Funny thing I have always thought it was hilarious that people end up getting duped by the Internet scammers. Whenever I read or heard about a story, I just know my laugh bellowed for a while. My twin once was caught in a scam and I laughed without mercy at his expense. So it would only be right that I get caught in the web of the Internet scammers.
I had been searching for apartments in the Westchester area for about a week and it just seemed extremely expensive. Still, I had to peruse for the cheapest deal possible and after hours of searching on craigslist VOILA!! 1300 3br apartment in white plains NY. I had to get that, sent an email and got reply within few hours. The name listed n the Email Dafna Gorfinkle. As soon as I saw the name I smiled, that cannot be a real person can it? sounds like a name straight out of harry potter 8 (doesn't actually exist). But, hey its a cheap apartment so I'll check it out why not. Here's a summary of the email exchange
Izu I - Interested in 3br apt in white plains
D.G I - This email was the first red flag for me...sincerely after reading it I thought a Nigerian sent it.sincerely.It read , I work for USAID and work with people who are suffering from so many diseases and blah blah blah. alot of really good things but it was suspicious. My wife and I are located in Nigeria working and we are trying to rent the house all this good stuff.
Izu II - Now I'm a bit skeptical but I am till so curious a 1300 3br would be an amazing purchase but a guy named Dafna? I was caught up. so I replied 3 days later. Sorry for delay, but here's my info and phone number, call me so we can talk about the house because I would like to see the house.
D.G II - I am trusting God that you will take care of the house, the house is still available, my wife and I think you are an amazing candidate to be our tenant. Remember the deposit is 600 and the rent is 1300 but you can wait till a week after you move in to pay the rent.
DEFINITELY another red flag, what land lord in the world would ever ever ever do that? so now its getting comical, I know I am getting scammed or well, Dafna was attempting to scam me.
Izu III - Its great you do all these things with USAID. I am impressed. I am glad you accepted me as tenant. I am curious as to how I would get the keys to the house If you are all the way there and what did you move everything to Africa, and where are you. I need to speak to you asap.
Phone convo - Hilarious red flag number three because he sounded like a Nigerian who was faking his American accent so I break out n laughter over the phone. After allowing him to make up the place that he was from in the US, I asked him what his name meant. He stumbled over that, it was becoming comical. . He proceeded to explain that I would receive keys in the mail but I have to western union the deposit before the keys got to me, which was in two days since he already mailed them...red flag again... Then I broke it to him that I was Nigerian and I felt a shudder through his spine. Indeed his game was up and he knew it, I knew it too. He was an amateur at scamming without a doubt or maybe he just came across an observant person.
I do feel bad for everyone who has fallen to these scam artists.They prey on the weak, use religion to catch the devoted, are very desperate and more times than none they are Nigerian.
BUT I managed to rip through the webs of this Internet scam and my laugh still bellows!!!!
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