646-494-4063

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to alert others. I encountered this jerk when he replied to my CL posting for lawn furniture, but his first email was brief:

"My name is Rick,I will appreciate it if you to get back to me with your bottom price at my email address mbjhaga at gmail dot com (substitute symbols for AT and DOT words)."

After I replied (stupidly?) to the (Nigerian-sounding) name at gmail.com, he sent me the same "I work for Turner Construction" email that others have received--the one about how he was in a rural area, would pay with PayPal and could be contacted at (501) 438-9373. It felt like a scam, so I didn't reply, and now this website confirms that he's a pro. However, I wonder if he already got what he was looking for when I replied to his first message--i.e., my e-mail address. Who knows? Maybe he sells them to online marketers?

Rick Smith just struck again, using the email address safareewalker@gmail.com

I had the exact same email regarding a sofa we are selling on CL here in Portland. Something didn't feel right so I googled and here I am. I called him on it. And reported him to Paypal and Turner Construction


Hi,

Thanks for your reply paypal is the best way to send money online and it is safe and secure, it is very easy to open an account with them just go to paypal.com and open an account with and  Kindly send me your PayPal money request or simply get back to me with the total cost of the item and your  paypal email ID so that i can proceed with the payment asap..And i want you  to know that you are very much safe with them and also i the buyer as well.

Thanks,      
Regards


Hello,

Thanks for the response, My name is Rick Smith. I am buying this as a surprise to someone very dear to me and I want to keep it that way(AS A SURPRISE) after delivery day. I work with Turner Construction,we are currently working at a very rural area which makes it very hard for me to make phone calls due to bad network reception here but you can always text me on (501)438-9373 . I will not be able to view it but I have a Mover who will come for the pickup so please get back to me with more pics and also I will be making the payment via PayPal as that is the only payment option I can access from here I hope you understand.I have some questions for you;

Are you the first owner of it?
Where do you live?
What is your final asking price?
Does it have anything negative i should know about?

Hope to read back from you soon.....
Regards Smith  




I really need this for my family,E-mail me at safareewalker at gmail
dot com with your bottom dollar ASAP




------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original craigslist post:
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/fuo/4249737585.html
About craigslist mail:
http://craigslist.org/about/help/email-relay
Please flag unwanted messages (spam, scam, other):
http://craigslist.org/mf/ca9096cee199e9fbd2ec491495626c2921611322.1
------------------------------------------------------------------------

He is still at it.  Got the same thing this week for a very large executive desk.   unreal!  Don't work with Rick Smith

Rick Smith at it again with another number. Same email as all the others. Using the email walkingthon@gmail.com. I was also selling furniture through craigslist and used the automated email option but it seems he got my email somehow since I don't see that option on the original email to report address as a scam.

Yeh got the same message today me and my girl realized there were too much [***] in one email. Rick smith turner construction, come up with a better last name then smith, and story

I just got the same text and email from this dude.  New number.702-744-2403.  Glad I thought it was fishy and googled his name and saw all of this!!  UGH!!  LOSER!!

I too got the exact same email from him about working for Turner Construction and a "Suprise".

Here is his latest email:
Latest phone #+1 (702) 744-2403

What a [***]!

I got the same exact email. I talked to pay pal customer service abd he was telling me how I could be taken advantage of since it was furniture so I decided to look up his name abd here he is scamming people

Fancy that. I got the same message from this scumbag.

he got my aunt for 900$ still at it

Caller from Turner construction working at a very rural area makes it very hard to make phone calls 1314-641-1793

(314) 641-1793 same

Same thing today. 12,11.14

Same thing today.  Selling a large entertainment unit in Bucks County, PA.  He mentions Turner Construction, rural area, surprise and PayPal.   From phone number 631.861.9222.

Same thing today 1-6-2015. I was suspicious of the situation and not wanting to be scammed, I looked him up. I am so glad I did! Thanks to everyone who has been posting warnings! His number is: 1-631-861-9059 and says it's located in Farmingdale, NY.

his latest number is 631-861-9059 i am trying to lure him in to catch him red handed.

WE got his text also.  How are people getting scammed. My son-in-law gave him his paypal email  and phone number so he could send money for some furniture.

Usually what they do is send a fake paypal notification of payment made.  They usually have some excuse not to ever call or speak live with you, its either email or text. Sometimes it will even be a over pay and they will want money back.   You may wish to read through these articles.

https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/security/suspicious-activity

http://safeandsavvy.f-secure.com/2013/03/05/37-ways-to-mess-up-a-paypal-scam/

http://robmcguire.net/texting-with-a-craigslist-scammer/

https://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=55235

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EetBVgU6hkw

http://scam-detector.com/auto-scams/car-sold-online

(631) 904-9518 is the number he texted me from. I would be suspicious of any non local numbers period...