Hey,

My name's Troy and I'm a Guitar Teacher in Charleston, SC after 3 years and 4 SXSWs in Austin, I came home and started teaching and soon found my Craigslist Lessons/Tutoring posting attracting a ton of "Teenager arriving from overseas for guitar lessons" scams.

One of my students is a Goose Creek, SC, policeman and he said the best "punishment" one can hope befalls these bastards is that you waste their time and keep them busy with you, potentially preventing a less-savvy victim from getting taken.

These pieces of shit target guitar/piano/violin lessons as well as other Teaching/Tutoring posters on Craigslist, such as Praxis Math, Spanish/German/French teachers and GED-preparation tutors. It's the same formula you've experienced. There is usually a "Nanny" or "Au pair" involved, and it is to "her" that you should wire the difference.

Officer Davis, "Trey" to his off-duty circle of friends, suggests pretending to be fooled, receiving the checks and then running them silly checking in at Western U or MoneyGram for "The Nanny's Fee".

The term is "Scam Baiting" and is often applied to the classic "419" scam, but can be used to frustrate and dissapoint any and all manner of 'net scum. I have a 41-and-counting "Trophy case" of fake checks. I always email them the last time like this, so they'll keep reading a bit.

Hey sorry for all the trouble. I know Mrs. Fluffybottom is waiting on the Money Transfer Control Number so she and little Horatio can fly from Chicago to Charleston for guitar lessons, but the Western Union was closed so I went to MoneyGram, not, because I've known from the time you first emailed me in your broken,3rd-world monkey English that this was a scam and felt it would be fun to waste your time, you cocksucking piece of shit It's been a pleasure wasting your time and making you do tricks for me.

Here's my latest reverse-victim in progress. His check came on a Friday for $2,500 so I've got the whole weekend to taunt him. I like to make them research Guitar/Keyboard-equipment by asking them questions about "their kid's instrument/past lessons", so that they have to try to be more convincing.

Like I said, they deserve all the harrassment, abuse and hoop-jumping I can concoct because the non-violent nature of their scams makes them a low-priority to police agencies.
 

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Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:04:55 -0700
Subject: PAYMENT PACKAGE INTRANSIT.........WILL DELIVER TO YOUR PORCH SOON..........KINDLY BE ON A LOOKOUT FOR THE DELIVERY SOON(869607262536) Guitar Lessons
From: checkscammer42@gmail.com
To: zarathustra10@hotmail.com



Hi Again Troy,

I hope all is fine at your end.Well i just confirmed from my client that payment has been made out to you through FEDEX  courier  services here is the tracking  number (869607262536)  to monitor the delivery any time from now to your resident....So like we discussed previously. Now that you have the check payment with you.Kindly have it cashed at your bank and deduct the actual amount for  the tutoring fee  then go to any nearest Money Gram outlet around you and get the rest of the money wire  to the Nanny info below so they can ask the agent to relocate to your nearest address in  NJ for my daughter to be attending the lesson at the appropriate time.So below is the nanny  information you are to send the money for her to make all necessary arrangement  for my daughter's tutor asap as she arrives next week Thursday.

NAME==========Donna Ann Maas
STREET======= 6635 South 26 Street,
CITY=========Oak Creek
STATE========WI
ZIP CODE=====53154

Please kindly get this done as soon as possible  so that the  nanny can start preparing for the lesson accommodation and for the relocation.And as soon as you send the money through Money Gram or Western union money transfer to the nanny info given.. kindly email me the Money Gram  details used sending the rest fund and the Refence Number  (#)....  details below;

1)Money Gram Transfer Details ( #)
2)Total Amount Sent after deducting the wire charges for a minute service
3)And Senders Name and Address.

I will be waiting to read from you as soon as possible.

 
Thanks for your best understanding,


N.B,
just to bring to your notice that my daughter flight has been re-scheduled to next week Thursday due to her illness,she was admitted last night when she fainted while playing with her friends in the neighborhood and was immediately rushed to the hospital,She is put on admitting for 5 days proper treatment in my hospital...........for this reason her flight which has already been booked for today 06/18/09 Thursday has been rescheduled to next week Thursday 06/25/09.We apologize for any inconvenient this impromptu incident may have cause you,I can assure you that as soon as she completed her treatment and discharge in 5 days time,she will definitely be in the state next Thursday and start up her tutor with you...........Thanks for your best understanding,

Cheers,

The Cohen Family