limmk

- THE SCAM - He goes to motoring websites and offers cheap car parts
- THE MONEY - Victims pay money into bank accounts
- THE TRICK - Scammer uses sophisticated way to transfer thousands of dollars
- THE TAUNTS - He re-enters website and makes fun of victims

HE thought it was a 'good deal' when he saw the offer on the Honda Club online forum.


Car enthusiast Simon, with his car, says he lost $420 after paying upfront for an accessory he ordered.

Someone was offering him a electronic device which would make his car more fuel efficient for just $420, instead of the usual $600.

So Mr Simon took up the offer and paid up.

But he never got the device.

What he got, instead, was an audacious dare.

'Three sentences for all of you. Show this to the investigators, ' the scammer told him and his other alleged victims in a post on the website.

'Find me if you can. Catch me if you can. Jail me if you can.'

The scammer, who went by the name of 'Jude Tan', called himself 'Judeshonda' and allegedly took more than $11,000 of the victims' money in a car parts scam.

Mr Simon, 28, was one of his three alleged victims we spoke to who made police reports yesterday.

They were accompanied by one of the holders of the two bank accounts into which their money was paid.

Victims paid money into these accounts. The owners of these accounts then paid 'Jude Tan' an equivalent amount in 'e-gold' - a cyber currency that is backed by real gold.

The alleged victims believe at least 17 people have been similarly duped.

BULK DISCOUNTS

All ordered from the man who claimed to be able to get bulk discounts on sought-after car parts and components, such as racing gauges, sports exhaust systems and other electronics to enhance a car's performance.

According to Mr Simon, the man even had the cheek to track him down online.

'He posted more taunts like, 'Hey bro have you received it yet?' but I just ignored him.

'He is just happy that people are furious, so why let him be happy? I am not going to respond to his taunts.'

Another victim, who only wanted to be known as Mr Ang, said: 'I was willing to forgo the money that I lost but the taunts made me very angry.

'He was so arrogant to taunt us like that.'

Mr Ang, 29, lost $285 to the scammer, while another lost over $4,600.

When the scammer's profile was blocked on the online forum, he created a new profile to continue his taunts.

'You have banned my nicks. I need to post here to leave my traces... The traces are there for you to track me down and that is impossible... I can never be caught,' he posted on the forum.

The scammer allegedly registered himself as a member on the Singapore Honda Club forum on 14 Oct.

He then posted his offer the next day to do group purchases offering discounts on various car parts and accessories.

He claimed that he was travelling to Germany to purchase group orders.

According to the victims, the prices were 20 to 40 per cent cheaper than the market price here.

The catch was that the scammer wanted full payment upfront.

Two local bank accounts were allegedly given to different victims by the scammer.

The scammer told the victims he would arrive in Singapore last Wednesday night and would contact the buyers to deliver and install the parts on their cars.

Said Mr Ang: 'I called his handphone on Wednesday night at 10pm, but there was a voice message saying that the customer was not available.

'I made several calls the next day, but again the line did not ring.

'I then discovered through the online forum that other customers also did not receive their orders and he had been active on another forum as well.'

CLAIMS TO BE S'POREAN

Mr Simon said the scammer called him a few days after he placed his order to ask him if he wanted the device he ordered installed.

'He claims he's a Singaporean who has left Singapore. He sounded like one, so I didn't suspect anything.'

Over the next few days, the victims contacted each other and agreed to meet.

They also contacted the bank they transferred the money to.

The account holder was alerted by the bank and agreed to give the victims his contact details.

The account holder, who only wanted to be known as Vincent, said: 'I felt I needed to meet these people to understand what is happening and after knowing about this, it is my responsibility to help in any way possible.'

He said he had no idea what was happening until he was contacted by the bank.

Mr Vincent, who is a virtual currency trader, said: 'I suspected something was wrong when the bank contacted me.

'I went home to check my transactions, but my numbers tallied.'

He claimed he did not know the scammer as he had used a sophisticated form of Internet transaction known as virtual currency.

The currency is difficult to trace.

However, the victims are confident that the culprit would be traced eventually.

Said a victim by the name of Leonard: 'I wouldn't think it's not traceable, but it has got messy.

'The culprit still has to convert the virtual currency back to cash at some point and he would need a bank account to do it.'



http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/st...16635,00.html?

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Shannie

I'm aware of this. I think he conned over $20k from Singapore Honda Club and Evo forums, saying he's in Germany now and can get Apexi stuffs cheap. :speechless:

shin-kyo

wah wtf... this kind of people... may this kind of idiots got kill outside...

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funnysnow

I'm aware of this too. I went to other forum and they warm people about this case.

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fuyumi

I don't think they should trust people just like that. Yet another lesson learnt.

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shin-kyo

yeah. i know how they feel. that scam is sure a f up person.

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Shannie

He got caught!

Sheng4Eva

tt person is a dumbo

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FTW

burtonho1990

so sad i motto is : only cash on delivery if not dont talk too much

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raccon82

FOOKing idiot scammer.. Damn.. Lucky he was being caught

shin-kyo

isit? how u all know he go caught?

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cyborg

It is reported in the papers. Something related: it is also posted in ChannelNewAsia forum on legal issues related to unauthorized usage of unsecured broadband and this case was mentioned. This scammer claimed that he is behind many anonymous proxies and thus catching him is impossible; that's why he goes around taunting others. Baseline is: you can tap on others unsecured network but it is impossible to cover your activities. And that's how I guess this scammer got caught.

shin-kyo

haha.. orbi.

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