Service Scam via EMAIL

Today it's computer services, tomorrow it could be any other type of service

We get emails all the time from scammers pretending to request service from us, often based on upgrading existing computer equipment. The scam is related to their nominated "freight company" not having a credit card facility (!) so the scammer pays us with a stolen credit card and we pay the "freight company" via bank transfer. The stolen credit card will be discovered at some point and then whatever transaction we have processed will be reversed and we lose that money, however the bank transfer we make is usually gone forever, partly because all banks are careless with their customers' funds but mainly because OSKO pays the scammer in less than a minute and then the money is gone. Worse than that, the sending bank (used by the scam target) asks the receiving bank (used by the scammer) to return the funds and the receiving bank says "sorry, the account has no funds" and the sending bank goes "OK then" without asking any hard questions and then reports to the scam target that the money is gone. Yes, that's ugly, and all the banks are doing it. So if you are going to be defrauded it's best if you get done via your credit card because the bank will usually return your funds and wear the loss and that's why we are paying as much as 20% interest on our credt cards!

Email Conversation with a Scammer...

On Fri, 4 Dec 2020 at 20:00, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello

How are you doing? I would like to know if you offer computer repairs?

Typical launch text for the scam which is predicated around services rather than purchases which used to be the case

On Sat, 5 Dec 2020 at 09:09, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Yes we do

On Sat, 5 Dec 2020 at 17:22, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your reply

I would need your help. I have 10 used HP pavilion 500-281 desktop running window 7 pro,I want them wiped and loaded to window 10 can you e that? Do you accept credit cards or checks as payment?

The credit card question arrives early in the correspondence, the scam will be perpetrated using one of more stolen credit cards

On Sat, 5 Dec 2020 at 19:32, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Yes that is work we do, you will spend $355 per computer including windows 10 and labour plus 1% credit card fee

Adding the credit card fee adds a nice touch!

On Sat, 5 Dec 2020 at 19:52, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your email.

Good to hear that, I would need your help i have 10 used HP pavilion 500-281 desktop running window 7 pro,....I want them wiped and load to window 10 can you handle that?..I want them done in your location i have make arrangement with driver will bring them and also pick it up as soon as it's ready.

Now we learn about the delivery driver, he never has the ability to accept payment by credit card.....

On Sun, 6 Dec 2020 at 09:05, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

We may struggle to get this done before Christmas, when do you need the work done?

True story!

On Sun, 6 Dec 2020 at 16:23, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your reply

I want them done on the 21st of january, hope you will be available?

On Sun, 6 Dec 2020 at 18:16, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Yes that's fine

On Mon, 7 Dec 2020 at 01:24, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your email

So what's your address so that i c.an have it sent to the bus driver that will be bringing the items to you and again what type of merchants do you use to run your credit card ?

Also are you the owner of the company ?

My address has been at the bottom of every email I have sent Levi who seems to have a pre-occupation with our credit card ability

On Mon, 7 Dec 2020 at 08:47, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Yes I am the business owner, our address is below

We accept visa and MasterCard, Diners and Amex fees are higher so we don't usually accept them

On Tue, 8 Dec 2020 at 08:05, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your reply back.

So what type of merchant do you use to process your credit cards?

He may have been hoping for a non-Bank payment gateway, there are plenty of "non-Banks" in the world today

On Tue, 8 Dec 2020 at 08:32, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Not sure what your question is there, we are the merchant and we use an EFTPOS machine provided by our bank. There may be a different way to do it but this is the usual way

On Tue, 8 Dec 2020 at 09:53, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your reply

Can you have everything calculated together and get back to me with the total estimated price for them please?

On Tue, 8 Dec 2020 at 10:21, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

The total amount will be $3585.50 including GST

The price is firm unless we encounter technical issues with any of the computers which need to be resolved before we install the Windows 10 operating system

On Tue, 8 Dec 2020 at 17:32, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

I authorized you to run my credit card for $5000 while you keep $1500 as deposit for your service $100 as tip for any stress and have the remaining $3400 sent to the bus driver that will be bringing the items for the service via bank transfer. i am presently in the hospital scheduled for the surgery for my hearing impaired condition and also the bus driver does not have credit card facilities at the moment due to a faulty card machine am asking for this favor due to my disability and am at the{hospital} recuperating from the diagnosis of lung cancer and i will undergo surgery in 2weeks time that why am asking for this {God bless you}

OK, the fix is in! We accept payment by credit card, we pay the delivery driver via bank transfer, the credit card gets reported stolen, we lose the $5000 and the bank won't be able to return the funds we paid via Bank Transfer so we end up $3400 out of pocket

On Tue, 8 Dec 2020 at 18:17, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Sorry to hear that, sounds good, we can process the payments you need when the computers arrive in January, we don't need payment in advance

I probably could have been a tad more sympathetic....

On Thu, 10 Dec 2020 at 08:38, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your reply back,

I would like you to know that i really want to pay you personally but due to my condition and hearing impaired i can only pay in advance because i don't know when i am going to be discharge and i really want them done before i am discharge, hope you understand?

It's a very sad story, remarkably common among scammers, but a sad story all the same

On Thu, 10 Dec 2020 at 08:59, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Yep that's fine, whatever suits you best, just let me know when you are ready

On Thu, 10 Dec 2020 at 09:08, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for your email

$100 for my trouble, hmm, OK

On Thu, 10 Dec 2020 at 10:11, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

OK, we can do that for you

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 07:25, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Good morning

How are you doing? I will like to know if you are in position now to charge my credit card for the payment

Thanks

They always want the credit card transaction processed urgently

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 07:49, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

I will be shortly, just out of the office at the moment, back in half an hour

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 10:52, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Are you in position now to charge my credit card for the payment ?

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 11:03, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Yes we are

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 11:22, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Okay, I will send you my Visa card now to charge on your eftpos terminal machine and I want you to split the payment in $1,000 per transaction till complete the total amount too.

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 12:31, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

OK, we can do that, I can see that I forgot to include the freight component so that will be 5 x $1000 transactions as advised earlier, please confirm

We are ready to process the payment now

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 12:51, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Okay, this is my credit card for the payment and charge $1,000 per transaction till complete the total amount below:

Card: 4940 ^^^^ ^^49 4161

Exp: 03/21

Can you go ahead an put it through now while I’m holding for your reply back asap.

Score! Now to report the stolen card

OK, now I have the stolen credit card details, so I browse to BinBase to check the issuing bank

https://www.commbank.com.au/support/lost-stolen-or-damaged-card-support-page.html

What happens if I suspect fraud or have a dispute on my card? Notify us immediately, on 13 2221, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are overseas and have an urgent card security issue, make a reverse-charges call to +61 2 9999 3283. Find out more about what you can do if you suspect credit card fraud. Card security - CommBankhttps://www.commbank.com.au › card-security › faqs

Phoned CommBank on 02 9999 3283

"Currently taking a high number of calls.....you may prefer to call back later"
90 minutes on hold last time I did this, so no thanks

Tried again on 13 2221 which got me to the same hold message

"Currently taking a high number of calls.....please hold we will assist you as soon as possible"
Stayed on hold to see how long it would take....

Called VISA 1800 450 346 while I was on hold waiting for CommBank to answer

They are trying to contact Commbank, they could not get through
Very frustrating conversation with someone who was unable to assist in any way

Back to my CommBank call on hold

Got through after 40 minutes, spoke to Tracy who was very helpful
Reported the stolen credit card details with some background infomration regarding the scam
Tracy assured me they would flag the card and followup with the rightful owner of the card
Commbank Fraud Line 1800 023 919 Option 1,1 (for next time)

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 13:31, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

OK, will process it now

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 13:57, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

I need the CVV number from the reverse of the card to process the transaction

I passed the test, he now knows I did try to process the transaction

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 14:05, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

C V V: 110

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 14:17, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

I have tried to process the card which has been declined with the message "Do Not Honor" perhaps there are insufficient funds?

I am super helpful with my suggestions...

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 14:22, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Please can you send me the declined transaction receipt via email to forward it to my bank?

Aww, he does not believe me!

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 14:27, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Yes, here is the receipt

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 14:47, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Please can you try to process the payment again without the cvv to make it approved now?

I guess some EFTPOS terminals don't need the CVV number

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 14:49, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

Our EFTPOS machine insists on the CVV, we have no option not to enter the CVV

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 14:56, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Okay, I will like to send you my other card to charge for the payment. Please kindly bear with me.

Thanks.

Round two coming right up

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 15:05, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

OK, we can do this another day if you need

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 15:57, Greg Williams <greg@lincolncomputercentre.com.au> wrote:

We are about to close the shop for the weekend, happy to process the payment on Monday if that's OK with you

On Fri, 11 Dec 2020 at 16:24, Levi Hummon <levihummon30@gmail.com> wrote:

Sure! No problem and have a wonderful weekend.

Report abuse