Tree work credit card scam

[millbilly]

This might just be a coincidence but I do see a common thread we are all members of the arboristsite.

 

[MSgtBob66]

Got my first text from one of these scammers yesterday. Didn't think about the phone number at first, but the grammar and spelling set me off. Lung cancer. Oops, wrong address for the work. I finally did a google search of the number and found the same type of scam with the number that texted me. Sent them an email asking what caretaker company they worked for, and asked them if they were scammers. they replied back negative. I'm gonna play this out and mess with them a bit.

Bob

 

[MSgtBob66]

Oh boy have I had fun with this! I'm in MN, the phone # is North Carolina. "Tim" (think Timmy from South Park) gave me an address that is a half mile out of route for my kid's school. The kid and I rolled up to a for sale house. Tree work was 2 removals, one in front yard, one in back (no trees in backyard btw). The renter showed up when we were there, so I showed her the texts and emails. She called the homeowner and guess what? Scam. I sent "Timmy " a reasonable ($2500) estimate for the one, real issue front yard tree and $500 for the non-existing backyard tree. He sent (now via email ) a response stating he owed an additional $4000 for the house and I would get the $4000 and send it somewhere via check or money order. I told him, "sure, I'll move money around, but I'm a tree guy, so an additional 10% on top of everything. I then found a pic on the net of a tree on a house with snow on the ground (saved as the house address-Joey). I then texted and emailed him the pic and said 'Joey' got hurt and I had to take him to the hospital and I needed that money ASAP to pay hospital bills 'cause no health insurance and to fix the hole in the house. Told him I use the Square for cc, he told me to invoice him. He also told me to shut down operations until the money moved. In the morning, I'm going to let him know I REALLY need the money now to pay my guys because we spent all day today (Sun) cleaning up debris and tarping the roof. I will also tell him that we'll need to use PayPal because my Square account was closed down. We'll see where this goes...

 

[Griff93]

Guess what showed up in my email this morning after telling someone yes we accept credit cards.

"so i will like you to do this okay because i don't like the way it look in the house....I should have Visit your shop or call in person but presently am presently recuperating from the diagnosis of lung Cancer and am still in the hospital of which I will undergo surgery in some days time,I will like you to understand that I will be paying for the for the Inspection of the property for proper handling and estimation I need The tree removed for the house done....
Please do provide me with the total cost for the tree remove of the house and here's the address of the house:
1211 Chandler Rd SE,Huntsville, AL 35801 I will like to make a deposit of $2000 for the inspection and estimation of the property what is your name and when will you go to the address an give me the total cost ? asap"

 

[Jed1124]

My boss got it last week. He deleted it so fast I didn't get a chance to screw with them. Hopefully he gets another.
I'm assuming you guys saw the write up in the back of the latest TCIA mag about this?

 

[Griff93]

My boss got it last week. He deleted it so fast I didn't get a chance to screw with them. Hopefully he gets another.
I'm assuming you guys saw the write up in the back of the latest TCIA mag about this?

I was trying to figure out the best way to screw with them. I can give you their address if you want.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Guess what showed up in my email this morning after telling someone yes we accept credit cards.

"so i will like you to do this okay because i don't like the way it look in the house....I should have Visit your shop or call in person but presently am presently recuperating from the diagnosis of lung Cancer and am still in the hospital of which I will undergo surgery in some days time,I will like you to understand that I will be paying for the for the Inspection of the property for proper handling and estimation I need The tree removed for the house done....
Please do provide me with the total cost for the tree remove of the house and here's the address of the house:
1211 Chandler Rd SE,Huntsville, AL 35801 I will like to make a deposit of $2000 for the inspection and estimation of the property what is your name and when will you go to the address an give me the total cost ? asap"

That's the way a significant number of our clients talk (rich Chinese immigrants).

 

[ATH]

....I'm assuming you guys saw the write up in the back of the latest TCIA mag about this?

I did now. I had called and talked to David Lee back in December when this thread started. He seemed interested in putting something out to membership then. I told him there was a thread going on here... They must have gotten more reports and decided to run with it.

 

[ReggieT]

So what's their angle...are they fishing around for a bank account number or what?

 

[ATH]

I think you over charge (at their request) (a stolen card, most likely), send a check to a "3rd party" to cover whatever that over expense they reportedly had. The stolen card that was overcharged doesn't have to pay so you get nothing except somebody upset that you removed their tree and somebody else wondering why you charged their card $x,000.

 

[ReggieT]

I think you over charge (at their request) (a stolen card, most likely), send a check to a "3rd party" to cover whatever that over expense they reportedly had. The stolen card that was overcharged doesn't have to pay so you get nothing except somebody upset that you removed their tree and somebody else wondering why you charged their card $x,000.

Scum-Bags!!!

 

[JeffGu]

Well, I don't worry about falling for this scam. I don't need to work, ever again. This guy in Nigeria is going to deposit $5,000,000 into my bank account as soon as I send him the account number and my PIN number, so it's all cool. I'm rich.

 

[ReggieT]

Well, I don't worry about falling for this scam. I don't need to work, ever again. This guy in Nigeria is going to deposit $5,000,000 into my bank account as soon as I send him the account number and my PIN number, so it's all cool. I'm rich.

Geez...sounds almost like the same stud who's selling me this great swath of swamp land for little or nothing and this wonderful bridge in London!

 

[Aerialist]

This scam must be pretty widespread. I got the same build up, first an email asking if I accept credit card payment for services (which I do), then a plea to take a credit card payment and send a third party money as a seller's commission. That's when alarm bells went off, home sellers don't get commissions on the sale of their property. Here is the text of the scam:

I am presently undergoing chemotherapy for my forthcoming cancer of the lung surgery and would want to have this contract going before I have to relocate to the house I want you to pay the ex-owner of the property his commission fees before he can be able to allow you do the job on the house I would have paid him but he wouldn't accept credit card as form of payment I need to pay him a commission fee of $3200 the commission so i will give you my credit card to charge for the sum of $4200 and hold down $1000 for deposit of the work is to be paid before work can commence so as soon as it clears in your account you will send it to his account via cash deposit so I want you to charge the commission fees together with your service fees and tax and as soon as the charges clear into your account is that clear?

[email protected]

I've added the email account this came from. Unlike the others here reported the text and grammar of this scammer is good english so this scam must be carried out by multiple people.

 

[ATH]

Did you sign that email up for lots of special offers and other websites?

 

[LegDeLimber]

I have a gmail acct that I use for contacting Craigslist posters.
So of course the spam filter is loaded with email addresses
and those "Hi I'm 23 and newly single in your area......" mails also.
I've noticed they're putting a phone number in some of those spams now.
Before I do the next spam purge:
If anyone would like, I could probably PM a few numbers and spam addresses for putting into the fun mix.

 

[jefflovstrom]

 

[ReggieT]

No doubt!

 

[Superjunior2]

I just got my first one yesterday! As soon as I saw the area code and the text starting out as " hello, I'm Charles adam, I would like to know if you're available for tree removal for the hiuse? And can I know if your the owner or manager and do you accept credit cards?" I immediately thought of this thread and new it was a scam. I messed with whoever it was for a few minutes, then ended up calling ol Charlie an ass hole and try it on someone else cause it ain't working with me lol.. If anyone wants Charlie's # it's 213-478-8602. He might not answer right now because he's out of town getting surgery done..

 

[Superjunior2]

Oh and the trees are located at front entrance and backyard if anyone wants to bid it. He needs the job done before he gets back into town.