Scamming the scammers

A friend of mine had his/her Hotmail account hijacked. The hijacker then sent out letters to everyone in the address book asking for help. He made the mistake of contacting me.

The following is the actual correspondence that took place between me and the scammer with my commentary in green.

m [mailto: @hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 8:55 PM
To:
Subject: I Need Your Help
Hello,

How are you doing? hope all is well with you and family,i am sorry that i didn't inform you about my traveling to England for a program called Empowering youth to fight racism,Hiv/Aids,and lack of education.

I need a favour (British spelling) from you as soon as you recieve this e-mail because i misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money,and other valuable things were kept i will like you to assist me with a soft loan urgently (definitely not an American term) with the sum of $2,500 US Dollars to sort-out my hotel bills and get myself back home.

I will appreciate whatever you can afford and i'll pay you back as soon as i return,Kindly let me know if you can be of help? so that i can send you the Details to use when sending the money through western union.

Regards,
M

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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:54:42 -0600

I had no idea that you were in trouble. Please contact me immediately so I know what to do. (I knew it wasn't my friend!)
Rick Boyne
Pastor

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m [mailto: @hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 5:23 PM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help Hello Pastor,

Thanks for your help, Here is the details need to use when sending the money through western union.
Receivers : m
Address : 166,Borough High Street
Zip code : SE1 1JR
State : London
Country :England

After you have send the money, email to me the western union money transfer control number or you can attach and forward to me the western union money transfer receipt so that i can pick up the money and leave.

Thanks
m

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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:27:12 -0600

M,

Do you have a phone number that I could call? I needed to talk with you anyway about the donation to the children’s fund. (What children's fund?)

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From: m [mailto:@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 7:15 PM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

Here is the hotel management phone number +447024076913 i will be expecting your call now. (I didn't think they'd actually send me a phone number!)

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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 08:50:34 -0600

M,

So sorry for the delay. I had a death that I had to attend to. Mrs Johnson’s niece, Roberta, (Who?) died in a car accident last evening. She burned alive. It was a horrible scene. I don’t think I have ever seen anything as grisly as that lifeless body lying on the street. (Sounds just awful!) To make matters worse, Rollston’s (who?) dogs where there and kept trying to “eat” the body. (Gross!) The police had to shoot the dogs. It was awful. (I'll bet they were pitbulls; sounds like something pitbulls would do)

A couple of things: 1)the church has agreed to dispatch $2000 to get you back home. (yea, right!) I’ll complete the transaction online at noon our time.(fat chance) 2) for some reason, our exchange is not allowing me to dial your number. (it might have gone through if I had actually tried) What hotel are you staying in? 3) I have some missionary friends in London (this is true, but I'd never get them involved!) who would be able to provide you the assistance you need at their guesthouse. You can check out of the hotel and into their guesthouse. It is only ?25/ night, it is safe, and it is comfortable. (Sounds like a deal. too bad it doesn't exist) It is not too far from the Western Union location that you specified below. If you want, I’ll get you their contact number. 4) what is your flight arrangements to come back? I’ll personally meet you at the airport. (oh, I'd like to meet him, all right!)

I’m sorry that you are having to have such a disastrous trip! I would have thought, with as much as you have traveled, that you could get yourself out of this mess. It must be a hum-dinger! When you get back, let’s go play some golf. By the way, when are you coming back to church? I haven’t seen you in 2 months or so? That is too long, my friend.

By the way, have you reported your lost wallet to the police? From my experience in London, the people are very honest and would have turned it into the police, unless it was some wretched foreigner from Nigeria or some other African country. (no offense intended for my friends from Africa I just reckoned it was a Nigerian doing a scam) (or it could have been a French tourist that took it! We all know how those French people are!)
Take care, friend.

Rick

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From: m [mailto: @hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:28 AM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help Hey Pastor,

Am so sorry for death of mr johnsons may his soul rest in perfect peaces. (perfect peaces? Maybe he meant "pieces"? But the sentiment was a nice touch.)

The embassy here have already promised to give me a covering traveling papers that i will need to have my way back home, all i need right now is the money to settle up the bills and leave. Because the hotel managment dont allow me to move to any were now all because there money. all i need now is the money to settle up the bills and leave. I promise to pay the money back as soon as i return.

Thanks
m
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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:40:20 -0600

I understand about moving from the hotel. They can be very strict about things like this. Which hotel is it? I can use my influence to make them be nice to you. (my influence? ha!) We will send the money in 1 ? hours time. (don't hold your breath) We have to make the arrangements here on our end first. $2000 is a lot of money! ;-) Janice will be doing it via the Western Union Website. ( I wish I had someone like Janice to do my bidding!) Send me your flight details. I’ll pick you up at the airport.

Rick

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From: m [mailto: @hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 12:52 PM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

I have to pay the hotel management their money frist before going to the Airport to know my flight schedule, please you can try him again and talk to him so that they can gave free movement here call him now +447024041933 tell him you want to speck to the person in suit 206. (I don't think I want to "speck" to any "suit".)

Thanks
m
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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:58:21 -0600

M ,

That is a different number than the one you gave before. What hotel are you in?

Rick

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From: m [mailto:@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 1:23 PM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

The first number i gave to you is the hotel phone number,the second one is the hotel management personal phone number, right now an in london city hotel. (good cover)

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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:24:01 -0600

Janice is working on sending you the transfer via Western Union. She seems to be having some difficulty. What is the name of the hotel you are staying in?
Rick

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From: m [mailto: @hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 1:30 PM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

London city hotel, if difficulty sending the money online through western union, look for any outlet around you to send the money. (I'm glad to know you're not chosy about how you get my money!)

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From: Rick
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 1:41 PM
To: 'm
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

M,

Janice got the transaction to go through. The $2000 should be there waiting for you. Time of transaction: 7:29 pm GMT. Amount US$2000.00. Sender: Janice Johnson. (not the aunt of the recently deceased Roberta, but a cousin, I think) Please let me know if it didn’t! That is a lot of money to send through the internet.

Send me your flight information as soon as you get it. I hope the Western Union office isn’t closed! I didn’t realize it was 7:30 pm there! (Oh rats! I hope this didn't cause you undo inconvenience!)
Rick

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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:50:26 -0600

M ,

Were you able to get the money yet?? Please let me know as soon as possible. (because I'm really concerned)
Rick +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: m [mailto:@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 5:54 PM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

i have been in western union office they ask me the sender name i told them also the MTCN but you have not send me the mtcn all i need now is the mtcn. (Oh rats! I hope this didn't cause you undo inconvenience!)

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From: Rick
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 10:06 AM
To: 'm
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

M,

I AM SO SORRY!!!! Since I have never done this before (and since Janice was the one who actually completed the transaction), I didn’t know you needed that. (Oh rats! I hope this didn't cause you undo inconvenience!) She tells me it is: Western Union MTCN #5993705206. (I looked up "western union MTCN" on Google and found that this number was being used on Nigerian Fraud stuff, so I thought he might try that one)

I wasn’t in the office when you sent the other emails. I had to attend to Mrs. Johnson and start making funeral arrangements. It seems that the coroner won’t release the body because there is now some suspicion that Roberta may have been involved in some sort of scam (the plot thickens)and this might have been a revenge killing. I am totally amazed at the gall of some people who try to get something for nothing! (can you read between the lines?)

Please let me know as soon as possible if this works and then let me know your flight arrangements. Hopefully, they won’t interfere with the funeral arrangements for Roberta. (that would be too bad)

Also, here is my American Airlines Frequent Flyer Account Number.: AA-BR5-49-867-5309. (OK, here is the fun part: recognize BR549 from Hee Haw? 867-5309 was a song by Tommy Tutone) I have over 600,000 miles racked up and it is transferable. Go ahead and see if American Airlines will upgrade you to first class. After all, with the problems you’ve been through, it’s the least I can do! (oh brother!) I wouldn’t give your problems to a monkey on a rock! (David Letterman)
Rick
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From: rick
To: @hotmail.com
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:12:46 -0600

M,
I MADE A MISTAKE!!! (Oh rats! I hope this didn't cause you undo inconvenience!) I’m so sorry. I accidentally copied down the wrong MTCN number. It SHOULD BE #5993750206 not #5993705206. I looked at it again this afternoon. I hope that you are able to get it.

Please send me your flight information as soon as possible.
Rick
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From: m [mailto: @hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:51 PM
To: Rick Boyne
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

Thanks for your help, i have receiverd the money (how interesting! are you sure you just didn't get tired of me jacking you around?) i will send you my flight information as soon as i know my flight schedule tomorrow morning.

Am so greatfull pastor I promise to pay back as soon as i return home.
Thanks
M
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From: Rick
To: 'm
Sent:
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 5:09 PM
Subject: RE: I Need Your Help

M,

I am so glad you received the money. I want to tell you a story about a little boy named Jaguda. (Jaguda is Nigerian for thief or fraudent person) He thought he was smart; but he was so stupid he thought he could swindle a kind pastor out of some money. But what Jaguda didn’t know was that the pastor had notified the London police (true) and is pressing charges against him for fraud.( I would if I could) Jaguda also didn’t know that he was recorded on surveillance cameras at the Western Union office. (Most likely to be true) Jaguda didn’t know that the kind pastor had given the London police copies of all the emails between him and Jaguda. (I've offered to give it to them, but copied down most of the pertinent info in the report I made) Jaguda also didn’t know that Ogum (a Nigerian god of vengence) would soon come to kick his sorry rear end (I had to keep this PG) all the way back to Lagos! (Capitol of Nigeria) I think your visa/resident status in the UK is now in jeopardy. (possibly so if the London police actually look into this)

Surely you don’t think I am as stupid as you? Marty is a person who would NEVER travel to the UK. Marty notified me as soon as the email account was stolen.

Now then, please return Marty’s hotmail account back. Please reset the password then notify me when this is done and I will drop the pending legal charges. Don’t think about it; just do it. It is the right thing to do.

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Now for the best part of the whole thing!?! I got an email from my friend this morning saying that their Hotmail account had been restored to them! I told them to go immediately and change the password, just incase our friend in London has second thoughts.
What a story!