Well today I received another check in the mail from what I thought was a scammer. They did the classic over pay scam. Basically they emailed my company, asking if we could reload windows and office on 10 laptops. They never said where they were from but that they would send us a check and send us the broken laptops to fix. Simply because their email was, bi.courtney97@gmail.com, not at any company I already had a red flag, this “Courtney Badgett” was using a free email account that can be created with no ID verification. Red Flag 2 was that there was just plain text in the email most companies have a footer, at least these scammers could speak fluent English which is not really too common among scammers. (If you ever see the word “Kindly” just run, this is a word that all the English as a second language schools teach people but real speakers almost never use.)
It started simply enough
Hi,
Are you capable of repairing laptops in bulk? Let me know.
Thanks
Of course I said yes. “She” then sent a list of what needed to be done and asked how much. Then after a day I received this email.
Hi,
Thanks for the information. I’ll have the laptops brought out and ready to be shipped to you, and will have my secretary prepare your check as soon as possible.
Thanks.
Not bad, I thought to myself “I will believe it when I see it.”
Then today I received the check. (Click on it to see it in high res) The paper was simple and plain and the signature was a stamp, did not really look too secure. Also the check that I asked for was just $750, this check was for about 3 times that amount.
Now, I looked up the routing number, and it really was for Chase. I also called the company listed on the check, VertiFX Technology, but I got the run around there. Tracked the package to find the origin, here is what I got.
Phoenix, AZ, United States 12/21/2011 12:51 P.M. Delivered 12/21/2011 10:01 A.M. Destination Scan 12/21/2011 7:17 A.M. Out For Delivery 12/21/2011 6:44 A.M. Adverse weather conditions. 12/21/2011 6:40 A.M. Arrival Scan 12/21/2011 4:17 A.M. Late airplane. Louisville, KY, United States 12/21/2011 4:52 A.M. Departure Scan 12/21/2011 1:59 A.M. Arrival Scan DFW Airport, TX, United States 12/20/2011 10:38 P.M. Departure Scan 12/20/2011 9:21 P.M. Arrival Scan Fort Worth, TX, United States 12/20/2011 8:30 P.M. Departure Scan 12/20/2011 7:57 P.M. Pickup Scan United States 12/20/2011 6:55 A.M. Order Processed: Ready for UPS
So the check for a California company came from Texas. Very interesting. So I was 95% sure now that the check was a fraud. I happen to have a Chase branch about a quarter mile from our office so I decided to go there and visit them. Just as I suspected the account was closed recently, they would not say why but they decided that they would keep the check. So it was all over….or was it….just an hour ago I got this email.
Hello Jason,
I just tracked the check, and it shows that it has been delivered to you today. I already got in touch with the movers today, and I need to pay them upfront for them to ship the laptops to your place, pick-up some other equipments for the office, and pick-up the laptops when you’re done, and that’s the reason for the extra cash on the check. So I need you to cash the check, deduct your repair fees,and go to a Western Union location to send the balance to the movers. Once they have it, the laptops will be delivered to your place to begin the repairs.
Send the balance to the information below:Name: Barry S. Glick
Address: 6801 Otto Rd
City : Glendale
State: NY 11385Deduct the sending fee from the balance and send the remaining to the information above. Get back to me as soon as possible with the Money Tracking Control Number (MTCN), and payment details (sender’s/receiver’s information) , as you have it on the receipt (I’ll appreciate it if you can scan the receipt to me).
Let me know.
Thanks.
So I replied,
I took the check to the bank and they said that it was bad. Please just send me my amount by western union also. That would work good. They kept the check.
That was it. I doubt I will hear back, but I wanted to blog about it so that Google will find these names and accounts and be able to help out others in the future. Also I am thinking of calling Barry Glick, I bet he does not even know that he is part of a scam, I bet he is told to just go get money and keep 10% for his trouble and forward the rest, it is the way that these people keep out of trouble. Other times they would tell the Barry guy to just use the money to buy stuff for them online, that way they get free stuff. Lots of scams out there, so keep your eyes out. So far they have tried it on me about 20 times, and I have not fallen for it yet. Kind of a fun game really.
WOWsie woowoo lol. I have been dealing with the identical situation the past few days! Saw an add on Craigslist for a PCTech to do repairs so I responded. Next thing I know I am getting 7 HP laptops sen to me but only after I cash a check that came to me today actually. The funny thing is this: the check I received was for the exact same amount as yours same date but my check number was 4409 – what is really funny is that the transaction number is also identical to yours.
This sucks – I was all excited because I am badly in need of some income and I thought maybe just maybe I finally caught a break. yeah right!
Thank you so much for posting your experience – it sure saved me a lot of effort and emotion and time.
I got the same check bro. The check came in yesterday. I decided to call the issuing company and they advised that the account has been closed. Same trans number ect. Same exact crew of clowns. Why would they attempt to target techies? Don’t they realize that we research for a living?
Wow. Glad this could help you. There is no Barry Glick who lives in that part of NY. My Guess is that he lives in a different state or that he does not exist but is the fake ID that someone has.
Hey! Thank you SO Much for this post. I put some stuff on craigslist and the same exact person (Courtney Badgett) emailed me trying to buy the stuff. This post was a life saver! Thank you very much!
I got the same exact check dated 12/19/11 made out to my name with the same transaction #, same amount, same company. The deal was to pay for $600 of decking I posted on Craig’s list. Shipper’s accountant was Edward Webster in Amarillo, Tx, where I was to Western Union the excess. Craig’s list buyer was Millard Kreamer. I have reported to JPMorgan, UPS (my check had the same origination trail as yours), Craig’s list, sheriff’s depart and FBI. UPS shipper was TYH, but UPS would not disclose any other info. They said the police had to contact them for more info. Millard Kreamer also is reported for scams on Craig’s list in 2008. Contact me for more info and my theories on who this is. I believe it is in Texas. I want to catch this guy. Apparently others have actually lost money in his scams. We need to stop this guy!
Jason, I am not sure if I told you this but your Courtney has the exact same IP as my Matt9ice@gmail as well as the infamous Millard Kreamer (millkreamer@gmail)–both IPs scammed me with an identical check in December. There is more but I will write you separately about what else I know.
they just got me!! i need the ip address please someone give it to me i think i catch these dicks… this is a large scale outfit and i have ideas to share please someone contact me
I am actually dealing with this right now. I was so excited, darn. His email is millkreamer@gmail.com. Thought that sounded odd, so I googled it and came here. Thank you soo much. I got the 7 laptop deal too.
This just happen to me!!
I just received an e-mail stating
Hello,
I got 7 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 3
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
Get this the e-mail addy is “Biggs Charles” . Like mentioned on this very thread us tech people research, even though I am on my second month of my BSIT I still know to check things out…(=
Like Jacob said above “why target techies” their success rate has got to be low with this one!!!! At least I sure hope it is! lol
Ima play along and give them my address so I can turn info over to police, where or what department should I notify to make best use of their info.
Barry Glick is on Armslist too
Mine was a little different but has some similar elements as these other stories, so beware, the scam is branching out beyond IT. My saga originated from a bunk bed I posted for sale on Craig’s List for $225. I received an email from a guy telling me he wanted the bunk bed for his family who lived in NJ (as I do) but he was working in NY so he would send me a Cashiers Check with a bit added on “for my trouble.” I asked him what bank the check would be drawn on and he said Bank of America. I provided my cell phone number and he texted me about every two days to check on the arrival status of his check. Meanwhile, I kept my item up on Craig’s List and wound up selling it a week later to a nice local family for my asking price, but I wanted to see where this scam would lead just out of an educational curiosity. I also gave the guy an office building address of a friend of mine who gave my name to his friend in the mail room so the guy wouldn’t know where I lived. Repeated texts told me of various delays in getting the check mailed due to “weather.” Yes, I know, the weather really has an impact on mail between New York and New Jersey. On Saturday, he texted me with the tracking number and then later said he knew the check had arrived. Since it was going to my friend’s office building and not my home, I wouldn’t know until Monday whether or not a check had arrived. But in any case, the bunk bed was long gone and so I finally told him that I had sold it and it had been removed from my house (which was the truth). He wrote me back and said the movers were on the way. I told him that they would have a good time in an office park filled with various corporate building with multiple companies on a Saturday afternoon but to go ahead and try to find a bunk bed there to move. Last night he wrote me one last time and I told him to cease and desist or I would contact the police. He actually wrote back “ok.” Today, my friend called to tell me a cashiers check in the amount of $2,453 had arrived made out to me with a “Remitter” named Briggs, Charles at the bottom. Remember, the bunk bed was $225. Also, rather than Bank of America, the issuing entity is HeritageWest Credit Union in Tooele, UT. I haven’t called HeritageWest yet, but, I imagine when I do later, they will tell me the account was closed.The moral is–BEWARE! If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Anything that involves cashiers checks or money orders, movers, and inflated payments has scam written all over it.
Hello All,
I too had dealings with the same person, after much investigation I now know the identities of several of these scammers. They are based out of Ikeja, Nigeria, there are many aliases. Im making it my personal quest to bring these people down. If anyone is interested in joining the fight please contact me a.s.a.p., thank you.
Jason K. Limo