Craigslist Scams by maryprice21 and her ilk...

[SpinCycle]

I just read luckydog's post about ebay and paypal scams ("protect your passwords!!!" in the eBay Auctions forum). Great advice -- and a good reminder that there will always be some dishonest people out there looking to scam others during moments of carelessness. Online scammers come in various forms, from straightforward theft-by-deception to those who trick others into helping them gain unearned income.

Here's my recent experience:

I received an email from "Edelmira Yawn" at the email address t.he.rec.yc.legi.r.l@gmail.com. She had seen my pachinko-wanted ad and replied that she "just got bought a new one so am searching to give mine to someone." Wow, a total stranger that was just spending her days searching through online ads -- hoping and praying to find some random nice guy (like me) so she could give away her wonderful pachinko! Oh it was a lucky day, indeed. Well, she said that she needed to send me a picture but couldn't do so from work so she would email me again later.

I did receive another email from her -- this time from the email address maryprice21@googlemail.com. However, for some odd reason she could not attach a photo to the email. So she thoughtfully provided a link to the image on an image-hosting service webpage. I clicked the link and went to the website -- but instead of displaying a photo of my free pachinko, it just said "Image Distorted Complete offer to View." The website (imagebe.info) looked like a typical image-host, but none of the menus/links worked at all. Instead, it opened a scripted form that asked me to join and to provide all sorts of personal information and view advertisements, etc.

I didn't bite.

Instead, I searched the web for "maryprice21@googlemail.com" and was not a bit surprised to find warnings posted by others who had encountered Mary and her Pay-Per-Click/Subscription scam. Many of theses warnings were from people who were "local" to Mary -- on the other side of the country from me! So of course I immediately thought "Gee, it's really nice that Mary is willing to drive all the way from California to Ohio just to give me her pachinko!"

I emailed Mary back, saying "Mary, since you're giving me the pachinko for free I really don't need to see it first. Just let me know where and when to meet you!" Surprisingly, it's been days and days but Mary has not yet responded to arrange a rendezvous so she can give me the pachinko she so urgently needed to give away. Go figure.

Well, it looks like (once again) I wrote a lot more than I planned to! But luckydog's post reminded me of my experience, and I wanted to chime-in and remind others that dishonest people are always looking for new ways to use others for personal gain -- and "if it sounds too good to be true..."

~ Jeff

[JACKSJE4]

Great story and great advice!!

Always be skeptical and vigilant when dealing with people from craigslist. There are many good folks out there that use the service, but there are also an equal number of scammers.

Your story just reinforces the old saying: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" I live by those words after being suckered several times earlier in life.

[new in town]

Fool me once Shame on you.


Fool me TwicE

Spoiler

Shame On ME!!!

[VinnyV.]

Hi.

I just got hit too, I posted an ad looking for bunk beds because I've been unemployed for almost a year and we have our 3rd baby due at the end of the month.

This scheister replied and tried getting me to log onto imagebe.com to take the bait as well.

Be ware of Genie Bialas, a.k.a karima6230@yahoo.com; and Jenny, a.k.a irecycleitgirl@gmail.com.

I should have listened to my gut when I questioned why she attached her message as a.jpg letter rather than typing it into the body of the eMail message in the first place!

[beachcat]

Hi.

I just got hit too, I posted an ad looking for bunk beds because I've been unemployed for almost a year and we have our 3rd baby due at the end of the month.

This scheister replied and tried getting me to log onto imagebe.com to take the bait as well.

Be ware of Genie Bialas, a.k.a karima6230@yahoo.com; and Jenny, a.k.a irecycleitgirl@gmail.com.

I should have listened to my gut when I questioned why she attached her message as a.jpg letter rather than typing it into the body of the eMail message in the first place!

http://us.mg203.mail.yahoo.com/ya/do...ean=0&inline=1

VinnieV welcome to Pachitalk!! good luck and on the new baby.

[sarahe]

Hi, this information is very helpful!! I decided to google the person "Jenny" a.k.a. irecycleitgirl@gmail.com after she replied to my ad on craigslist as I put up a wanted ad for a used surfboard. She said she could not put up an attachment and instead put a picture up on a free image host. I checked the link out and realized that it was just a scam to try and get my cell-phone number. Thank you for putting this information up, because now I will not reply to her emails anymore.
For me she also did not type the message out the first time, but when she replied to me the second time she had typed it out, so I did not question if it was legit or not. Now I am still in search for a surfboard but not another scam!
-Sarah

Hi.

I just got hit too, I posted an ad looking for bunk beds because I've been unemployed for almost a year and we have our 3rd baby due at the end of the month.

This scheister replied and tried getting me to log onto imagebe.com to take the bait as well.

Be ware of Genie Bialas, a.k.a karima6230@yahoo.com; and Jenny, a.k.a irecycleitgirl@gmail.com.

I should have listened to my gut when I questioned why she attached her message as a.jpg letter rather than typing it into the body of the eMail message in the first place!

http://us.mg203.mail.yahoo.com/ya/do...ean=0&inline=1

[Drunkenclam]

I also take care when I have missed calls on my cell phone. I always check the number through google before ringing back. Most of the time it's scammers wanting to either make you call a premium rate number, confirm your number or sales agents.

Mind you I'm cautious. If I get a call saying it's my bank, I never give them any details but tell them I'll call them back on the authorised number

[subdude]

I love it when they offer to pay you more than you asked & state the extra is for shipping company. I tell them I'm keeping their check & that I only accept wire transfers.

[pinball wizard]

I also take care when I have missed calls on my cell phone. I always check the number through google before ringing back. Most of the time it's scammers wanting to either make you call a premium rate number, confirm your number or sales agents.

Mind you I'm cautious. If I get a call saying it's my bank, I never give them any details but tell them I'll call them back on the authorised number

i had a strange call last week .it was on my voicemail .he sounded exactly like a drunken pirate ,which he probably is .i couldn't understand 2/3 of what he said,he was obviously trying to disguise his voice .he told me to call him back because he was a friend of mine who needed to talk to me ,and i should tell no one i was making the call .i thought it was someone i knew playing a joke on me ,and the number looked like it could have been from a cell phone .so i hit redial just to find out ,i got the phone system recording saying my call could not go through as dialed .i do not have a long distance carrier ,that was why .it turned out that number was from texas .

[MrGneiss]

I was waitin' for yer call but ye never called me back!! Arrrrr