NIGERIAN SCAM - TREASURE STATE BANK
Hokay. I will be very glad if you're directed to my blog by google searching anything relating to Treasure State Bank/Nigeria scam because Im here to warn potential victims.
Please read on only if you're interested, pretty lengthy!
A week ago I posted on forums/classified (and any other forms of advertising) to sell my used HP laptop. This guy, Mr Taylor e-mailed me and was interested in purchasing it. At first, I already had the suspicion that he was a scam (his e-mail address was just like any other scammer - jt0997769@gmx.co.uk), but I did not want to lose any opportunity to sell my laptop away, so i replied him.
As im lazy to explain, I've copied our conversation via exhange of e-mails.
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:53:26 +0200
From: jt0997769@gmx.co.uk
Subject: HP TX1000 TABLET PC
To: drusilla@live.com.sg
Hi,
Good Day!
Do you still have this available for sale.
Warm regards,
Mr Taylor
jt0997769@gmx.co.uk
____________________________________________________________
From: Drusilla Choo
Sent: 13/08/10 09:54 AM
To: jt0997769@gmx.co.uk
Subject: RE: HP TX1000 TABLET PC
Hi Taylor, yes it is still available.
_____________________________________________________________
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:14:26 +0200
From: jt0997769@gmx.co.uk
Subject: RE: HP TX1000 TABLET PC
To: drusilla@live.com.sg
Hi,Thanks for your mail.I reside in West Virgina(United State) but presently in United Kingdom for a business trip.I will like to inform you that I'm interested in buying your item for a Friend who went on religious mission abroad as a Gift.I will be paying for this item through bank to bank transfer which is a fast, safe and reliable method of payment,i would like to know the amount you are willing to sell this item in USD Dollars and will be adding an extra $200.00usd for shipment to send this item to its destination (Nigeria) through UPS or DHL.I will be looking forward to reading back from you as soon as possible with the cost you are willing to sell this item in USD dollars including the shipping cost to its destination.
Best Regards,
Mr Taylor
N.B:Email more pictures of its present condition of the item in your next email.
_________________________________________________________________________________
So i went on to take pictures of my laptop and sent him my account details. I even called DBS to know more about Telegraphic Transfer (transfer of funds from overseas) and called DHL/UPS to get quotes to send the parcel to Nigeria. I told myself that I will only send out the parcel if I received payment from him. I wanted to be very cautious so that I wont fall into his trap, I transferred all my money to Melissa's account on the day I sent him my account details (so that there will be a 0.0% chance of being a shocking jaw-dropping Drusilla if my bank account balance became less than $10). I even called my eldest sister to talk about this.
His replies were very prompt, everyday at 12+ midnight. This morning, I received this - 3 emails, a transfer notification, transaction alert and payment receipt from the bank (Treasure State Bank).
Looks very real huh? I went to Google the bank name & it does exist. There's even an article about the investment of the bank etc etc. The layout of the transaction details were also very similar to the website. I went on to find more information to google such as the chief state officer's name and he is really working in the bank (with his information provided on the website and his photo even). WOW.
For a sec, i began to think, hmmm, probably i was thinking too much. Continuing on, I tried to google the e-mail address that sent me the transaction (treasurestatebank@usa.com) but nothing relevant appeared. I was wondering, isn't a company e-mail supposed to be @treasurestatebank.com instead of @usa.com? I was browsing around the website to find an e-mail to compare but even the contact us page was a form with no e-mail address. Subsequently, I found the chairman's e-mail address which ended with @treasurestatebank.com. To confirm it, I googled @use.com mail and found out that it is an e-mail server just like hotmail/gmail etc.
Knowing that 99% chance it was a scam, I followed on to google Treasure State Bank Cheater and that is when i FINALLY FINALLY found a blogpost (click to read) about a girl who shared her experience of almost being cheated of her Ipod nano. The details was 88% similar to mine.
I was very glad to read it & it ended my whole investigation with a reply to "Mr Taylor".
From: drusilla@live.com.sg
To: jt0997769@gmx.co.uk
Subject: RE: HP TX1000 TABLET PC
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 01:57:41 +0800
Hi Taylor,
I've shipped your item out and will soon send you invoice of shipping.
I can see your smile from here but no wait, it only lasted for a mere 3.8 secs. Because just so you know, Im not that dumb.
Please read here to know more about yourself
Would you like more stories about you? I bet its not needed since you should know yourself more than anyone else.
Before I end, I cant help myself but to lend you a helping hand. Can i give you a tip to make yourself more convincing? Liaise with Google please! Bribe them to remove search on your frauds so that "potential victims" won't get to know that the whole transaction is actually a scam. THIS IS THE VITAL STEP THAT CAUSED PEOPLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU.
Thank you for letting me know that scams like this still exist & that you're wasting your time to "make a profit" out of it. Karma will come chasing you (i think it'll be real hard so I advise you to do more praying to God to wash away your sins).
P.S. Are you going to tell me that you're reporting me to FBI? No troubles, because I've done that for you (too bad).
Seriously, nice joke, but April Fool is over. AT LEAST, I laughed. Thanks Taylor. (Oh wait, is that even your name?)
Your victim but also not your victim,
Drusilla Choo
Initially my sister and I agreed that we should just ignore the whole incident. But i read from the girl that he may start replying you & threatened to report to FBI for not shipping the item bla bla bla. So i thought why not just give him a blow before he give me mine.
A VERY SARCASTIC E-MAIL BUT IT MADE ME HAPPY TO ACTUALLY TICKED HIM/HER OFF IN THIS WAY.
Well, practically wasted my time throughout this whole transaction. There's this poor boy who got scammed and not only did he make a loss for his item, he had to pay shipping of 86 pounds when the scammer close their DHL account and DHL came asking him to take responsibility. Basically, he was forced to pay to send the scammers the item. OH MY...
Fortunately. I also read about many others who almost got scam by managed to found some information that it was just a scam.
Moral of the story?
Use google to clarify anything (hahaha) and never sell to overseas (ESPECIALLY NIGERIA).
BE WARY FRIENDS, SUCH PEOPLE STILL EXIST (THE BLACK HORSES THAT RUINS THE SOCIETY).
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