From: Bonnie Reich [bonnie.symmetrycloset.com@gmail.com]
Subject: RE: Order Inquiry-I want to place an order
Am glad it's available. I'm going on a vacation but I will instruct my assistant to prepare and mail your payment which I'm sure you will get in about 4 - 5 business days. I'll add $50 extra for the delay. I'll pay by MO or cashier check so send me your info (i.e full name, mailing address and your phone number) so payment can be mailed out immediately. I will also make arrangement for pick-up which will be after you must have received and cashed the payment.Please take the posting off craigs list today and consider it sold to me.Expecting to hear from you soon.
Thanks
You can see it is from a completely different made up name and disposable email account - they often can not keep their fake identities straight...
Here are the some actual emails sent by him via a CL listing.
ReplyDelete1. From Bruce
Still Available???
2. Am glad it's available. I'm going on a vacation but I will instruct my assistant to prepare and mail your payment which I'm sure you will get in about 4 - 5 business days. I'll add $50 extra for the delay. I'll pay by M O or cashier check so send me your info (i.e full name, mailing address and your phone number) so payment can be mailed out immediately. I will also make arrangement for pick-up which will be after you must have received and cashed the payment.Please take the posting off craigs list today and consider it sold to me.Expecting to hear from you soon.
Thanks
3. Hi, Thanks for your quick mail,Your payment has been sent but there is something i think i must bring to your notice immediately. I just discovered there is an error in the payment sent to you. My Assistant sent the payment meant for another item thats more expensive than yours. I have called the post office to see if they could retrieve it but nothing positive. I really dont know what to do now. Please and Please, you can go ahead and cash out the Money Order at your Bank when you receive it, deduct your payment and send the balance via western union to the details i will provide you with. Can i trust you to do that for me?
Thanks
4. The pickup we be after my parent cleared your bank okay?
5. Hi, Thanks for putting my mind at rest. I am sure you will get payment (3-4 working days). So please let me know when you receive it so i can tell you where to send my balance and also schedule date for pick-up. Looking forward to completing this transaction with you as soon as possible.please NOTE:western union charges should be deducted from my remaining balance after deducting your fee for the item.western union my balance to the details i will provide you with
Thanks
6. Please let me know if you have received payment I am in London at the moment. If you have, you can go ahead and get it cashed at your bank, deduct your payment and send the balance via western union to the following details:
NAME OF RECEIVER: BRUCE MILLER
ADDRESS:5 Westminster Bridge Road
CITY: LONDON
COUNTRY: UNITED KINGDOM
ZIP CODE: SE1 7XW
Please make sure you take care of everything sameday and send me the transfer details i.e Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) and the total amount sent after charges. I will need the money to take care of some pressing bills and pay for pick-up.
7. Deduct whatever the charges is from my left amount
8. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU ASAP BECAUSE I WILL BE REPORTING THIS TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES IN THE NEXT 24HOURS IF I DONT HEAR FROM YOU.I NEED MY WESTERN UNION TRANSFER DETAILS IIF YOU HAVE SENT MY BALANCE OVER.
Wow! I love the escalation to the threat in communication #8. this scammer will move on now to the next potential victim, but it just kills me how effectively they are scamming people out of their money on Craigslist.
ReplyDeleteThe most innocent thing you can do to a scammer is string them along knowing you are never going to wire them any money. Time is money to them and the time they spend trying to get you to proceed through all the steps of the scam is the time they don't have for another victim.
Thanks so much for sharing this.
Here is a followup:
ReplyDeleteSept 7, 2012
From me
"Hello Bruce,
The information below has come to my attention. Please explain this to the authorities at CraigsList, as they have received this information."
KTMObooks.com: Scam Email: Bruce Miller
ktmobooks.blogspot.com/2012/08/scam-email-bruce-miller.html
from bruce miller 10:54 AM (2 hours ago)
"I dont understand."
from me
12:08 PM (54 minutes ago)
"Bruce. Here, let me make this clear. I believe you are continuing to contact me under false pretenses.
IF I do receive any money from you I will immediately send it back via the USPO and to the return mailing address on the outside of the envelope. I will send it back by way of registered mail. Our dealings with each other are over.
So please stop contacting me. If you continue, I will send a report to Craigslist and to the federal government's online fraud department for harassment."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If Bruce Miller reads this and would like to explain himself, that is an option he can chose to do.
You may not completely understand the mentality of a scammer, or their inability to discern right from wrong or to feel "bad" or guilty or afraid. They are not capable of any of this.
ReplyDeleteA scammer typically does not need to be told what you are doing about them or that you know they are a scammer. They don't care. They just move on to their next victims. Report it to craigslist and then just ignore all emails from them and refrain from wanting to converse with them any further.
Bruce will just change his fake name and disposable email account and continue his activities as before.
But good for you that you will not become one of his victims.
Hello Katie. Thank you for providing this kind of info & advice online. It is a helpful public service.
ReplyDeleteIf 'he' attempts to email me again, I did filter "Bruce Miller's" emails to be forwarded back to 'his' email address. And I did report 'his' activity to both Craigslist and to the US government's internet fraud department. I provided them with this website for more information. Thanks again.
You are very welcomed. I'm always so glad to hear when one more person does not fall into the hands of a scammer and lose money.
ReplyDeleteI can only hope by posting everything I can online, as well as others sharing their experiences, that we make the scammers work that much harder to succeed at their crimes.
Thanks for writing in and sharing.
Hi Katie. I do have questions. If I had continued to be in contact with "Bruce Miller", what would "he" have done? What would have made "his" scam a success on "his" part? For instance, would I have received a fake money order or a check from "him" with "him" hoping that I'd send "him" 'change' back?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's the basics of the scam.
ReplyDeleteThey will pay with a counterfeit check (or stolen credit card which has not yet been reported and so will clear at first), have some story why they are overpaying (typically either a story about a move and shippers needing to be paid, or a story about a wife or assistant mistakenly writing the check for more) and then ask for the difference to be wired (that's critical - this scam only works if the money is wired so that it is untraceable) back to them or to a nonexistent shipping company.
And it's sad how often this scam works, so hopefully we can help educate and warn others how to not fall for this. Never accept an overpayment for any reason, and never use wire transfers in your dealings.
Mmm. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteWhen or if I receive anything via the USPO from "Bruce Miller", what authorities can I send it to? It seems that some DNA material may be on it, and the DNA could be used perhaps to help identify "Bruce Miller". And if the item sent to me is clean of DNA, at least the authorities will have an example of evidence. Is the idea of sending evidence to authorites reasonable?
Not typically, and here's why. There is no actual crime until the victim loses money (and then in my mind, it's too late). So not much will be done if no crime has been committed. And even if there is financial loss, the victim is not getting their money back, but where the amounts are piling up, the authorities will try and put that scammer or group of scammers out of business.
ReplyDeleteIf the scammer sends a counterfeit check via USPS, then a crime has been committed - mail fraud, and you can take your evidence to the Postal Inspector. But most scammers knows this and use FedEx as a result, which is a private company and does not followup on these sorts of things.
The FBI and the CyberCrime division do investigate cases, where information has been submitted to them. They look for trends and amount of financial loss and then pursue those that are creating the greatest problem AND have some chance of success (i.e. some scammers are in countries that even if you find them, we have no reciprocal relationship regarding criminal activity). But actual financial loss is one of the FBI's requirements.
Even given this, I think it never hurts to report things so that authorities can monitor trends and know where to focus their resources.
Thank you Katie.
ReplyDeleteBased on the generous information you have kindly provided here, if I do receive anything from a "Bruce Miller" via the USPO, I will hand it over to my local Postal Inspector. If it arrives any other way, for instance, through FedEx, I will offer to hand it over to my local police. I will provide a followup here, if anymore happens regarding my interaction and any activities I do regarding "Bruce Miller".
This is a followup: Today, after the post office closed on Saturday, I found an envelope addressed to me via the USPO. It was inside my US mail box. It is stamped as being sent from Charleston, West Virginia on September 5, 2012. The envelope arrived in a plain white & legal sized envelope without a return address. This envelope is not what i normally receive, so I am assuming it is from "Bruce Miller". I used rubber gloves when I picked the envelope out of my mailbox up and put it inside a plastic bag. I secured the bag's opening with a wire. I will be taking this envelope unopened by me, to my local Postal Inspector on Monday. In the meantime I will file an online report with the United States Post Office for receiving mail fraud. I will print out a record of my complaint with the USPO and the emails from "Bruce Miller". I will give these printed copies to my local Postal Inspector on Monday. Special note: The item I am selling on Craigslist and that this person claims to want to pick up, is thousands of miles from West Virginia in the Seattle area.
ReplyDeleteI will continue with posting follow ups here, such as what my local and the online Postal Inspector communicates to me, and anything more that I encounter that pertains to "Bruce Miller".
Here is a followup for my previous post:
ReplyDeleteBut before I share a followup, I will comment on an earlier post here. It is about a comment made about scammers. The comment was about how scammers do not have the ability to discern right from wrong and to feel frightened. I disagree with this opinion and I am disagreeing because based on the behavior of "Bruce Miller", "he" is hiding and is not upfront about things.
This confirms to me that "he" knows he is doing something wrong and is afraid of getting into trouble.
I'll continue on with a followup.
Yesterday, I Googled the name of Bonnie Reich of Symmetry Closets because her email is listed at the very beginning of this blog. I found more contact info about her. I sent her an email at her business, letting her know that her name is connected to the Craigslist email scammer, "Bruce Miller". I let her know that her info is on this website and that If her connection to the scammer is a mistake, she has a right to know. But if she is part of the "Bruce Miller" scam, I let her know that i reported her information to the authorities - which I have done. As of yet, I am still waiting to hear back from her.
Today, I put together a binder that I handed over to the United States Postal Inspector of Seattle. The binder included a copy of the original Craigslist ad I posted. It included all of the emails between myself and "Bruce Miller". It included all of the posts on this blog, and it included the contact info for Bonnie Reich of Symmetry Closet. The binder also included the unopened envelope with a fraudulent non-payment inside of it that I assumed is from "Bruce Miller".
In addition, I filed a formal online complaint with the United States Postal Inspector at https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/mailfraudcomplaint.aspx,
I also filed a formal online complaint with the United States Internet Fraud Department at
www.ic3.gov/, and another complaint with Craigslist at
www.craigslist.org/about/scams. By going to the bottom of this CL page, there is a link that directs you to a CL complaint form.
Below is another website with more information and insights on how to report Craigslist scammers.
It is an unauthorized scam busting and scam collection site for craigslist.org.
www.scamalicious.com/.
Please copy and paste the above links into your search if you are interested in going to these websites.
Here is more information about Bonnie Reich of Symmetry Closets:
Her contact details are:
Address: 27 President Street, Huntington Station, NY 11746
Tel: 631-553-1524
Fax: 631-824-9282
http://www.symmetrycloset.com
and pinterest.com/symmetryclosets/.
If there is anything more to add on my part regarding "Bruce Miller", I will be back with another update. In the meantime, thanks Katie for your continuing part in protecting regular people like myself from being scammed. If I had not Googled "bruce.miller05@gmail.com" and found your blog here, I may have been disgusted with myself for giving away my hard earned money, and to someone that apparently needs to be and feel competent enough to earn an honest living, instead of scamming real-live, and well meaning people. '
Best
--
He is currently talking to me under the same email name, wonder what I should do.
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm the "Anonymous" above with a post dated on Sept 10, 12 at 10:13pm.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you made it here to this blog. You're question about what to do is a good one. Apparently, this person or persons are unable or unwilling to stop what they are doing. Maybe this person or group is on drugs? Or mentally ill? Who knows.
I'd cut off communication with them. And send a complaint for "attempted fraud" to the authorities I posted above. The more of us complaining, the closer the person or persons may be arrested and others like us in the future will be protected.
Thanks again Katie for providing this online forum. Its like a light shining in a dark corner that helps others from stumbling and getting hurt.
P.S. I am a trained journalist who emailed out news tips today about "Bruce Miller". In my emails I indicated that the news desks read this particular blog.
ReplyDeleteI encourage others to contact the national news tv stations listed below. The more people are drawing attention to this scamming, more people can be warned. And "Bruce Miller" will be proactively stopped in his or her tracks, eventually.
1. ABC News Tip Line - ABC News
abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1927431
2. CBS News Tips
investigates@cbsnews.com
3. Fox News Tips
foxnewstips@foxnews.com
4. NBC News Tips
www.nbcnewyork.com/contact-us/
(marcus benson) marcusbenson008@gmail.com
ReplyDelete(Dyess Matarazzo) jezewskixbm0@hotmail.com
(Cienega Zubiate) roxanes94@hotmail.com
(ann coxwet) alliyacole12@gmail.com
I've been trying to sell my tv for like 2 weeks, and I've got soo many scammers trying to have me send them money. I thought I'd help others out. All of those email addresses Have been scams and all from CA for some reason. I live in PA...so kinda far out. Anyways, do not buy from them!
Looks like I just got the same sort of emails and a cashiers check issued from vermont federal credit union in an amount over five times the value of the item I am selling on craigslist.
ReplyDeleteIf you're reading it here, you're likely smart enough not to get scammed.
I was also just contacted by Chris Hutson (dexme004@gmail.com) about a Oak Hutch for sale... Thanks to all of the above who have shared their story! Had it not come up on google, I would have been his next victim. Thanks!!
ReplyDeletejust had (her)try to hit me for an antique desk in Vancouver Wa, put Paypal on hold until I sent 600.00 to her "shipping" agent (which I did not do) THANKS GOOGLE!!
ReplyDeleteselling antique farm equip on craigslist in eugene, OR
ReplyDeletewe got this reply from alliyacole@gmail.com today
(sept 23, 2012) I googled Ann Coxwet (lovely surname) and alliyacole addy, and found lots of scam proof.
Thanks to everyone who posts alerts!!!
"Good to have your reply. I am Ann Coxwet, from Topeka, KS.and would have loved to come and inspect this at your place myself, but I am a marine engineer and presently off-shore. I am interested in buying this for my son in Ohio as a surprise birthday gift and pls just make sure it is in condition described. I will appreciate more pictures if available and will be sending your money asap. My shipper will be available to pick this up as soon as payment is made. Do you have PayPal account? because, I have a PayPal account that I can easily send money through because, its good for business payments. Get back to me with your PayPal email address and name in order for me to have your money sent on time. Confirm sale to me and remove the add from posting.
Regards
Ann"
WOW, my suspicions have been confirmed, I had a Sandra oche contact me about a craigslist ad I ran for a room for rent with same letter from Vt. EXCELLENT post you get my vote for Humanitarian of the Year!!
ReplyDeleteHe is still at it. I posted an antique piece of furniture on CL yesterday and marcusbenson008@gmail wrote me not once, but twice. Is there anyone who can stop him?
ReplyDeletedexme004@gmail.com is still on the scam!! I was selling a mechanics tool chest on CL and he replied with normal email correspondence back and forth and sent me a certified check with a convoluted set of instructions on how I need to cash this check at my bank not his bank, and how the excess money needs to be sent to 'shipper', etc etc etc.... When I received the certified check for 5 times the amount of the item being purchased I immediately thought 'scam' so I started doing Google searches and I really appreciate these websites for immediately confirming my suspicion of this being a scam. Apparently he's going by Chris Hutson and used to go by Jerry Watts.
ReplyDeleteAll true - scammers change up their fake names (it almost seems like from some list as some fake names are in use for years) and have a small number of "templates" they use for their email, and then continue to make a killing from victims. So I'm glad you knew to google this before sending any money to anyone for any reason. can't tell if it is actually making it harder on the scammers to succeed, but I feel good about every single individual person that catches on before any money is lost!
ReplyDeleteMy assistant made the error and she have been fired for that. I would have love to call you but am still away on a business trip and email is the best way to reach me through. Once you receive the money order get it cashed at your bank deduct your payment and send my balance via western union money transfer to the details i will provide you with which doesn't take more than five minutes to do that. can i trust you?
ReplyDeleteplease let me know
jscommercialization62@gmail.com
i have looked this up on google and this man/woman has tried this attempt on many people and needs to be reported to authorities so a stop can be put to him/her. he states his assistant sent an over payment and wants us to send the amount after our payment is taken out to him via western union. also states the "assistant" has been fired and he can not be contacted by phone, that email is the best way for him!! he is a total scam artist. please be aware of this and be careful!!!
Wanted to add to this posting. I kind of fell for it. I got the exact same email on a craiglist item I was selling. It was my first time selling anything on Craiglist so I didn't know about the scams. I did respond and did get his check, but I am sending it back to him. I thought about going to the police, but really nothing criminal has happened yet. I only worry that he has my name and address and I have a family. He used the name Marcus Benson and the email address of marcusbenson0002@gmail.com. He had Open Sky Wilderness Therapy out of Durango Colorado send me a check drawn on an account with an Alpine Bank out of Grand Junction Colorado. He said he was using a shipper by the name of Jared Young in Indianapolis Indiana. And the return address on the check envelope is Bell Korp AG from Santa Rosa California. The only thing I can figure, is this might be a money laundering scheme. One guy owes money to another guy for whatever reason so they have someone innocent wire money from one to the other as a charge for shipping. I doubt they would have even bothered picking up what I am selling. Hopefully, someone else that gets an email from this dufus will do a name search and see this warning. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is what I received....
ReplyDeleteHi,
My assistant told me your item is still for sale on list, I will add $50 to the purchase price for you so that you can hold it for me as i am on a business trip and wouldn't want to lose it to someone else. Please provide your full name, address and your phone number so that I can send your payment.I will be paying you by a Money Order ... It will take 6 -7 days for the payment to get to you and as for delivery I will make arrangements for the pick-up after you have received payment.kindly get back to me, as soon as possible, with your name,phone # and mailing address where payment will be sent.
Note:As soon as you have your money in hand, we can talk about the picking up of the item. i would like you to take the posting off from craiglist today.
Best Regards