My Haul (african masks, statues, etc).

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 29 Apr 2004 Posts: 9

Hi all. A couple years ago I was into having the mugu make signs for me and taking their pictures and such, but after a while a grew board of it and quit. Then about 6 months ago, I came to the site and saw you guys were getting them to tattoo themselves and get carvings and such, and I was re-invigorated. I decided I was going to be an "African Art Dealer"

I set up a website (www.myafricanmask.com), set up an email account, seeded my email on the internet, created my backstory and wrote some response emails, borrowing heavily from some emails I found here. I then started getting the typical emails, and replied with this (summarized of course):

"Sorry, I can't help you right now, but I see you are from Africa, maybe you can help me. I run a website, and it has been so successful, that i am going to open a new retail store. I am looking for a new distributor as my old one cannot handle a large shipment. I have $200,000 ready to spend (half-up front of course). Do you know any distributors? "

Well, a lot of them did! And they would send me their info, and I would contact the distributor, which almost always had the same IP address as the mugu. Surprise!. I gave them my story, and told them I would need samples, shipped at their expense.

I didn't know if it would work, but it did, and I was averaging 1-2 packages a month. One guy sent 2 packages. It cost these guys around $100 to ship it, but when they think they might be getting money, they start getting greedy (I did exactly to them what they try to do to us!).

I have a picture below of about a third of what I got. Some of it is pretty cool, but my wife disagrees, and won't let me display any of them Sad

. I am pretty much done with this, so feel free to copy my stuff, ideas or whatever if you are interested.

Good hunting!

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:25 am

That is truly "phat lewt".

You might take a page from the Reprob8 house-decorating book though. Is she going out of town anytime soon? Very Happy

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 81

Wow. That is excellent. There really isn't anything else to say besides "You win."

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:57 am

I'm always surprised when scammers fall victim to the schemes they employ so much. Maybe they say it so often, they half start to believe wacky made-up stuff themselves?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 29 Apr 2004 Posts: 9

Yea, that was the best part. Beating them at their own game.

And I have to say, it was really fun doing this. When one sent me a package and gave me the tracking numbers, I would be anxious to get it, as I never really know what was inside. Often things are broken, and sometimes it is complete junk, but often it is nice stuff. The broken stuff I usually just glued back together. They are the worst packers. Never bubble wrap or anything like that. Just a bunch of masks and such, put in a box and shipped half way around the world.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 81

How often did their broken goods result in you getting an additional package from them later on after a good slap?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 29 Apr 2004 Posts: 9

I usually used broken items as a reason for me to NOT pick them as my new distributor. And they would get very apologetic and then angry. Only 1 guy sent me a second package because their mask broke in shipping. And man, he was mad when I decided not to send him money. I had a second guy that sent their stuff via Air Cargo, and I would have had to pick it up at the air port, pay some fees, and show and ID of my alter ego, Thomas Bombadil, which I do not have. So i refused to pick it up, and he sent a second package. That package is still at LAX, and if anyone works for Air France, its theirs.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 4

What address did you have them ship to? Not your own, I assume!
Sounds like you've made quite a few scammers very angry, great job!

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 29 Apr 2004 Posts: 9

Yea, I wouldn't have them shipped to my house or work. Last thing I want is for them to show up at my home some day. I have a friend with a mailbox etc type address for his business, and he let me use that. It worked great.

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:22 pm

Nice stuff there man!

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