Scam laptop repair

[danman10]

Just received this tonight first scam mail I've had. Fell for the first mail then the second one the grammar just fell to pieces...


Hello,
I got Pentium IV dell laptops . Below are the things needed to be done
one on each laptops.
1 Format Hard Drive
2 Install Win Xp with Service Pack 2
3 Microsoft Office Package
4 AVG Virus Software (Free Lifetime Updates)
5 Adobe Acrobat
6 Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case.
7 Diagnostics of the entire system after to check hard, cdsrom,
floppy, etc. Get back to me with your total cost for the services of
7 Laptops. I will pay you with a certified check .
I await your urgent response so that i can make Moving arrangements
and payment as soon as possible....
Thanks

2nd mail

Thanks for the reply.i am okay with the price i have all the necessary software needed for the service installations.... I will instruct my secretary to prepare a check for you on your name and address . Do send me your full name and address and your phone number so as to prepare the check and shipping of the laptops to your address. i have a reliable shipper that will pickup the laptops when you are done with it.I am looking forward to hear from you,so we can have payment and shipping asap.

 

[NETWizz]

Don't do it.

He will claim you released the laptops to the wrong person who was not the reliable shipper. Or, the check will bounce like 7 days after you cash it.

Instead suggest he bring them into your shop in person with ID and fill out your customer questionnaire & sign your waiver... Tell him that you don't take checks from individuals that he must use a valid credit card or cash and that you will only release them to him... He will go away.


*************************

Another possibility is he has 7 stolen laptops he wants you to cleanup for him to sell.

 

[joydivision]

Always be suspicious of people telling you what needs to be done. I have been running this business five years now and can spot when something is odd instantly.

Genuine enquires are "My computer is running slow, a friend suggested the hard drive might need formating"... to which i would reply that is probably not the best course of action but I will take a look.

I've had few very people trying to spam me in this way though.

 

[dk99]

I have had plenty of these almost the same exact thing only the emails I got was for desktops.. the crappy thing is you kind of get your hopes up... You will get them again

 

[TampaBayTech]

I'm still trying to figure out what the actual objective would be in that exchange if the intent was indeed to scam/defraud. Are they phishing for your information? If you provided the requested info would they then provide you with 7 laptops in need of repair?

"He will claim you released the laptops to the wrong person who was not the reliable shipper."
Ok, I've still got your money and it's my word against yours...see you in small claims court.

"The check will bounce like 7 days after you cash it."
What if the job isn't completed before the check bounces, now I've got your computers.

"Another possibility is he has 7 stolen laptops he wants you to cleanup for him to sell."
This maybe?

 

[Paul Rodgers]

Nope it is a bad check for more than the amount that you agree to. They will then notify you and ask you to send the money to them via Western Union. When the bank realizes that the check is bad you are out what you sent via Western Union. And there are no computers shipped because it is a scam.

They may also want you Western Union the money to their "authorized shipper" to cover the shipping of the computers.

 

[dk99]

I'm still trying to figure out what the actual objective would be in that exchange if the intent was indeed to scam/defraud. Are they phishing for your information? If you provided the requested info would they then provide you with 7 laptops in need of repair?

"He will claim you released the laptops to the wrong person who was not the reliable shipper."
Ok, I've still got your money and it's my word against yours...see you in small claims court.

"The check will bounce like 7 days after you cash it."
What if the job isn't completed before the check bounces, now I've got your computers.

"Another possibility is he has 7 stolen laptops he wants you to cleanup for him to sell."
This maybe?

What happens usually is they will send you a fake check you then try to cash it without knowing its fake then when they send you the email saying the laptops where stolen they want the cash or a check back..

 

[gikstar]

You can usually tell it's bogus by the way they write.

This appears similar to the writings of those producing the bogus emails about millions of dollars left by a family deceased in a plane crash (got another one of those today) and now all I need for you to claim the money is your bank info. They usually come out of Nigeria.

Many times the money order will be made out for a larger amount 'and all we ask is that you cash it and take out the amount of your fees and send us the balance', of course the money order bounces.

 

[TampaBayTech]

Nope it is a bad check for more than the amount that you agree to. They will then notify you and ask you to send the money to them via Western Union. When the bank realizes that the check is bad you are out what you sent via Western Union. And there are no computers shipped because it is a scam.

They may also want you Western Union the money to their "authorized shipper" to cover the shipping of the computers.

Ahh, now that sounds familiar.

 

[Knightsman]

I fell for the first one also.

 

[NETWizz]

Well, if they write you a check for $1,000,000 to repair 7 laptops when you quoted only $900, you know it is a scam immediately.

The language they used is bad. Nobody refers to "authorized shipper"; instead, they say UPS, FedEX, USPS, etc...

1. Tell them to ship the laptops via [shipper or shipper] and email you the tracking number and that you can ONLY ship them back to the same address on the original shipping label.

2. Of course, you have a mandatory waiting period of 10 business days for checks to clear.

3. You never except checks in excess of the quoted amount, ever! They can re-write it easier than you can write them a check for the difference.

 

[danman10]

Yea got my hopes up, had to laugh though as i showed it to the Mrs who said go for it! I was like mmm sounds like a scam... She said why would you think that its a scam when your advertising something and they're offering you work! Ive seen too many spam emails all she could see was the pound signs.

 

[JimboK]

We had exactly the same email come in about a month ago.

 

[BM-Networking]

I get these all the time. I decide to mess with them once and told them that it'll be $1,500 per laptop (they wanted 6 fixed). After that I never heard from him again.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I got this call from an exchange service saying that she is a relay for a handicapped person who cannot communicate with me directly, I forget if he was deaf or something like that.

So I say ok....then he asks about computers and wants six laptops mailed to Florida (about 1500 miles way and there are thousands of closer sources in Florida).

So I tell him the prices (very high computer prices) and he says ok. Just didn't go down like a normal transaction. So I said I would rather not do business with you this way so please call someone else. The guy calls about every 2 or 4 months until I just flat wouldn't accept the calls anymore. The exchange lady gets angry at me because she thinks I am insensitive to the handicapped but that is her problem too.

 

[maclaptech]

Next time you get these emails, try to mess with them. Ask them to send you the check. Then when it arrives, tell them it didn't arrive and ask them to send another one. If they send another one, tell them you still didn't get it and you are willing to repair it for less if they send another one and ask them to send another one. Keep them going for few months and then let them know you were screwing with them this whole time.

Should be fun....

 

[Ebor_IT]

I've just received one of those. Nearly identical wording, but for 10 laptops. So far I've agreed to do the work - what do you all think I should do next to 'return the scam'? Business is slow and this could be fun!

Ian M
Ebor IT

 

[classonepc]

I appreciate this thread as I recieved this email yesterday and I am a little leary. Although I don't think it is a scam of any kind, the text is odd. The first and last lines were clearly typed but the body has been copied and pasted.

Hi,
Before I start slamming this thing, I thought it best to get some help and probably learn a few things along the way. I need someone to come into my home, let me sit beside you while you…..

· Explain why certain things are happening.
· Where did most of my photos go ? (I’m sure there in there someplace)
· What can I safely delete ? Do I need to ? (I hate clutter)
· The intricacies of Face book. Very concerned about privacy.
· I’m sure I’ll think of a few other issues.

Please let me know if you do this sort of thing and, if so, please supply some references.


Like I said, I am out nothing if I respond but...my spidey sense is making me cautious.

 

[Xander]

Classone, that could be legit. They are asking you into their home, after all, compared to trying to do anonymous big purchases over the web. I tell customers that I like it when they've got lists to work from.

(I don't provide references, though. If they want them, they can check my online reviews)

 

[iOnTech]

I'm no expert at scams, but it sounds like someone just needs a computer tutor (sounds legit). id prefer this to someone complaining to me about why they have to pay me to take off viruses etc...if I did a good job last time. And ignore me when I tell them they get it from the warez and porn sites they visit.