u info as soon as the money as been available in your acount ok..

At this time, I've been paid; there's $4000 in my checking account, and I need to finish this transaction as swiftly as possible.

I've checked with my bank, and they're is still processing the check that I deposited on Saturday.

In the meantime, I need to get this TV shipped out to the guy who sent the check. I'll have the package put together by tomorrow morning; when can you call DHL to ship the TV? Also, I need your DHL account number for when they show up (as was explained in your earlier e-mail), so please tell me it so I can write it down to be ready for them.

Have a good week,
~Nick


Hi,
The DHL accoutn will be sent to you tomorrow morning as soon as you have get the remaining money sent back to the name and address given to you ok..so just make sure you get everything done tomorrow morning so i can send the Dhl Acct# to you and the Dhl can also come for the pick up ok..

thanks..
Am waiting for the western union ino asap this morning..so the shipping company can come for the pick up and i can email you DHL account #

thanks..

Finally, today comes around. I went to withdraw all of the money I was going to send him in cash, and go to the Western Union in my local grocery store. I get to National City, fill out the Checkings Account Withdrawal Slip, and go to the counter. The teller asks for my ID, punches a few keys, and tells me that the check I tried to deposit last week was a fake.

A calm, ethereal wave of freedom comes over me: his check bounced! Finally, the escape I've been looking for since I searched for the Benin Republic on Google Maps! I come home, and HE'S questioning MY honesty in an e-mail

Hi,
i wonder why is taken a bit longet than expected for you to complete this transaction. bcos i was told by my client that the fund has been released from the issuer.and even if your bank want to deposit the check.it surpose not to more than 12/24hours before they released the fund for you.so i urge you to call your bank asap and tell them the fund should have been available by now.also make sure you withdraw the fund asap and fulfil ur promise as ealiear agreed .and i have contacted the shipping company about the pick up and they told me that they will come and pick the item once you have foward remaning balance.so i urge you to get the item ready for pick up and make sure you send the remaning fund to the information below:

I DON'T ****ING CARE ABOUT YOUR ADDRESS, YOU SCAMMER PUNK!

Also email me the the information below once the fund has been transfered.

Money Transfer Control Number mtcn# which is 10digits
Sender and Receiver full name and address once fund has been sent
Exact amount send after Western Union charges.
Secrest question: what is the receiver name
Answer is :Jerry

I have contacted the shipping company about the pick up and they told me that they will come and pick the item at your address.so make sure you get the item ready get the item ready for shhipping and make sure you fulfil ur promise to send the left fund for shipping arrangement. The fund should have been available by now so make sure you have everything done asap today .

Thanks,


I really don't have the time or energy to be running around town all day from my bank, back to the convenience store, finding out that I need something else from the bank, having the bank be shut, and then trying to go out again the next day.

Finally, I vent in as polite a manner as I am physically able:

I've been trying as hard as I can to get the money sent to you. Finally, I decided to get all of the money in cash from my bank (instead of my debit card or a check as I had been trying to use) to use at the Western Union kiosk. It turns out that the check was pulled and rendered void because the person who sent it didn't have enough money to cover it.

From here on out, this is between you and that guy in Texas who sent me the $4000 check to begin with. I'm done; that's simply too much money for me to deal with at this point in time.

I wish you good luck in getting your money, but that's all the help I'm offering.

I'm going to sell the TV on eBay now. If you still want it, I'll be accepting Paypal for it.

Regards,

~Nicholas (Eh... last name taken away just in case)

Also, call DHL back and tell them not to come pick it up, as I haven't received money for the TV yet. ALL $4000 of the check bounced, not just the $3645 that I was going to send back to you.

~Nick


---END OF E-MAIL LOG---

All in all, this was a learning experience from me. Firstly, never take personal checks as a form of payment, even if they're going first. It's a waste of time.

Secondly, only use PayPal for online transactions.

Thirdly, don't deal personal business with members of a third world continent.

Fourthly, Facebook sucks just as hard as I always knew it did.


All in all, thank you for hearing me out. It's not as dire a situation as Estuanius' was last winter, but it has been a stressful two weeks. I apologize for the amount of swearing, and any and all racial undertones are unintentional.

Also, I'm wondering: am I legally responsible for anything that took place here?

 

Man, from the beginning it was obviously a scam. From the very first message. You must have grown up in some pretty honest, wonderful areas if you weren't taught the street-smarts to see that....not sure if that's good or bad.

 

Well, I tried to keep my wits about me; I wasn't going to give him the TV or anything unless he paid for it first. I also waited for the check to clear before sending him the money.

Thank goodness I don't have $1000 in my bank account. Oh, wait... that's a bad thing.

Also, I'm willing to give everyone a chance. Just no longer strangers over the Internet after this.

Man, I realize how ****ing stupid I was after reading that last sentence.

 

You could try dumping it locally on craigslist, or auctioning on ebay or a few other sites. I recommend craigslist.

 

Ok, I posted it on Craigslist.

Now, I read the "avoiding scams" thing, and see that my situation was perfectly detailed in it. However, I read the "personal safety" section, and am wondering: should I tell anyone who's interested to come pick it up at my house, or should I drive it out to the local mall?

 

Nothing wrong with them picking up at your house. As long as they don't get anything more than your name, address, and phone number, it's hard to steal your identity or anything like that. Just don't have anything outside or visible that says, "I'd be worth robbing." But then again, you shouldn't have stuff like that out anyway.

 

After reading your problems, I couldn't help but be reminded of these shenanigans:

http://www.zug.com/pranks/powerbook/

 

That is facking awesome.

 

Well, that made me feel a little bit better inside.

 

On the internet??

 

when you seen in the email where the buyer was saying that send the extra money back with western union, you should of droped this sale like a hot rock in your hand, but like the saying goes, there is a sucker born everyday and three people to take them.

 

<_<

It was weird, but I figured that if it got me the money, and he pays first for everything, then it's not really a big deal.

I wasn't going to give him $4000 out of my pocket, that's for damn sure. I'm not a "sucker," I just wanted to sell my TV.

If you're going to insult me with a saying, I'll just respond with, "Shame on you if you fool me once. Shame on me if you fool me twice."



Also, I think this guy is really interested in online dating... I think I'm going to sign him up for a bunch of men seeking men websites.

 

well now you know that you dodged a scam, you got lucky! a lot of other people have been scammed by this type of deal, i would think that you being in collage you would of been able to see this scamm unfolding! good luck in the future!