Where am I?

Today we had a fairly typical scam.. Pretty plain vanilla except for my scammer's complete ignorance of geography. I've found it's a really easy way to trap someone, especially if they tell you they are from someplace that they're not. I think what they do is get the name of a city from one mark and use it with the next one. She told me she was from Princeton, IL, to which I responded "Oh is that in Southern Illinois?" and she said yes. Now Princeton is a little west of Chicago and if you were actually from there you'd immediately correct me. What was funny with this one was they didn't even know where Kenya was, they thought it was near Nigeria.

I'm more convinced than ever that they work in packs as this was the second scammer in a week to tell me they were from Princeton. It's too much of a coincidence to be otherwise. Also while I was talking to this one, the other one came on and said I must not like her because I never write her.. I guess I'm just a heartbreaker.. I haven't published her story yet, I keep waiting for her to get to the point but she keeps dragging it on. We'll see if she was really brushing me off or firing for effect.

The funny thing is they expect you to be honest, so when you say something they agree, not expecting you to try and deceive them. That after all is their job and they can't imagine that you are on to them. I guess my hobby is not very common because they are utterly defenseless to anyone playing games with them.

A couple of wrinkles, this one asked what sort of car I drove and how much I paid for it, I guess trying to size up how much I'd be good for. This one did make a vain attempt to use a web search when I started asking questions about Chicago, so they do get a few bonus points for that. The only indication that they figured out they'd been had was when they uttered "damn" but then they clammed up and gave up.

Her Profile

sandra_luv300: hello
me: hi
sandra_luv300: how are u doing?
me: I;m ok you?
sandra_luv300: just kool
me: that;s good
sandra_luv300: so what are u doing now?
me: just working and chatting a little
sandra_luv300: that's kool
me: ok
sandra_luv300: asl plz
me: ohh I'm old
me: m
me: california
me: you?
sandra_luv300: 29 f il
me: ohh okay... what part of illinois?
sandra_luv300: princeton
sandra_luv300: do u know there
me: it's in southern illinois isn't it?
sandra_luv300: yes
me: ohh okay don't know it exactly
sandra_luv300: but are u married?
me: no I'm a widower
sandra_luv300: oh ic
sandra_luv300: so do u have kids?
me: no kids
sandra_luv300: oh
sandra_luv300: so what are u doing for a living?
me: I'm a partner in a software company
sandra_luv300: that's nice
me: sometimes
sandra_luv300: do u have a car?
me: yes
sandra_luv300: what type of series?
me: volvo
sandra_luv300: how much do u buy it?
sandra_luv300: if i may ask?
me: is that important?
me: well you're from illinois.. you should have a good idea what they run
sandra_luv300: oh ic
sandra_luv300: so what are u doing for fun today?
me: ohh I don't know probably nothing special.... you?
sandra_luv300: JUST CHILLING
sandra_luv300: do u have cam?
me: yes
me: do you?
sandra_luv300: yes but frozen
me: oic
sandra_luv300: so what are u doing for fun todat?
me: same as when you asked me 2 minutes ago
sandra_luv300: okay
sandra_luv300: where are u in Ca?
me: near san francisco
sandra_luv300: oh i know there
me: ohh okay.. ever been here?
sandra_luv300: yes
sandra_luv300: do u know san diego?
me: yes..
me: what did you see in SF?
sandra_luv300: my friend former lives there
me: I see... where is that?
sandra_luv300: san diego?
me: ohh I thought you meant SF... where in San Diego?
sandra_luv300: amherst street
me: what part of san diego... I wasn't looking for a street... more and area
sandra_luv300: south part
me: ohh ok towards la then
sandra_luv300: yes
me: ic ok
sandra_luv300: have u ever went on vacation before?
me: been on every continent but antartica on vacation at one point or antoher
sandra_luv300: have u been to africa?
me: yes..... Kenya
sandra_luv300: oh nice
sandra_luv300: it's near nigeria
me: well not that close... other side of the continent
sandra_luv300: but kenya is a west africa also
me: kenya is east africa... it's on the indian ocean
sandra_luv300: oh it's true
me: ok
sandra_luv300: are u always online?
me: quite often yes
sandra_luv300: same with me
sandra_luv300: wow
sandra_luv300: u are cute
me: thanks
sandra_luv300: do u have gf?
me: no no gf
sandra_luv300: really?
me: really
sandra_luv300: same with me........i dont have a bf
me: ohh ok
sandra_luv300: can i add u?
me: sure if you like
sandra_luv300: okay
sandra_luv300: so what time are u right now?
me: 315pm
sandra_luv300: oh it's 11;15pm
sandra_luv300: here
me: ok
sandra_luv300: do u live alone?
me: yes
sandra_luv300: can i come and meet u very soon?
me: where?
sandra_luv300: in SF
me: sure in SF I could meet you
sandra_luv300: okay
sandra_luv300: when do u want me to come?
me: that's up to you
sandra_luv300: u want me to decide?
me: sure
sandra_luv300: okay
sandra_luv300: i will be coming by august
me: ok
sandra_luv300: so can u give me ur house address?
me: in august
me: you certainly don't need it now
sandra_luv300: okay
sandra_luv300: but huney i need ur help in something?
me: what's that?
sandra_luv300: my client gave me a money order........so i will like u to help me cash it for now
me: ohh sorry I can't do that
sandra_luv300: that's the money i want to use and buy a flight ticket before i can come to u
me: ah well I'm sure you'll work something out... where is this client?
sandra_luv300: His now in holland
me: I see... well you're from illinois you should know american banks don't take 3rd party checks any more
sandra_luv300: they will receive it
sandra_luv300: bcos have confirmed it before i will send it to u hun
me: who is they and what will the receive?
sandra_luv300: the banks
me: it's a money order made out to you right?
sandra_luv300: it's now with me hun
me: okay then I can't help you... my bank will only take checks made out to me
me: why did you let your client give you a money order in the 1st place if you can't cash it anywhere?
sandra_luv300: i dont know that he will pay it with moneyorder
me: I see
sandra_luv300: that's the mistake that i did
me: ok well I still can't help you
me: don't you still have a bank account in illinois?
sandra_luv300: nope
me: why not?
sandra_luv300: i closed the account when i was coming to africa
me: I see.. well that's too bad..
sandra_luv300: but when i comes back i will reopen another one
me: ok
me: no family still in illinois?
sandra_luv300: i'm the only daughter of my parent
me: oic
sandra_luv300: and my parent are now in scotland
sandra_luv300: for now
me: living there?
sandra_luv300: nope
sandra_luv300: they will be coming back by september
me: I see...
me: well that's a long time to be there how are they doing their banking?
sandra_luv300: they are working there also
me: ohh okay then they must have a bank account in scotland.. you can send them the money order
sandra_luv300: it's a usa money order
me: no problem in Scotland
sandra_luv300: not international money order hun
me: I send american checks to the uk all the time
sandra_luv300: u can cash it elseway
me: no I told you I can't
sandra_luv300: huney comeon
sandra_luv300: the money is not much
sandra_luv300: is only $5000
me: I told you my bank won't accept it if it's made out to you
me: gee only $5000.. nothing
sandra_luv300: u can go and cash it at another bank hun
me: are you really from illinois???????
sandra_luv300: yes
me: that's hard to believe after a statement like that... you should know that no bank will cash a check or a money order if you don't have an account with them..
sandra_luv300: yes i know
sandra_luv300: but ur name will be at the money order........as the receiver okay
me: so I can't help you... my bank flat out won't take a money order from me made out to you
sandra_luv300: okay
me: well how can that be? you just told me that your client sent it to you as payment.. there is not way he'd do that without putting you name on it
sandra_luv300: i will reprint the name
me: then it will look like it was forged and my bank won't take it and then yours won't either
sandra_luv300: i promise u they will
sandra_luv300: just try and see
me: you know what?
sandra_luv300: they will give u the money hun
me: smile you're on candid scammer
me: you're not from illinois
me: you've never been to san diego
sandra_luv300: why do u say so hun
me: you're not the sexy white girl on your profile
sandra_luv300: damn
me: you're most likely not even a girl
sandra_luv300: are u insulting me
me: well 1... you should figure out where the hell you're from
me: princeton is a suburb of chicago
me: not in southen illinois
me: mexico is south of san diego not LA
me: it's a really old lame scam... how often do you get someone to fall for it?
sandra_luv300: i can't be lieing to u
me: oh? why is that?
sandra_luv300: u said i'm a lier
me: well you are
me: so what are the airports in chicago?
me: if you're from princeton you'd know that
me: come on it's an easy question
me: what lake is chicago on??
me: come on... tell me a little about Illinois
me: you're from there after all...
me: are there people that are really dumb enough to believe you????????
sandra_luv300: Chicago Midway International Airport

me: so what's the bigger one?
me: come on
me: you can hit it with a rock from Princeton
me: too slow.. you lose but hey thanks for playing
me: but at least you tried a web search... more than most of you do
me: you see I have a hobby
sandra_luv300 has stopped viewing your webcam.

me: awww running off?
me: dont ya hate it when the scam artist gets scammed???
sandra_luv300: dont be stupid
me: I'm not that's why I don't believe you
me: if you want to pull this off don't pretend to be from some place you know nothing about...
me: it would be like me trying to convice you I'm from Lago
me: it's too easy to get trapped in a lie
me: and you did in out 1st minute of conversation
me: I don't know why I'm telling you this... it's my mission to put guys like you out of business
me: awwww guess you don't want to talk to me any more