Gamecube scam ... really?

[Wafoleri]

I listed a gamecube on craigslist and within a few hours I got this email:

Hi,

I want to buy the item you posted in your AD, and i want to
know whether is still available, Please get back to me with
last price.

Francis

Sounded kind of weird to me, but I've dealt with tons of odd people on craigslist so I just email him back saying I still have it and what not and a few minutes later I get this:

Hi Justin,
I am honoured by your warmth reply, I am from Utah and a
coach resending in London. Am still in State now, but will
soon be leaving back to London to resume my coaching work.
The Nintendo Gamecube is for my Son's Birthday, He has
travelled to spend time with his Mum where she works in the
US consulate office in West Africa, because of his little
research. I'll be paying you through Merchant express money
order or Paypal. These secures and protects two parties in a
transaction. I will like you to provide the below
requirements in your reply for me forward to Merchant
express money order Office for payment as you ship it.

Full Name:
Full contact address

Or your Paypal account identitification if you choose to
transact via Paypal. All this information should be provided
correctly to avoid wrong payment. I will forward my Wife's
residential address to you for shipping as soon as possible.
I will be very grateful to hear from you soonest.
Remain Blesssed,
Mr.Francis Harry
NB: I will be paying you $170 for both your selling price
and the shipping fee. And i am willing to pay for it before
today runs off.

I got about two sentences in before I realized I was being scammed, but sent off for his address anyway, just to keep him excited. He got back to me and after googling it I quickly found him on some website to report ripoffs.

Anyway, just felt like sharing, the person he ripped off before was selling a xbox 360 and actually shipped it. I guess he is working his way down? I mean you can buy a gamecube for nickles these days.

Oh and here is his address incase someone tries to google him in the future, maybe it will bring them here:

ONYEKA MUO
4 NWAKOBI STREET UWANI.
ENUGU, ENUGU STATE
23442, NIGERIA

(mods if it's not cool to post his address then I will take it down, but I figured it was reasonable to post it)

[Hella]

:nigeria:

[fdeck]

His english is too good, and he forgot to mention God, so he is not a proper Nigerian scammer worthy of ripping you off.

Note that shipping to Nigeria voids your PayPal protections, so it hardly protects you.

[fourstringdrums]

These scams only make it harder for legitimate Nigerians to buy things from the states. It's a shame really.

[whoatherechunk]

wow. never thought of it that way but it is totally true.

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

These scams only make it harder for legitimate Nigerians to buy things from the states. It's a shame really.

[GeneralElectric]

Can they actually afford to buy things from the States?

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

These scams only make it harder for legitimate Nigerians to buy things from the states. It's a shame really.

True! I had one Nigerian bidder on an Ebay auction of mine, who had to go to great lengths to convince me he was for real. Over the course of several emails the only red flag was that he was Nigerian, everything else was on the up and up, so we did the deal and all went well. But the poor guy! He just wanted to bid on an effect pedal, and he had to deal with the fact that everyone will assume he's a scammer.

The first clues for me in the OP's case were the phrases "the item" and "last price". Nobody who really wants an item will call it "the item", they'll ask about the XBox or whatever; and nobody but a "Nigerian scammer" uses the phrase "last price".

[fourstringdrums]

Originally Posted by bongomania

The first clues for me in the OP's case were the phrases "the item" and "last price". Nobody who really wants an item will call it "the item", they'll ask about the XBox or whatever; and nobody but a "Nigerian scammer" uses the phrase "last price".

Well gee you'd think they'd figure out that it's in their best interest to be specific.

[whoatherechunk]

Did you manage to sell the gamecube?

[Wafoleri]

Nope not yet, I've got a few legit replies so I am sure I will soon. Gotta love the gamecube though.