Is this a scam email? How do I tell?

Kyle Aaron · Post by **Kyle Aaron** » 24 Mar 2006 8:40 pm

I just got an email, and it looks more normal than most of the scammers I get emails from when I list something, but it still looks a little suspicious.

Here is the info for the email, and the message. I know there is someone here on this forum that can decipher all of this, but I can't remember who it is.

From : Allen D. Schoffstall <aschoffs@tds.net>
Sent : Friday, March 24, 2006 8:19 PM
To : mr_fiddle@(NOSPAM)hotmail.com
Subject : Mosrite
[ detailed email header info removed by b0b ]

Kyle

My name is Al Schoffstall and I just read your ad for this guitar. Should you happen to still have the guitar and want to sell it for $750 please let me know and I’ll get you paid for the guitar. Thanks

Al
[This message was edited by b0b on 26 March 2006 at 05:29 PM.]

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 24 Mar 2006 9:17 pm

Kyle, if you still have the guitar for sale for 750.00, you can tell the guy to send you a cashiers check for it. Just sit on the check until it clears your bank. THEN ship the guitar. [This message was edited by Curt Langston on 24 March 2006 at 09:17 PM.]

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 24 Mar 2006 9:18 pm

Doesn't appear to be one of the normal scams with the normal promises. I have sold items to non members from people who have read the posts. However, I only accept postal money orders and make sure they clear before shipping the merchandise. A reply and firm terms of payment will provide more info as to whether they are for real.
Dave

Ron Frederiksen · Post by **Ron Frederiksen** » 24 Mar 2006 10:00 pm

Hey Kyle, be careful, I still have 2 $1000.00 money orders that look VARY good but are worthless. The hand from some place in Nygeria sent me the $2000.00 for a $300.00 guitar, wanted me to cash them and send him the difference and the guitar would be picked up here from someone owed him money and sent to him. needless to say I have the M.O.'s and sold the guitar to someone else. Ron

"steelin is music to my ear"

Larry Clark · Post by **Larry Clark** » 25 Mar 2006 1:42 am

Al Schoffstall has been a member for some time though I haven't seen many postings from him lately. If my memory serves me correctly I believe he purchased a Profex II from me a few years ago and the sale went smoothly.

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 25 Mar 2006 5:53 am

Looks clean to me. Usually a scammer will have some sort of weird payment type in the text and want you to jump through some hoops to make the sale.

Gary Glisson · Post by **Gary Glisson** » 25 Mar 2006 6:30 am

hi kyle; this response might be ligit;
usually the times i got scam they sent me e-mails that say ( i will make payment when you ship item) they usually don't speake of the item or the price of the item.
when you logn in to tell them you don't have a item for sale they got youa. they have a machine that counts key stroks and they know your screen name and password.
the response you got seems to know morw details about your item.

Gary Glisson · Post by **Gary Glisson** » 25 Mar 2006 6:32 am

hi kyle; this response might be ligit;
usually the times i got scam they sent me e-mails that say ( i will make payment when you ship item) they usually don't speake of the item or the price of the item.
when you logn in to tell them you don't have a item for sale they got youa. they have a machine that counts key stroks and they know your screen name and password.
the response you got seems to know more details about your item.

Bob Miano · Post by **Bob Miano** » 25 Mar 2006 7:08 am

Kyle,
For all it's worth, I sold an Emmons to
Al several years ago. He made payment in
quick fashion and loved the guitar.
Could be someone is using his name as a
decoy, but I had a good dealing with him.

Bob Miano[This message was edited by Bob Miano on 25 March 2006 at 07:11 AM.]

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 25 Mar 2006 9:06 am

Sounds to me like someone wants to buy your guitar! Nothing about that e-mail seems suspicious to me.

Derek Byron · Post by **Derek Byron** » 25 Mar 2006 10:36 am

Just insist on a postal money order. Cashier's checks are always used in the scams - the check clears, you get the cash and mail the guitar, and then the bank holds you responsible when they find out that it was a scam. The scam emails always have an awkward "formality" about the way they are written, like the person doesn't really have a command of the English language, but they are trying to overcompensate and be convincing by sounding proper. Here's an example of the one I received last week my for Super Reverb I'm selling:

Hello,
> i am intrested in your advert (Fender Super
> Reverb 65 RI) forsale.i will like to know if it is
> still available forsale,if so i will like you
> to know your final and the present condition of the
> advert.
> moreso,my mode of payment will be through US certified
> cashiers
> cheque ,if that is alright by you i will like you to
> get back me with your contact information as followed
> for payment:
> Name in full.........
> Adress........
> city.......
> zip code........
> state........
> land and mobile phone number.....
>
> i will be looking forward for your good reply asap.
> Thanks,
> Steven.

....clearly a scam.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 25 Mar 2006 12:03 pm

Hey Derek,

Sounds like Arnold Schwartznegger wants to buy your amp.

Bobby D. Hunter · Post by **Bobby D. Hunter** » 25 Mar 2006 1:56 pm

I looked at the headers and message text and there is nothing to suggest that this is a scam, nor is it of known foreign origin. All IP addresses in the received from lines are in the USA, and from the same ISP. I have looked at many scam emails and none were as concise and trackable as this one.

Couple that with the statements from others here that have sold items to this member I believe it is a legitimate offer to buy your guitar.

You can ask b0b if Al is a member to make your final decision, if you only sell to members. You can also setup a PayPal account and accept payment through them.

------------------
Bobby D. Hunter
Security for SGF
Hunting down Slimeball Game
Reporting member of SpamCop

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 25 Mar 2006 2:37 pm

NOMB and I don't know this gentleman, but I thought I remembered seeing numerous posts from Al Schoffstall here in the past. A search on his name turned up many posts on the archived boards as per Larry C's reply.

That and/or the fact that another active forum member has vouched for his legitimacy would be plenty good enough for me.[This message was edited by Jerry Overstreet on 25 March 2006 at 04:27 PM.]

Bill Simmons · Post by **Bill Simmons** » 25 Mar 2006 4:27 pm

About 4 years ago, I met Al at the TSGA show or some steel show...I was looking to buy some GL cord plugs and he said, "I have a pile of those cord plugs I will never use...give me your address and I send you some..." About a week later, a box came with about 20 GL cord plugs!! I never forgot his kindness and frankly never thought he would send them as I never net him before and have never seen him since. I believe Al was from MO...

Kyle Aaron · Post by **Kyle Aaron** » 26 Mar 2006 1:12 pm

Thanks for the replies, guys. It makes me much more comfortable knowing that this is a real person and not a scammer. Just being cautious here because I can't afford to be scammed at the moment.

Post by **b0b** » 26 Mar 2006 5:28 pm

Al has been a Forum member since 1999, and he regularly purchases items from the Forum catalog.

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog

Kyle Aaron · Post by **Kyle Aaron** » 27 Mar 2006 8:25 am

I've been in contact with Al over email, and he seems like a good guy. The sale on the guitar is pending, so I'll be sure to send a donation (or what little I can after getting my bank account out of the negative)

thanks again, guys!