Every month about half a dozen eBay users
are scammed by Ukrainian scammers. The problem
of e-bay that pay pal system is not available
for Ukraine users. Therefore e-bay sellers
from Ukraine prefer Western Union as the only
way of getting money from buyers. After money
is sent by Western Union you have got a good
chance to be scammed. To e-bay users’ regret,
Western Union is not available to return money
back.
In 2008 we got request from e-bay user to
make investigation concerning e-bay scammer
from Ukraine. Customer bought laptop for 2500.00
USD, transferred money by Western Union and
got neither refund nor notebook. Customer
supplied us with scammer’s Western Union billing
information; we identified the scammer and
applied to the police of Ukraine to start
criminal investigation.
The police of Ukraine started criminal investigation
but the arguments were too weak to push this
case into the court and the police had nothing
to do but to close criminal case. Reasons
were:
If somebody pays by Western Union it doesn’t
mean that somebody pays for some goods, business
services or anything else. Scammer announced
that he got charity from some American who
decided to help his ill grandfather. Scammer
was asked: “How do you think why rich American
whom you do not know transferred 2500.00 USD
to help your grandfather?” Answer was the
most innocent: “First I didn’t catch why.
But in few weeks this American asked me to
make him a favor: to search and buy historical
rarities in Ukraine and make illegal export
of them to US. I refused his proposal and
wanted to return money but unfortunately I
have already used them for recovering of my
grandfather. So this American is a real scammer
who made charity for my ill grandfather and
now makes blackmail.” The police checked and
discovered that scammer’s grandfather was
really ill.
E-bay messages and via correspondence between
scammer and e-bay buyer were shown to the
scammer. The police made identity of Ukraine
PC from which correspondence was made. But
scammer said: “PC has not got digital sign
which confirms identity of user. Besides the
apartment where PC located was rented by other
person from Africa who lived there and maybe
made a scam. You are welcome to close criminal
case in Ukraine and search your scammer in
Africa”. The scammer showed “renting contract”.
Anyway one of Ukraine investigators found
the way how to catch this scammer. He rented
expensive land rover, took a gun, took dictaphone,
hidden camera and met scammer. He informed
the scammer that he was representative of
criminal world and some corrupted police officer
sold information to criminals about the scammer.
“Criminal representative” offered agreement
in accordance to which:
1. Scammer has to continue scamming
2. Scammer has to specify where he scams and
how he scams. This way criminal authority
will be available to give exclusivity for
this scammer in this field of scam and nobody
will interfere the scammer’s business.
3. Criminal authorities have friends in the
police and will defend scammer from the police
in case of his failure.
4. Scammer has to grant criminal authorities
50% of his profit.
5. Scammer made scam before this agreement,
earned money but didn’t pay to criminal authorities.
This way the scammer has to pay fine 5000.00
USD immediately.
6. If scammer does not agree with any paragraph
of this agreement “criminal representative”
will make him injures and will be back in
a week to continue discussing this agreement.
The scammer had nothing to do but to inform
“criminal representative” how he scams whom
he scams and where he scams. Scam scenario
was voice and video recorded. Having got this
evidence we applied Office of Public Prosecutor
to appeal solution of the police and reopen
criminal case. The prosecutor of Ukraine satisfied
our appeal and scammer was caught.
