Is this a scam?

Patt Legg · 05-04-2005, 05:57 PM

Cynthia, here is the first one---I will post yet a couple more since we are still communicating.

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Hello Patt Legg ,

My name is Mary Wilson from the United kingdom,I am interested in buying some of your art work,,they are all beautiful.I want to use them as a decoratives in our new house in the Republic of Benin . beautiful,I am interested in buying these paintings to purchase from you.

(1) "Just The Two Of Us" Oil 30 x 40
(2) Storm On The Horizont" Oil 22 x 28

Kindly get back to me with the total price of the selected paintings excluding shipping cost,I have informed a shipping company that will be shipping some of our other house decors.

I am paying you with a US C- check.

I am looking forward to your response.

Best Regards,

Mary

Thanks out ther guys-- my hubby says not to worry about it , give it time to clear and what have I got to lose. Of course, I hope it is so.

I asked her how she found my site. Her reply was, on National Art Registry------I think that is the name of it-----I have the button on my site.

More letters to come

Patt

Patt Legg · 05-04-2005, 05:59 PM

Sorry Cynthia, can you correct that color. I did not realize how it would not show.?

Patt

Patt Legg · 05-04-2005, 06:02 PM

Hello Patt,

Thanks for your e-mail.I am sorry for getting back lately. I went for a medical check up due to I am expecting a new baby girl in the few weeks.

I will like to proceed with the purchase of the paintings,Due to the shipping charges of the paintings and some other house decoratives with the shipping company,I am interested in buying only item #2 for $1750.00 ( seventeen hundred fifty dollars) . I have instructed a shipping company to get in touch with you. Have you been in contact by them? Please let me know.

I am paying you with a cashier's check,It can be easily be cashed at any nearby ATM cash store since it is a cashier's check,Please advise if you have any ATM cash store in your location.

I look forwarding to hear from you ASAP.

Best Regards,

Mary.

The second one above.

Patt Legg · 05-04-2005, 06:06 PM

Hi Patt,

Thanks for your e-mail. I will like to proceed with one out of the two paintings i.e My large oils Pinting #2 for only $1750.00,Are you giving me any discount on this? Please let me know.

Please kindly send to them the total amount of shipping ASAP,so they will contact me on how to proceed with the payment. We have some other house decoratives with them that they would be shipping to us in our new house in the Republic of Benin.

I understand that you will recieve payment in full before releasing the art work . I am sending you a Cashiers Check for the payment,which you can have cashed the same day you receive it arrives.

I am expecting my second child. I found your art work at World artist Registry.

I am looking forward to hearing from you ASAP.

Best Regards,

Mrs Mary White.

This is the last and final one that I received today.
Please let me know what you think.

I checked up on some scams for Cashiers Checks. Many times they are writing them for more than the amount and then asking you to send the balance back to them.

I wish there was some way to tell of it's origin --the email itself.

Maria Nemchuk · 05-05-2005, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patt Legg

I wish there was some way to tell of it's origin --the email itself.

Patt,

There is a way - if you are using Outlook express, right click on email, choose 'Properties', and then "Details'. It contains the e-mail header (usually hidden from a user) with the path (each step labeled "Received") e-mail went through... Find the last "Recieved" - it is the one you want to look at. It contains computer's IP or name.

You can use something like http://www.geobytes.com/iplocator.htm to find the location by IP.

Heidi Maiers · 05-05-2005, 05:30 PM

Patt,

Thank goodness you weren't suckered into this. I counted once and I get over 70 scam mails per week. I don't mean spam, I really mean scam. Many are nearly identical to this one you received. Don't let them fool you. They are not even from UK but are routing their scam spam through that region (you'll notice the bad grammar, obviously english is not their native language).

Other tip offs to scam mail are -
There seems to be a complete lack of interest in the work itself. The author is only interested in payment and shipping details.
There is usually a sense of urgency or certain circumstance where they need the item shipped right away (they are in the process of moving, they have a baby due in 2 weeks - yeah, right)

They always offer to have their shipper contact you to arrange details.
These are just a few - the list goes on. I have seen so many of these I am just sick to death of them. I am just sorry that there are trusting people out there that fall for these theives and liar's hateful tactics.

Patt Legg · 05-04-2005, 06:10 PM

Here is the first one again. Sorry!!!!

Hello Patt Legg ,

My name is Mary Wilson from the United kingdom,I am interested in buying some of your art work,,they are all beautiful.I want to use them as a decoratives in our new house in the Republic of Benin . beautiful,I am interested in buying these paintings to purchase from you.

(1) "Just The Two Of Us" Oil 30 x 40
(2) Storm On The Horizont" Oil 22 x 28

Kindly get back to me with the total price of the selected paintings excluding shipping cost,I have informed a shipping company that will be shipping some of our other house decors.

I am paying you with a US C- check.

I am looking forward to your response.

Best Regards,

Mary.

Michele Rushworth · 05-04-2005, 08:39 PM

I would talk to your bank to get their thoughts on what you should do.

Terri Ficenec · 05-04-2005, 09:38 PM

Patt--

This has got to be a scam. Did you not notice that her name changed from Mary Wilson in the first letter to Mary White in the third???!

The shipping company, 'shipping other household items' is a red flag as well. Guaranteed, she will try to get you to pay the shipping company out of the same cashier's check she sends to you with 'enough for all that shipping' as well. That will be money out of your pocket when the Cashier's Check turns out to be a fake after all. Don't fall for it.

Cynthia Daniel · 05-04-2005, 09:57 PM

Another tip-off - they typically say ALL your work is beautiful. Ask for a phone number and physical address - bet she won't give you this information or if she does, it will be fake. These scammers are getting more and more clever. I feel very strongly this is a scam.