Comments on: Just got this email

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:58:19 +0000

I keep getting these too. Many different iterations but the basic message is all the same. For awhile I was sending back a message saying I could do the work for them but I would require documentation proving that they were the owners on the computers or were the official representative of the owner of the computers. I never got any replies. I am still getting the scam emails but just delete them as they show up. I am curious to know what they actually get out of this when someone actually bites. They must be getting something. I’m getting at least one of these a day, usually more.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:13:17 +0000

Just received the same email from jamesstuat@gmail.com!

Hello,
Thanks for getting back to me and i have 7 Pentium IV dell laptops
Below are the things needed to be done on each of the laptops.
1 Format Hard Drive
2 Install Win Xp with Service Pack 2
3 Microsoft Office Package
4 AVG Virus Software (Free Lifetime Updates)
5 Adobe Acrobat
6 Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case.
7 Diagnostics of the entire system after to check hard, cdrom,
floppy, etc.I’ll pay you $700 for the services of 7 units. i have all
the necessary software needed for the service installations…If that
is okay by you. I will instruct my secretary to prepare a Certified
check for you on your name and address.So all i need from you is your
full name and address and your phone # so as to prepare the check and
shipping of the laptops to your address.I have a reliable shipper that
will pickup the laptops when you are done with it.I am looking forward
to hearing from you,so we can have payment and shipping asap.

Best regards

By: C. Jones

C. Jones — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:16:14 +0000

I received the same email but I responded just to see how far this guy would go.
And just for S&G I gave him the price of $2145.19

Thanks for you reply the laptops are five in number and these are what
we needed you for if you can help they are HP laptops.

1: formatting of laptop
2: changing of keyboard
3: replacement of hard disc
4: Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case
5: Diagnostics of the entire system, check hard disk, CD-Rom etc

All you need to do now is to give me an estimate of the five unit
laptops including your workmanship so we can schedule time for movers
to deliver the laptops to your end and i will be more than happy to
read from you. How many days could this take you to fixed it?

Kindest regard

Do you accept payment via credit card?

By: Laura Downs

Laura Downs — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:57:52 +0000

Doug, ever consider that the credit cards supplied to you would be stolen? I’m guessing that the credit card charges *may* clear if the card numbers were stolen online but not yet used by the perpetrators, therefore not yet discovered as stolen. Who knows how they do it, but they keep trying so somehow they must be successful. I got two of those emails this week. Annoying. =P

By: Merit Computer Services

Merit Computer Services — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:18:21 +0000

After a few e-mail exchanges (see below), the so-called John Scott called today while I was out. My wife spoke to him, and he said that I was avoiding giving him a quote for services. When she asked for his telephone number so I could call him, he insisted that he had already provided all of his contact information. The telephone number was blocked from caller ID.

I do not know how he intends to scam any money from this deal. I would require a down-payment and verify that the check or credit card charge cleared with no problems. If there were problems, he would not get the computers back. perhaps it is real loser who just likes wasting the time of working people trying to make enough money to keep a roof over our heads.

———————————————————————–

From: Merit Computer Services [mailto:support@meritcs.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 12:09 AM
To: ‘john scott’
Subject: RE: computer repair

I need more information before I can provide an estimate.

In response to your 5 points:
1. Formatting of laptop? Do you mean to format the HDD? Just format, no installation? What is the purpose of formatting it?

2. Need computer make/model to give estimate on keyboard replacement.

3. What size disk drive? Need make/model of computer. Do you want to retrieve data from old drive and move to new drive?

4. OK.

5. System maintenance/diagnostic is $80 per computer for a working system and this includes updating software. If you want a system checked out for purchase or sell, it is $50.

I accept credit cards – Visa and MasterCard.

Please provide your telephone number and address.

Doug Huddle
Merit Computer Services
Gastonia, NC 28056
704-263-5061
support@meritcs.com

http://www.meritcomputerservices.com

———————————————————————–

From: john scott [mailto:johnscott419@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 3:01 AM
To: Merit Computer Services
Subject: Re: computer repair

Thanks for you reply the laptops are five in number and these are what we needed you for if you can help they are HP laptops.

1: formatting of laptop
2: changing of keyboard
3: replacement of hard disc
4: Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case
5: Diagnostics of the entire system, check hard disk, CD-Rom etc

All you need to do now is to give me an estimate of the five unit laptops including your workmanship so we can schedule time for movers to deliver the laptops to your end and i will be more than happy to read from you. How many days could this take you to fixed it?

Kindest regard

Do you accept payment via credit card?

Thanks.

———————————————————————–

From: Merit Computer Services [mailto:support@meritcs.com]
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 12:45 AM
To: ‘john scott’
Subject: RE: computer repair

I am not sure what you are asking.

Can I can repair many computers in a short period of time such as 50 per week?
No

Can I support an office with 30 computers?
Yes!

Doug Huddle
Merit Computer Services
Gastonia, NC 28056
704-263-5061
support@meritcs.com

——————————————————————-

From: john scott [mailto:johnscott419@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2011 4:49 AM
To: support@meritcs.com
Subject: computer repair

Hello i will like to know if you can handle computer in a large volume, kindly get back to me.

Thanks.

By: St Petersburg Computer Repair Services

St Petersburg Computer Repair Services — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:33:37 +0000

First email:
Hello i will like to know if you can handle computer in a large
volume, kindly get back to me.

Thanks.

Second email after I responded:

Thanks for you reply the laptops are five in number and these are what
we needed you for if you can help they are HP laptops.

1: formatting of laptop
2: changing of keyboard
3: replacement of hard disc
4: Laptop Cleaning of the keyboard, screen and other case
5: Diagnostics of the entire system, check hard disk, CD-Rom etc

Kindest regard

Do you accept payment via credit card?

- What I think is kind of funny is making the scammers send money through Western Union. They usually stop emailing me after I “require prepayment through Western Union for large volumes of computers”.

Have fun and check out 419eaters. Good times!

By: mike

mike — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:23:03 +0000

I own a repair shop in Rexburg ID And I have recieved several of these emails.
I am not sure what they expect to get a return except a link to my email which they already had since they sent me the original one.
I suppose that eventually a credit card scam would follow.
You would be given a stolen credit to be used for your services.
Stay away from this thing.

By: Tembo Tech

Tembo Tech — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:05:17 +0000

I also got a similar e-mail, but the entire message was in the signature block:

“–
Hello i will like to know if you can handle computer in a large
volume, kindly get back to me.

Thanks.”

That was the entire message. It seems odd to me that these people can’t figure out what a basic message along these lines would be like were it a valid e-mail. I guess they’re counting on getting a few responses back after hundreds or thousands of attempts, though. Anyway, thanks for the post.

By: Joe Guest

Joe Guest — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:31:05 +0000

Just received an email from John Scott also, glad I found this site!

Thanks guys
Joe Guest

By: James Marino

James Marino — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:15:54 +0000

I just got the same email. My favorite part is the “419″ in the email address, could be an homage to the Nigerian 419 scam?

Here is the email so that others can find it when they Google.

johnscott419@gmail.com

7:41 AM 12/3/11

Hello i will like to know if you can handle computer in a large
volume, kindly get back to me.

Thanks.