The man known as Mark Goles goes on AOL under the screenname mg628664 and then asks if anyone needs a computer. If you contact with interest he'll tell you this fabbbbbulous story that he has an extra that he was given in a barter and figures he could give it to someone who needs it. He then sends an email of the Dell Inspiron 5150 and offers it to you for about $200. You think, wow! Great deal. So you agree to buy it.
He then tells you that the payment has to be made via MoneyGram, not any other method such as PayPal (which of course guarantees transactions) because he is swirtching checking accounts and so forth. He will then give you specific directions, instructing you to to go the website to look up the Avon Walmart to send the money. (of course he doesn't tell you to check the link on MoneyGram for Consumer Protection warning *NEVER* to email a stranger!)
So you then you wire the money... And in the mean time he's telling you that if he was scamming he wouldn't give all this information, he'll chat with you online telling you about his indy entertainment business that he has some clips on youtube in which he's written/acted/directed, and so on. He tells you he's getting the computer ready and once he gets the money he'll ship it to you. He promises.
Then you realize. Wait, I don't have a tracking number for FedEx. So you call him, and he tells you that he was in an accident, its in his buddies car, his assistant has it, its in the hearse he drives that was impounded by the police when his buddy got arrested DUI, and so on. You will never get a tracking number. Then you call FEdEx. They have no record of the shipment.
Then you ask him about the tracking number, where is my shipment, etc. He acts concerned, confused, apologizes, says it was returned to him (though its impossible for something that was never shipped to be returned!) and that he got the address wrong, and that your address doesn't exist. (Gee isn't that why on FedEx forms you put down PHONE NUMBERS and EMAIL addresses?)
So basically this what seems to be too good to be true, well, of course isn't. This pretty much nice guy, really isn't. He befriends you so that you keep giving the benefit of the doubt, making promises he can't keep, because he's a scammer.
The fact that there is no computer to be sold is in the fact that I am not the only "victim". (I prefer "stupid-hopeful-wishful-thinker-who-should-have known-better". He tells the same story and comes up with the same false promises. To return the money or mail the computer. (Apparently he has a stock full to keep offering one after its sold!)
So if you are on AOL and some guy is offering to sell you a computer, to wire the money, just yell "DANGER STRANGER!" Or "A DAMNER SCAMMER!" because your money will be gone and you won't have a computer. If you have come across this guy, feel free to contact your local police department, the police department in Avon, Indiana and the Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3. Gov / and file complaints against this man.
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