Inquire:John Powell/ I need help on this one!!!

[Serpent Merchant]

Hey Guys whats UP!!!,

A person by the name "John Powell" has contacted me via e-mail about purchasing a Ball Python off of me!!And this was his response to the exact:


"Thanks for the email in response to my interest in your (snake).I have consulted my client concerning the price and the descriptions you have given and he is statisfied with itand would like to proceed immediately. I have also made arrangements with a shipping company who will come for the pickup and also handle the shippment. Their charges and expenses for pickup,deliveryand shippment has been estimated to be $2435 which will be transfered to them through Western Union Money Transfer which is ok by me.I have made arrangements for the cashier's check of $2500 to be sent and issued to you for the payment of the (snake) and shippment as well.All you have to do is just to deduct the price of which is $65 and then transfer the rest of the funds through Western Union to the shippers. All which is left is the below information which payment will be issued out to you like
Your:
Name....
Adderss....
City....
state....
Zipcode....
Tel#Home,Cell,Work Phone numbers....
Also I would like to view some more pics and I'll be hoping you will respond with all these information,so that we can proceed with this transaction and it can be completed as soon as possible.
Thanks Alot and God Bless"


What do you guys think I should do?? I just want to sell the snake for the $65 and have the buyer pay the $45-$50 to ship through UPS!!Keep in mind that my collection is worth $100,000.00+++ and its like giving this person directions to my front door step!! I know what I going to do !! I just want your opinion of this!!!

Thank You for your help!!!!

 

[Wilomn]

It's a scam.

The check won't clear.

Play with him if you like but sell your snake to someone else.

 

[DThomas]

Nigerian scam.

 

[ravensgait]

Yep It's a scam

There is another thread on here about some of these guys and the fun that was had with them. Have some fun with the guy, ask them where you will be shipping to before you give them any info.

Randy Mackey

 

[Cheryl Marchek AKA JM]

I got e-mails from "John Powell" last week as well. Simply respond and tell him you will not accept a cashiers check~ US Postal Money Order or Paypal to your e-mail address.

I didn't hear back from him.

Here is a copy of the e-mail he sent me~ probably word for wrod the e-mail you got:

Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 20:07:37 -0600 (CST)
To: [email protected]
Subject: Message about: Female 03' corn snakes
From: [email protected] Add to Address Book


I noticed you have a (animal) for sale.I'll like to know the present
condition of the (animal) and the exact price you are offering to
sell.Mode of payment will be by a Cashier's check if acceptable.
Thanks.

This is the responce I sent him (and anyone else I suspect of being a scam:

John,
They are in excellent condition~ asking price is $25 each for the 04 females~ $75 for the 03 females plus $40 shipping (Continental US only).

I'm sorry~ I do not accept cashiers check. Paypal to my e-mail address or US Postal Money Order please.

Thanks,
Cheryl Marchek

 

[Serpent Merchant]

Thank You.........

Thanks Guys!!!! That is how my first e-mail was worded!!!

 

[Royal]

Run

This is an old scam used mostly for cars etc. Tell Postal money order or paypal. They gave ya the right advice ...run away for these!
Dave Smith

 

[ExoticPetsWS]

We have had several emails from this guy over the past month. I told him to we can only accept a western union payment from him after that I'd send the rest of the funds to his shipper...never hear anything back, but he always responds to my ads...go figure!

 

[riverjop]

make it hurt some!!!

I would get him to send the money than at least it's costing him some money out of his pocket as well as time. Then staple the check to your wall and start a collection.

 

[pch101]

As you already know it is a scam. I have a collection of 8 counterfeit cashiers checks (one was for $7000.00). I enjoy hitting these guys where it counts. They have to pay to make these checks and to send them out. I also like to make them call me about 10 times on the day when they think they are getting their payoff. Then, at the end of the day, I lower the boom on them, and let em have it (and I do not mean the money). Be warned though, some of these guys get pretty angry after they realize it is they that have been had. One guy posted his experience here on the BOI where a scorned Nigerian scammer made threats to him and his family. I have only received threats from one guy saying he was going to have me arrested by the Secret Service. One other clown called me a "Son of b***h." He omitted the "a" just to give it that nice foreign flare.

 

[Serpent Merchant]

Thanks again but what if.....

I get the check and go to cash it what will happen? Will I get into trouble? and why do you call them nigerian scammers when I got a reply saing that he was from Poland? sorry for all the questions but this is the first time I ever got a "BUYER" like this!!!!!

 

[pch101]

If you get a check it will be counterfeit. If you cash the check at your bank, they will they will just deduct the funds from your account after it does not clear. If you do not have the funds in your account to cover it, you might be in trouble. These scammers will try to get you to cash it at a quick check cashing center. If you do that you will be a suspect in an investigation evolving the passing of counterfeit checks and you will most likely be brought in to answer some tough questions. Most of these scams are based out of Nigeria, but recently I have been seeing a few pop up out of New York. They will claim to be in the UK, Germany, Italy, or another European country. Some will say the Ivory Coast, or West Africa. They will send you this Bad Check for thousands more than you are asking. If your snake is $500.00 they will offer you $3,500.00 or more. They will tell you the rest is to cover the shipping of your animal and some other products (cars, dogs, more snakes) that they are purchasing here in the US. They will tell you that they have a special shipping company that will handle everything. They will tell you to cash the check, and to wire the extra $3,000.00 to the shipping Company (almost always in Lagos, Nigeria) as a favor to help them out with the shipping of their other items. They will tell you that the shipping company will come to pick up the package once you have wired the funds to them. This is what actually happens. The check they send you will be bad (counterfeit), there is NO shipping Company (the account that you are supposed to wire the money to is the scammer's account), once you wire the money the scammer is gone. They are not interested in your reptiles. They just want your cash. Basically once the bank or the check cashing center gets the check back, they will come to you for the funds. If you do not have them, then you will have big problems. If you want to know where this clown is from, just check out his IP address. I did, and it tells me he is in Lagos, Nigeria. Also, watch the names they use. They often famous people like, John Powell (John Wesley Powell) or Robin Hood. Yes, you heard me right, Robin Hood (I actually suckered that guy good). They also often use two first names like: James Thomas, Ken James. They are always ultra polite, using terms like: "greetings", "sir", "by the grace of God", "and regards to you and your family". Watch out for these guys. Take their checks from them (it costs them time to make them and money to send them), but do not cash them!

 

[Serpent Merchant]

Ok I think I will...

I am going to go for it!! Start my own collection of fake checks!! Just to piss this a** hole off!! But will it be safe?? I'm wondering if anyone will show up at my house??

 

[pch101]

More info

These guys also very often write in all caps. They are very polite, but have very bad grammer. Many of them do not how to use a period when they write. Here is a list of all of the idiots that have contacted me in the last few months. I have listed their E-mail addresses, IP addresses, and the city that their IP address links them to. As you can see, these guys are everywhere, but 9 times out of 10, the imaginary shipping company, that they want you to send the money to, is in Lagos, Nigeria. Here is the list.

“Nigerian” Scamers

*Sharon Luis
[email protected] (New York, NY) 80.179.251.90

*Kenny
[email protected] (Beirut, Lebanon) 66.178.81.66

*James Thomas
[email protected] (Edinburgh, Scotland) 213.185.113.42

*Jerry Green
[email protected] 81.199.84.88

*Shaks Smith
[email protected] (New York, NY) 80.179.243.123

*Shaks Smith
[email protected] (New York, NY) 80.179.243.123

*Eric Monday
[email protected] 80.250.41.104

*Rita W. Kabila
[email protected] (Paris, France) 213.136.104.194

*James Ken
[email protected] (Lagos, Nigeria) 80.247.137.34

*Mathew Silver
[email protected] 193.220.30.16

*No Name
[email protected] 193.220.30.13

*No Name
[email protected] (Beirut, Lebanon) 66.178.83.12

*Dr. Wisdom
[email protected]

*Robbin Hood
[email protected] (Milton, Ontario, Canada) 64.201.33.251

*Paul Crane
[email protected] 81.199.243.202

*Larry Hudson
[email protected] (Edinburgh, Scotland) 213.185.113.30

*James Nock
[email protected] (New York, NY) 213.31.43.84

*Ramota Dunlop “Smith”
[email protected] (Beirut, Lebanon) 66.178.82.204

*Smith Jame
[email protected] 213.255.255.10

*Frank Lee
[email protected] 213.255.255.10

*Mac Moris
[email protected] 213.255.255.10

*No Name
[email protected] (Framingham, Massachusetts) 216.147.153.26

*Justina Kone
[email protected] (New York, NY) 196.201.73.122

*John Powell
[email protected] (Lagos, Nigeria) 80.88.141.157

*David Tim
[email protected] (New York, NY) 212.199.254.98

*Sean Darrin
[email protected] (New York, NY) 212.199.254.98

 

[Serpent Merchant]

Well thanks but you can add John Powell [email protected]