How Can I Catch An Internet Scammer
Folks, I need your help.
My father is a huge Steelers fan. I do not hold this against him. I got tickets to last year’s Pats vs. Steelers game and brought him with me. We had a great time. This year I couldn’t get tickets, so he went online to try to find tickets.
There was a gentleman on Craig’s List offering seats for face value. My dad contacted him, and was told to send him a money order. Sure, I was extremely suspicious. But after a cursory check on the guy’s email address, I didn’t see anything. He went ahead and sent the money order. You can probably guess how this ends.
About a week later, the guy emails my dad, telling him he hadn’t received the money order. My dad let him know it was sent, and the seller suggested sending another money order.
At this point, my dad sent me the email trail. I looked up the fellow’s name and address (here in MA) and found him to be a known scammer. Someone that sells tickets he does not have.
The guy is calling my father daily, asking for another money order. I told him to wait. I told him he should not immediately confront the scammer, and that he should somehow contact authorities, as this guy is wanted for paypal, ebay, and sports card fraud.
So my question is this, my friends: What should my father do in order to catch this thief? Who should he call?
There are dozens of people out there on forums posting his name and trying to find out how they can catch him. I have the address the money order was sent to, and he will continue to call my dad, albeit from a blocked phone number.
What should we do?
Thank you!
Filed under: Uncategorized
Hopefully the money order had tracking numbers on it. I’m not positive, but think that if he cashes the check, it is wire fraud, again not positive but think that is a federal crime. Dad should contact local, county and state law enforcement and hopefully they have a cyber crimes unit.
Good luck.
Thanks, Jack!
Yes, it does have a tracking number and the post office (where he bought it) said they couldn’t track it until 60 days have passed. It absolutely is fraud. My father lives in New York, though. Should he contact MA law enforcement, and if so, you think it’s cyber crimes, right?
The reason I’m trying to do this so quickly is that he’s still calling my father. I’m thinking that if we act fast, they might actually be able to find the guy. Apparently he’s been fairly elusive so far, looking at all the people looking to catch him for multiple fraudulent transactions.
Thanks again!
The money order should be drawn against a bank. Contact the banks fraud department. They usually handle the issue by contacting the proper authorities (FBI, police, etc.). Provide the mailing info to them as well as the phone number he is calling from etc. if you have it.
Good luck!
I found this via a link from the FBI Cybercrime page. You can submit a complaint that will be forwarded to the appropriate agency.
http://www.ic3.gov/