Nexus sale scams-how to trace

[sifugazz]

A day or so ago a guy "sylvester simon" posted an ad (which has been deleted thankfully) trying to "sell" phones, laptops, cameras, etc. Which was obviously a scam, but I confirmed just to be sure.

If anyone is ever in doubt, many of you are probably geeks like myself and know this. But its usually very easy to confirm a scammer, and at least bait them into wasting their time. Just email them, get them to email back (don't have any personal info tied to email), and check the email header, in gmail there is an arrow to the right, click it, then "show original". Your looking for the originating IP--"
"X-Originating-IP: [41.189.1.196]
From: sylvester simon <phones4businesslimited@live.com>"

Then simply trace the IP: IP Address Lookup

And boom; we have a guy in Nigera, now that is a huge shocker

It would be nice if google could simply block most of the country or something, I wonder how much spam would go down?

G

[soulstar]

I once had one of those "Prince of Nigeria" scam emails come to me. He couldn't spell Nigeria properly....

[sifugazz]

once? Yeesh, I probably get those at least once a WEEK! There are so many scam variations; I teach martial arts, they find my site, email me from "london" asking to send their kid to the USA for training and want to cut me a check in advance, which of course they will later want me to wire back money to someone for some reason. Same basic scam model, many variations..its fun to email them back with specific questions and watch them dance.

[Chrisrider]

I think its a scam when you see retailers charging $800 for the Nexus in their stores.
My friend called me up yesterday and saw the Nexus on display at a cellphone store and was selling it for $800. If you wanted it unlocked it would cost $850 and a Nexus dock was $100.

My friend spoke to the sells rep and found out that the guy was totally clueless and didn't believe that you could buy all this online much cheaper. My friend just laughed at him and told him no thanks.

[sifugazz]

Originally Posted by Chrisrider

I think its a scam when you see retailers charging $800 for the Nexus in their stores.
My friend called me up yesterday and saw the Nexus on display at a cellphone store and was selling it for $800. If you wanted it unlocked it would cost $850 and a Nexus dock was $100.

My friend spoke to the sells rep and found out that the guy was totally clueless and didn't believe that you could buy all this online much cheaper. My friend just laughed at him and told him no thanks.

Sad, as the price tag is a click away on google. Where was the store located?

[Chrisrider]

Wireless Dealer - TCA Wireless - Honolulu, Honolulu, Kailua, Pearl City, Waipahu, Waipahu

I just called them and confirmed that they are selling them for $775 plus tax of course.
I guess it wasn't as much as my friend told me it was but still a lot more then online.

[ILoveMyNeXus1]

some people like my dont like to order things online. mostly because i dont like to wait, im very impatient. but that doesnt mean im gonna pay $200 above retail. i will pay something like $50-$100 to get it right then and there. luckily i found a guy whose wife didnt want him spending $550+ on a phone and sold it to me for $530!! never opened or anything!!

[sifugazz]

Originally Posted by ILoveMyNeXus1

some people like my dont like to order things online. mostly because i dont like to wait, im very impatient. but that doesnt mean im gonna pay $200 above retail. i will pay something like $50-$100 to get it right then and there. luckily i found a guy whose wife didnt want him spending $550+ on a phone and sold it to me for $530!! never opened or anything!!

Wow, did you spend more than a day finding one? 50-100 more, you do know they have one day shipping options right

Scammer update; he emailed me back, I asked about a macbook and had to repeat my question on his buisness info:

"Our website is still under construction, here is my contact phone number:+447031978986, our method of payment is via western union, and we do ship via Ups for just 2 to 3days.
Here is our company details....

PHONES 4 BUSINESS LIMITED
Registered No. 03832249
41 SELDOWN LANE, POOLE, DORSET BH15 1UA, BH15 1UA,UNITED KINGDOM

Do get back to us with your full delivery address so that we can start packing and label the phone with it in order to make it readiness for shipment. Your contact phone number will also be needed."

Apparently he forgot I asked about a macbook, not a phone. Western union, a guaranteed payment method to steal your money, lol!

If anyone in the UK feels like calling the scammer and wasting his time/dime, 99% chance its a guy in Nigeria with a cell phone given the 44+703 prefix...

[ILoveMyNeXus1]

I went to the google website, saw the phone, and fell in love with it right away. so i went on craigslist and searched "nexus one" for sale, and found 1!!!! i called the guy and offered him $530 and he said yes, so i got it right away and i didnt have to pay for shipping. i feel like i got a better deal. but yea i knew they had one day shipping, but i still couldnt wait. it was on a saturday anyway, so i would have had to wait till like tuesday or something.

[sifugazz]

Originally Posted by ILoveMyNeXus1

I went to the google website, saw the phone, and fell in love with it right away. so i went on craigslist and searched "nexus one" for sale, and found 1!!!! i called the guy and offered him $530 and he said yes, so i got it right away and i didnt have to pay for shipping. i feel like i got a better deal. but yea i knew they had one day shipping, but i still couldnt wait. it was on a saturday anyway, so i would have had to wait till like tuesday or something.

Nice work!!!