Ok, so this identity theft scam really made me chuckle. To fill you in, my business partner and I sit next to each other in the office, so this scam was busted at the first hurdle. It was a VERY cheeky direct email and for larger companies – if done right – it could have slipped the net and resulted in the scam working!
Anyway, it was morning on the 17th of November 2017, and my business partner got this email – my business partners name and email have been obfuscated of course;
On 17 November 2016 at 09:19, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello Dee ,I need you to make a faster payment transfer . What bank details will be needed for that?
Regards,
Olly
Again, straight away he turned to me like – WHADDAFACK – so we decided to waste some of the guys time. Here’s how the conversation panned out.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 10:18 AM, Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> wrote:
Hi Olly,For what mate?
Dee
Like always, we wanted to try and extract as much info out the guy as possible.
On 17 November 2016 at 10:20, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Ill bring you in on it later. How fast can you get the transfer sorted?Regards
Olly
Cheeky b**tard.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 10:21 AM, Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> wrote:
Straight away, just need to know what company you want me to pay.Send me the invoice.
Dee
Again, we wanted some company names, details so we could uncover the scam details.
On 17 November 2016 at 10:26, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Oh great!Kindly send £18,980 to this account
Acc Name; [company name removed]
Sort Code ; [code removed]
Acc number; [number removed]
Royal Bank of ScotlandI will forward you invoice once i am available to do so,but please go ahead with the transfer and let me know once its done.
cheers
Regards
Olly
Jesus christ. How much??? (NB: We rang RBS and reported that the account was being used for malicious gains later on.)
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 10:28 AM, Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> wrote:
What is this for?Do you not think a purchase of this size should have been discussed prior?
Dee
Again, we knew it was a scam from day 1 – but if we played along maybe he would give us some golden nuggets and we could expose the trickster.
On 17 November 2016 at 10:33, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey DeeI dont really appreciate you sweating me and asking me all sorts of questions like im a kid. This is an investment for us. You will know when the time is right and would be impressed and proud of me. So kindly respect my privacy and let me conclude this deal. Let me know once payment is made.
Cheers
Regards
Olly
Haha wtf. This guy is on gear or somat. As if a business partner would pay £18k out for something without discussing it with the other.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 10:38 AM, Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> wrote:
Chill out man, no need to fall out!I will go to the bank at lunch, I will only be able to transfer half. Unless I know what it’s for, you know what our accountants are like, they need paperwork.
Dee
Poker face.
On 17 November 2016 at 10:43, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey DeeIm not trying to fall out at all. I just want this sorted . Do the half and when i send you invoice kindly do the balance straight away. Please try to do this before 1pm. Can you do it before 1pm?
Regards
Olly
I think he wanted it done before 1pm?
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 10:44 AM, Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> wrote:
I’ll do my best, what shall I put in for the payment reference?Or I can pay the full amount via paypal straight away as you know that is where most of our cash is? If that is better?
Dee
We dont hold money in PayPal, but we were trying to catch him off guard to see if he may give us his PayPal or something – anything to snag the ba**tards actual real info.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 10:48 AM, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Ok Dee. Hold let me see if they accept paypal.Regards
Olly
Oooo.
On 17 November 2016 at 10:57, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Sorry Dee they do not have paypal and i have been instructed to pay at least £12,000 today. Can you make this happen at lunch time mate?Regards
Olly
“Mate”? He’s learning the lingo! Mate is the first thing Dee referred to me as in his first reply. We were impressed to his dedication to the scam haha.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 11:03 AM, Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> wrote:
I will not be able to do that before lunch, why do they need this so quick?Is your mobile banking app not working as you could do this yourself. I do not have my banking key at the moment its in the other office.
Dee
We dont have another office. Also, Dee was trying to test how he would react to this as this *could* be a feasible reply if Dee had genuinly believed it was me on the other end.
On 17 November 2016 at 11:07, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello DeeI have to pay them quickly to secure my ongoing contract with them. I cant make the payment as i do not also have access to my online banking. Can you not go into the branch to sort this as agreed before? I dont know why you are making this a big deal when its not. Just let me know if you can sort this out or not please.
Regards
Olly
We envisioned his cyber cafe credits running out, and him starting to sweat a bit. Hahaha.
On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 11:12 AM, Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> wrote:
I am just pushed for time today mate, I am in lectures all morning and my online banking key at back at the office. Will have to be this afternoon.I shall be back after 2pm, fetching pizza on the way actually. What topping do you want and could you ask the guys too what they want?
Dee
Curveball.
On 17 November 2016 at 11:16, Olly <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
I dont think you get it Dee. You need to treat this as a priority. Why can you not go into a branch before coming to the office? I need this sorted by 1pm. Just go to the damn bank and sort this and quit worrying about pizza. I would do the same for you if you wanted something done urgently. Please just go to the nearest branch and sort this. Thanks!Regards
Olly
Ahahaha by this point we envisioned him reaching boiling point hahaha oh the lols.
We decided we had work to do, so sent him this;
Dee <Dee@work-email.uk> 17/11/2016
Hi Tellez Delgardo,Nice try, no cigar, gringo.
Dee
He replied, and totally let his guard down.
On 17 November 2016 at 11:22, Kinlock Magowan <tzgardo@gmail.com> wrote:
lucky son of a bitch
It was a very direct scam, he was pretending to actually be me, and he would have got away with it too if it weren’t for those meddling kids…
Seriously though, i’ve not seen something like this before, where the scammer has done his homework and tries to impersonate a partner in a business. Not sure if the email is his or one he hijacked but hopefully we rattled his cage and wasted enough of his time to stop him scamming someone else that day.
Hahah nice try, loser.
If you’ve got a similar identity theft scam or had an email from this guy then please comment below or fill out our submit scams form – and as always, share this post with your friends so they are scam wise, online!
Until next time! 🙂
NB sorry for my lack of posts recently, guys. Been swamped at work and have a busy home life but i’m trying to catch up with stuff. Got another post coming SOONNNN!