Nigeria fisaco: part 1

Some time back I was trying to sell my DSLR. I put up a post on a local website for Quinte County in Ontario. Couple of days later I received a mail enquiring about the camera and I was amazed and happy. All the while I expected the person to be in the same county. As it turned out he turned to be in Nigeria, Africa, a continent away. He wanted it to be well packed and sent via DHL. Expecting the person to be a Canadian and really looking for a camera must've contacted, I replied. However, he said he'd use the Nikon-D50, which is a low end camera, to be used for modelling purpose and will be displayed in international shows. This put me in doubt. Nevertheless, I was overwhelmed and persued. He was never bothered if he was paying in CADs or in USD. This was my second doubt about the buyer. He said he'd send me a cheque for 950$ (which was for the camera + 200$ for shipping) but eventually sent a cheque for 2000$. Surely leads to doubt. The cheque came from Florida, US in from "", who are into real estate business. I found their phone number over the net and called them. They said there was someone who was issuing cheques in their name and is fradulent. He wanted me to hold all the money for the camera and shipping and send the rest of the money via Western Union to someone in US who, apparently, was his furniture maker. Did he intend to get his furniture shipped all the way from US to Africa? Crazy ain't it? I wasn't going to send any money or even try encashing the cheque. However I asked if he could give me the number of the receipient of the western union transfer so I could confirm the receipt of the money that I would transfer. Which wasn't going to happen. This was when he changed the address of the receipient to someone in Nigeria. Quite a network, isint it. Following is the mail exchanged for the same.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anantharam V <>
Date: Mar 16, 2007 6:46 AM
Subject: Re: I am intrested in your for sale Nikon D50 and 2 lenses 28-80mm, 70-300mm
To: willy james <willyjames12244@yahoo.com>


Hi,

I've located the nearest Western Union and I'll do the transfer tomorrow. I haven't done this type of transfers through WU before. Are there any chargers included? In which case, should I deduct from the cheque?

Will you take care of confirming the transfer to Pearl? if you want i could do that through phone.

I'll be shipping the item on sunday.

regards

On 3/15/07, willy james <mailto:willyjames12244@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello thanks for the mail,Yes the cheque was issued $2000. The rest of the funds will be sent to my furniture man in lowa. I will like you to send the the package as soon as possible today and send me the shipping tracking number so i will farward it to the receiver.i want you to deduct the $950 out of the funds and have the balance send by western union outlets to the address below.And also i want you to send the funds today so that the furniture man will get the funds today . hope this is clear .I am hoping to hear your swift reply.

Name: Pearl Griffin
1743 W 54TH ST
Davenport
Iowa
52806
USA

We await the following information or scan the reciept given to you at the western union store.
1. Sender's name and address:
2. MTCN#:
3. Total Amount sent:
4.Text Question and Answer

AMOUNT CHARGE AND SENT.

Hope to hear back from you.

Regards

Williams .J.

Anantharam V <> wrote:

Hi,

I received the cheque today. The cheque is for 2000$, not 950$. How is that?

I'll make the parcel as soon as possible.

regards

Ananth

On 3/13/07, Anantharam V < > wrote:

Hi,

I haven't received your check yet. I'll let you know once its been received. Please let me know which carrier have you used to send the check.

regards

Ananth

On 3/13/07, willy james <mailto:willyjames12244@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello ,

I will like to know if you have received the bank draft? Make sure you check your deleivery letter box if it has been dropped.Notify me immediatly with the shipping tracking after sending the package . hope to hear from you.

Anantharam V <> wrote:

Hi,

No, I haven't received the draft yet. I check it up again on monday. By which postal carrier have you mailed it?

I shall ship the item immediately after i receive the draft.

regards

Ananth

On 3/10/07, willy james <mailto:willyjames12244@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear Anantharam,

i will like o know if you have received the bank draft for the Nikon D50 ?IF NOT.i want you to check your letter box if it has been deleiverd and check around for it.Hopefully you will get it by monday.Let me know when you get it.Kindly have the item shipped when you receive it because the Nikon d50 will be used immediatly ,thats is why i ask you to shipp it by express international. Send me the shipping tracking number so as to farward it to the receiver .Hope this is clear.Hope to hear your swift reply.

Williams.

Anantharam V <> wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the info. Do you have an approximate date when the bank draft reaches? I shall send the package right after receiving the draft.

Be assured that the D50 is great working condition and the packaging will be done good.

regards

Ananth

On 3/6/07, willy james <mailto:willyjames12244@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello Anantharam V,
i which i will be transfring the funds with a bank draft including $200 shipping funds ,all the total would be $950 to the receivers destination and i want the item ship via DHL EXPRESS INTENATIONAL. hope this item will get to the location in a good condition?The Nikon D50 will be used for modeling concept and it would be presented at the world class fashion show. i hope it is woking fine and it as no faulty?

Here is the shipping adress below:

Name...AFOLABI ABIODUN
Adress..No,4 BANJO STREET SURULERE
BEHIND TOTAL FILLING STATION
CITY...SURULERE
STATE:LAGOS
COUNTRY:NIGERIA
ZIP CODE..23401

hope to here back from you.
Regards
William lee james

Anantharam V <> wrote:

Hi,

Here is the information requested.

Anantharam Sastry

29, Elgin St,

Apt 102

Belleville

ON - K8P 4B1

Canada

Home: 613-968-2906

I do not have a mobile number but my office number is (613-967-500 ex 3443).

I'll pack the items in the box it originally arrived.

Are you arranging for DHL to pick up the item? Or do you want me to ship?

regards

Ananth

On 3/5/07, willy james <mailto:willyjames12244@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello thanks for your mail, Nikon D50 and 2 lenses 28-80mm, 70-300mm. i will be sending the payment to you after receiving your name and address where the cheque would be sent to and pls include your mobile number .i want the Nikon packed and ready for shipping via dhl express courier. i hope to hear back from you as soo as possible .
may i have the following information.

Name.
Adress.
CITY...
STATE:
COUNTRY:
ZIP CODE..
MOBILE NUMBER..
HOME NUMBER..

Anantharam V <> wrote:

Hi,

Good to see your response.

I had got this for a total cost of 800$ including the customs and got it in 2nd week of January. I'd like to sell it for 750$. If you wanted a combination of items like camera with either of the lenses, I can work that out but I would prefer to sell them all together. I also have a 2GB Kingston SD flash. It also comes with a cleaning kit and subscription for a photography magazine that I haven't subscribed used.

I have clicked a few photos. You can check the photos at onsiteblues.blogspot.com. (The photos are result of experimental aperture and shutter settings)

Please let me know.

My contact phone -

offc: 613-967-5000 ex 3443

home: 613-968-2906

Thanks again for your response.

regards

Ananth

On 3/2/07, willy james <mailto:willyjames12244@yahoo.com> wrote:

Goodday.
Am intrested in the puchase of your Nikon D50 and 2 lenses 28-80mm, 70-300mm. i want you to get back to me with the last asking price of the Nikon D50 and some recent photo.get back to me as soon as possible.
Regards
W.James.

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Nigeria fisaco: last part

And finally it was over. I had found it was a fraud now. He called me up at home at 5am in the morning and spoke with a thick african accent. "Hi I'm Willy James. Have you sent the camera?". I was so sleepy that I put the phone down. Not once but couple of times. At last I told I had found it was a fraud. There are no mails or calls since then.


On 3/17/07, Anantharam V wrote:
hi,

That was an invalid check. Did u send that? Good that I checked before shipping.
If you think the check is valid, please cancel it at your bank. In any case, I'm not shipping the camera.

and 5am is not a time to call home.

ananth


On 3/16/07, willy james wrote:
Hello i will like to make a change on the name address where the balance of the funds will be sent to.. I want the funds sent to this address below . hope this is clear. Let me know if you got this right. hope to hear back from you..


Name...MARIAM DIN
Adress..No,65 LISABI LANE
OFF BARIGA AVENUE
CITY...SURULERE
STATE:LAGOS
COUNTRY:NIGERIA
ZIP CODE..23401


Regards
Williams



Anantharam V wrote:
Hi,

I received the cheque today. The cheque is for 2000$, not 950$. How is that?

I'll make the parcel as soon as possible.

regards
Ananth

Nigeria fisaco: part 2: Continuation of mail

On 3/16/07, willy james wrote:
Hello thanks for the mail.I want the $1050 sent today to the furniture man,The western union charge fee will be deducted out of the $1050 sent and the balance will be written on the western union receipt given to you.I want you to send me the informations below after sending the funds today with the scan copy of the receipt .
I want you to know sending the package on sunday will be delayed and i dont want that to happen.i want the package sent todayLetme have the DHL shipping tracking number so the receiver will have it by monday ,the show is starting by wednesday,i want them to have the Nikon so that they will use it for some otherthings before the program will start on wednesday. i dont want any delay from you.

We await the following information or scan the reciept given to you at the western union store.1. Sender's name and address:2. MTCN#: 3. Total Amount sent:4.Text Question and Answer
AMOUNT CHARGE AND SENT.

Hope to hear back from you.

Regards
Williams .J.

Belleville dramatics association. Now playing Sholay.

Ratnagiri - 58 k.ms from Kozhikode . Kerala. India ……

Discalimer: None of these are my photos nor was I part of this trip. Thanks to whoever clicked them and to those who forwarded them.
However, I it has come to my reckon this place Rathnagiri does not exist in Kerala, atleast not near Kozhikode but there is such a place in Maharashtra. If someone thinks otherwise or comes across this place, please let me know by leaving a comment. And I'll be very greatful.

Winterfest

fast shutter

Outside my window

The traffic lights. with the 70-300mm.

A foggy evening.

Pics from around.

From the first few clicks, inside the apartment.

That'll be you-know-who.

space and time

After a long time, today, I spoke to my call center friend, who works at night. I was wondering how I hadn't spoken to him in a long time in Bangalore but here i was speaking to him. This is not a note to whine but just the concept of space and time applied to personel.
Now, what was not possible because of time even when spatially possible is now possible because of time while space is not even a constraint. Well, thanks to western economy, time difference and telecommunications.