Google Work-At-Home Kit? Make Money Posting Links From Home? Get Paid For Doing Absolutely Nothing?
www.ScamScanner.com
In my Internet Complaint Box post, I briefly touched on the barrel-bottom forum over at Google, where any and all forms of complaint and discussion seem to rise, as if bubbling from the soupy runoff of a newbie processing plant. By far, the most common discussion is the “Internet scam”.
A certain degree of triage is performed by myself and several other “power-user” contributors. Unfortunately, most of these episodes are too far along to offer any satisfactory resolve – credit cards have been handed over, repeat charges are appearing on bank statements, and representative phone numbers aren’t working.
Once again, these scams have absolutely nothing to do with Google. But since “Google” is synonymous with “Internet”, people seem to think Google should know that they’ve been scammed on “their” Internet. It really is a serious problem, and I truly feel remorse for most of these unfortunate victims.
And then there are the smarter folks.
Celebrity Baby House Redux
48 Babies, 12 Celebrities, 1 House
In case you’re new to neoSprockets, I occasionally like to turn the tables on would-be Craiglist scammers. A few months ago, I came across “Reverend Terry” who was trying to pull the Craigslist Renters scam.
I lured him in, and tried to make it sound as if I were a location scout for the television network FOX, and wanted to rent his property for a new reality show “Celebrity Baby House“. CBH featured a group of bumbling celebrities attempting to care for “dozens” of babies in a small Californian beach home. Terry didn’t buy it, and quickly stopped talking to me.
I was always a little mad, since I never had a chance to finish the Celebrity Baby House story. Thankfully, I got another chance this past week.
Enter “Clintons Hennessey”.
For Sale: Murderous, Demonic Motorcycle
El Diablo Rueda Dos
I hate/love Nigerian spammers. I hate that these people prey on the gullible and scared innocent well-wishers on the surface of the Internet. But I love it when they try to prey on me.
To quote Anthony Hopkins from “The Edge”: “Why is the rabbit unafraid? Because he’s smarter than the panther.”
Guest-contributor Blaine was trying to sell his motorcycle on Craiglist when the unthinkable happened: some no-good scammer tried to make him a rube! Thankfully, the ever-vigilante Blaine saw through the ruse and together we decided to fight back.
And hilarity ensued.
“Celebrity Baby House” – Wed 8/7c PM on FOX
New spammer! It has been almost two years since the Mr. James adventure, and I had not received one direct scam email. Early this summer however, I stumbled upon this Craigslist post.
$1200 / 5br – 5 beds, 4.5 baths, 3,248 sq ft (Manhattan Beach CA)
This ad seemed (rightfully) too good to be true; a 2 bed apartment in Manhattan Beach can easily run for twice that amount. But I couldn’t resist the bait. Apparently my two year Nigerian scammer ban had been lifted…
Chuck E. Cheese Redemption
Cheese!
Ponder this. You must be 21 to gamble on the floor of a Las Vegas casino. Yet you don’t even need to be house-trained to gamble on the floor of a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant.
The Chuck E. Cheese business model has always fascinated me. As a child, there was something almost magical about it: the lights and sounds, the fun games, the unyielding drive to collect tickets, getting prizes, begging your parents for “just one more quarter”. This drive was undeniably a gambling-complex — one that was directly aimed and marketed toward children. Now in truth my uncle taught me Blackjack when I was 5, so those feelings weren’t new to me. But I still bought in.
Mr. James Goes to Nigeria [part two]
The anti-climactic conclusion to my Nigerian scammer adventure. [Part One]
Subject: RE: Playstation for Mr James ready for to go!!!
Thanks so much for sending me the pictures of the Game and am so glad to recieve the picture from you, yes am ok with it and have it send to my cousin as you promised this week. Also the game wont break in box if you pack it well ok? As soon as you pack it wel in the box it wont break and have told him that you will be sending the game to him this week hope he will get it next week. As soon as you send the game, do let me know and get back to me with the confirmation number which i will pass to him over there.
Do send me your payment details..
Sincerely, Mr James.
Mr. James Goes to Nigeria [part one]
Subject: Reply to Online Classified Ad: Playstation 2
Good Day,
I hereby to inform you that am interested in your Playstation 2 for sale.
Do let me know if you still have it for sale. Tell me your last offer also
send me the pictures if you have them with you and let me know the present
condition ok? Looking forward to hearing from you and take care. Do write
me back through my personal address below jamessmith1960jss@yahoo.co.ukSincerely, Mr James.
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