[email protected] - [email protected]

Placed an ad on Craigslist to sell a vehicle. I first received a text from this user:

[email protected]

The text asked that I send an email to the following address, which I did:

[email protected]

Received a lengthy email response, wanting to purchase my vehicle sight unseen, for the asking price. Requested I set up a PayPal account to ensure a smooth transaction. Hmmmm!

I didn't respond to the wacky email. Within a couple of hours, the email I received, as well as the original one I sent, disappeared from my email account.

Auto responder email gjs [email protected] wrote:

Thanks for your urgent response. Anyway, I won't be able to get back to you right away because I am currently deployed and in and out of cell range. This is why I deliberately left the message below for you because I don't want to keep you waiting, please read and get back to me. I will get back to you as soon as possible.
I have read through your ad and from what I have seen,it is priced favorably compared to others so I want you to consider it sold to me AS IS for the demanded price but you have to assure me it is as described. I am Sgt Chris Wayne. currently deployed to a remote area until SEPTEMBER 12. We have a bad and fluctuating network here otherwise I would have preferred to seal the deal via phone call so email and text messages work best for me at the moment.
Nevertheless, I believe we can seal the deal right away because I am ready to pay you via my PayPal account that is attached to my bank account as that is the only secure form of payment that I have access to right now. Kindly get back to me with your FULL NAME, PAYPAL EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER AND THE PICKUP ADDRESS so that I can initiate the payment immediately. If you don't have a PayPal account, it is absolutely free to set one up, kindly visit www.paypal.com and set up one. Furthermore, I will hire shipper that will come for the pickup,inspection to make sure it conforms to your description and also do the necessary paperwork on my behalf as soon as we are done with the payment part of the transaction. If this is a deal let me have the requested PayPal info then we can go from there.
Thanks.
Regards
Sgt Chris Wayne.

Here is the proof of the money mule part of the scam.

Good to hear back from you. I want you to know that your paypal information was received and I will be sending your money shortly but I will include the shippers fee because I just received an information from the shipping agent that they only receive their payment through Money Gram. I prefer sending it to their PayPal account but they made me to understand that they only receive customer's funds through Money Gram money transfer. So,I will add the shipper fee to your payment now,the shipper fee is $1,500 but I will be adding $1,600 to the payment I will be making to you via PayPal. I will need you to help me send the exact amount of $1,500 to the mover via Money Gram money transfer after I have sent the funds to your PayPal account and you have received the confirmation of payment from PayPal. The additional $100 will take care of the Money Gram service charges. Let me know if I can trust you to have the excess fund sent to my mover if included in the payment that will be transferred to you. I will make the payment immediately I hear back from you. Thank you.

Best regards,
Chris.

Wow! I've seen similar if not identical verbiage all over on other posts. Thanks for your efforts to prevent future scams!

Four spoofed emails from the fake PayPal

[email protected] <[email protected]>

Another telephone number used in this scam 914-820-2037

Edit to add the emails originate from IP 194.152.33.41 = Latvia


Subject: You've received an Instant Payment from Sgt Chris Wayne

Dear <removed>

You have received an Instant payment of $7,100.00USD from Sgt Chris Wayne .
View the "NOTE" of this pending transaction below
Payment Details
Transaction ID:0TR19308DU070732T
Merchandise Amount $5,500.00USD
Agent Charges $1,500.00USD
Moneygram fee $100.00USD
Total $7,100.00USD

Payments By PayPal


SHIPPING AGENT'S INFORMATION
Name Faheen Mohammed City Chicago State lllinois Zip-code 60609 Country usa


Address Status: Confirmed

PayPal Transaction fees: PAID

NOTE: This is to confirm to you that the said amount has been successfully transferred by Chris Wayne . and has been deducted from his PayPal account,which is ready to be credited into your account being that this Payment has been subjected to be a Payment for Goods purchased from you. We reserve the right to make sure that this transaction is safe and secure and also to verify the legitimacy level on this transaction because of the sum of funds involved.

The above sum includes the transport charges and taxes as we and the Transport Company quoted for the buyer. You will receive a Message from the PayPal Customer Verification Department Shortly informing you on how to send the shipping charges and taxes to the transport company with the above details as soon as possible.
You may contact the PayPal Customer Verification Department and Quote the Above Transaction ID for quick recognition of this transaction by replying directly to this e-mail or any of our e-mails.

Subject: Important Information On How To Complete Your Recent Transaction

Dear <removed>

You have received a PayPal Payment of $7,100.00USD from Sgt Chris Wayne
A TEMPORARY HOLD HAS BEEN PLACED ON THIS TRANSACTION !

As mentioned in the receipt of Payment and as per 2015 New PayPal payment policy, we have fully debited the total amount of $7,100.00USD from the buyer's account which includes the buyer's shipper's pick up fees.
In order to complete this transaction and expedite the release of your temporarily available funds, we advise you to go to the nearest Moneygram outlet and send the sum of$1,500.00USD out of your pocket and get back to us with Moneygram Union details. This is the only requirement needed for approving and remitting $7,100.00 USD to your Paypal account. The money still belongs to you. It is just unavailable for withdrawal temporarily until we receive, verify and confirm the Moneygram details for the shipping fee.. This has been our safest method adopted over the years to prevent any fraudulent act from both buyer and seller and that is why we have been the most reputable when it comes to handling payment for all online transactions.

Payment Details
Merchandise Amount $3,500.00USD
Agent Charges $1,500.00USD
Moneygra charges $100.00USD
Total $5,100.00USD

Payments By PayPal

NOTE :This is important as a security measure to ensure 100% safety between the buyer and the seller. The funds have been deducted from your buyer's account and can not be reinstated.
Your account will be credited accordingly upon the receipt of the Moneygram details as requested. The requested details are Sender's Name, Receiver's Name,Refrence Nnumber and the total amount Sent.
Please reply this message directly by using the reply button in your email to submit the required information. Include either transaction ID or reference number (PP307) for quick recognition of this transaction.

Subject: How To Know The Status Of Your Transaction

Dear <removed>

Please be informed that the payment received from Sgt Chris Wayne will only be credited into your PayPal account as soon as you transfer the funds requested and email us the Moneygram Details to show proof that the money has been transferred via Moneygram.

This transaction was done and currently being monitored by our e-mail payment service. The details of the transaction is therefore not available on the phone service section of our customer care. Please reply back to us via email if you have any question about the transaction and not via phone call.

To track this transaction, send either the Transaction ID. '' 0TR19308DU070732T '' or the Reference ID. '' PP307 '' as S.M.S without quotes to 914-820-2037 and the transaction status will be automatically generated via our payment data base.

Note: You have one time access to this payment tracking system.
We are sorry that we cannot be reached via phone due to many transactions initiated everyday via PayPal. We are sorry for any inconvenience this might cause you.
We are assuring you a 100% safety as we are doing this to secure both the buyer and the seller. The transaction has been verified and your money is safe with PayPal. We appreciate your understanding. Thanks for using PayPal as your payment method. If you have any question about this transaction you can email us by clicking the reply button.

Subject INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SEND THE FUNDS VIA MONEYGRAM TRANSFER AND GET THE TRANSACTION COMPLETED

Dear <removed>


This is a step by step way of sending the money to the Shipper via Moneygram transfer:

1. Search online for a Moneygram location close to you or go to any Walmart, Advance America or Bloom Store store close to your home.
2. Ask for a Moneygram send form.
3. Fill the form with your information as the sender and shipper's details previously sent to you as the receiver .
4. Tender the cash and you will be issued a receipt after the money has been sent.
5. Use money in minute option for the money transfer.
6. Email the Moneygram transfer details (Sender's Name, Sender's Address, Refrence Number, Amount Sent) to us.

Once again, we assure you that this is a safe and approved transaction and your account will be credited immediately we verify the Moneygram Transfer details. You can contact us anytime if you have any question(s) about this transaction. We want you to understand that all PayPal payment can neither be reversed nor canceled once initiated. So, we assure you that you are 100% SECURED doing this transaction.

This transaction is only available and can only be tracked and traced via email, so do reply back to us via email if you have any question about the transaction and not via phone call.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Do not email/send anyone including the buyer the Moneygram Transfer details until we have completely credited your account. This is for security purpose and must be strictly adhered to.

Thank you for choosing PayPal as your ideal choice for online transaction and for following through the procedure. We hope to read back from you as soon as possible with the Moneygram transfer information.

Customers can easily contact us by replying directly to any of our e-mails.

Same guy just tried to scam me also on a travel trailer I listed on Craig's list. First I I did was google his name and found this site and your post. Thank you! His email to me was exactly the same!
Blessings to you!
Pamm

Thank you all for the above posts. I too was contacted by email from Sgt Chris Wayne trying to scam me.
I reported this to FBI IC3 dept, but dont know if anything will become of this and only hope that people will review these post so that they dont fall victim to this scam .
Thanks Again
T