Fraud Alert! - Scam Alias: Susan Pole

Artists are now common targets of advance fee fraud, also known as the Nigerian letter scam, 419 fraud, or a Nigerian money offer. In January 2007 I got one of these suspicious emails and started looking into the alias of the sender. That’s when I learned many artists are being targeted by advance fee scams.

Now I share my 419 fraud emails here for the benefit of other artists who might be targets of this scheme. I also wrote a response you can use whenever one of these emails lands in your inbox. Since using that standard reply, my scam emails have slowed down to a trickle.

After the first couple emails with this individual, I decided to see how far he would go. This is the most agressive and tenacious scammer I've ever encountered. Our emails went back and forth for almost two weeks before he realized I wasn't going to give in. He even got a "third party shipping company" involved but it was obviously just the same person. Enjoy!

From: susan pole [mailto:susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk]

Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 11:30 PM

To: anima@artbyanima.com

Subject: Artworks Request.....................

Hi,

hope this message meet you well.
I saw your website while searching for Creative Artworks to purchase for my new home.

I will like to buy the Artworks below if they are available for pick up.
The Artworks are:

Celestial Body
Lips of an Angel I
Solare

I will want you to also let me know their Asking prices without the Shipping Cost. As per the payment,I want you to know that I am happy to make the payment via US Certified Bank Cheque.

I will appreciate your quick response.

Regards,

Susan

From: Anima [mailto:anima@artbyanima.com]

Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 9:58 AM

To: 'susan pole'

Subject: RE: Artworks Request.....................

Hi Susan,

Thanks so much for your interest! I do accept certified cheques. However I don't ship the artwork until the cheque has cleared the issuing bank and this can take several weeks. Because of this, most of my other customers prefer to pay by credit card or Paypal. To view my prices please visit my website at www.artbyanima.com.

Thanks,

Anima

From: susan pole [mailto:susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk]

Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007 3:34 PM

To: Anima

Subject: Information for the payment...............................

Hi Anima,

Thanks for your response.

I have explore your site and below is what i came acroo and i beleive the price is fear.

Celestial Body CAD$ 950 o USD$ 835
Lips of an Angel I CAD$ 100 o USD$ 90
Solare CAD$ 700 o USD$ 615

The Total asking price for the works equal to $1540 and i think is okay by me.

.As regards the pick up of my works,I have spoken with a shipping agency that arranges the pick up of my other decors from Italy and they have agreed to come down for the pick up though they said that they are on shipping tour now but will surely come for it as it may arranged,one of their nearby agent will come for the pick up via fedEx and that will be after you migh have gotten the payment from me.

They said they will be contacting you to ask for some information about the works before they will send in their charges.

Anima,I want you to let me have the Name and Address with Phone number(s) which payment should be made out to.

I will appreciate your quick response.

Regards,

Susan

Hi Susan,

You may make your payment using the following information:

Art by Anima
321 - 278 Suder Greens Drive
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
T5T 6V6

Do you still intend to pay with a US Certified Bank Cheque? If so, I will not be able to release the art for shipping until the cheque clears the issuing bank. If you would like the artwork shipped more quickly, I also accept Visa, Master Card, American Express and Paypal.

Thanks,

Anima

From: bundle_movers [mailto:bundle_movers@myway.com]

Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 6:00 AM

To: anima@artbyanima.com

Cc: susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk

Subject: Shipping Arrangement(introduction)

Good day,

I have received a communication from Mrs Susan Collins that we should work with you to ship some artworks from you to her new house in Johannesbourg, South Africa when you two are through with the transaction, as she advises.

I will like you to give me the kind and nature of the things she wants to ship so as to send in my charges to her. I will like to have your studio address as well, so i can make arrangement with any nearby FedEx Agent that will be coming for the pick up once you and Mrs Susan Collins are through with the transactions.Thanks.

I will appreciate your earlier reply.

Yours,
Mr. Michael Collins
for Bundle movers and Logistics Services Ltd.

From: Anima [mailto:anima@artbyanima.com]

Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 2:02 PM

To: 'bundle_movers@myway.com'

Cc: 'susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk'

Subject: RE: Shipping Arrangement(introduction)

Hi Michael,

Susan is interested in 3 paintings. All of them are made with oil pastels painted on canvas stretched over a wooden frame. The surface of each painting is delicate. One is 6" x 6", the second is 20" x 20" and the third is 22" x 28".

My studio information is as follows:
Art by Anima
321 - 278 Suder Greens Dr.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
T5T 6V6

Warm regards,

Anima

From: bundle_movers [mailto:bundle_movers@myway.com]

Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 5:19 PM

To: anima@artbyanima.com

Cc: susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk

Subject: Pick Up Arrangement for Mrs Susan Pole's works

We are happy to let you know that we have spoken to Mrs Susan Pole this morning on our Shipping Tour presently and we were able to let her realise how soon we could be through here but that is not disturbing our pick up from you earlier before the end of our tour because we would be picking the Works up from you via A nearby FedEx.

We are happy to let you know that we have instructed Mrs Susan to send our charges along your asking price so that we can receive it from you during the pick up and she has agree to our terms. We will appreciate it if you could let us know as soon she send the payment to you for us to be able to start the procedure here.

Yours,
Mr. Michael Collins.
for Bundle movers and Logistics Services Ltd.

From: Anima [mailto:anima@artbyanima.com]

Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 11:17 AM

To: 'bundle_movers@myway.com'

Cc: 'susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk'

Subject: RE: Pick Up Arrangement for Mrs Susan Pole's works

My business policy requires that Susan pay for the shipping directly herself since she is the one organizing it. I hope this will not present too much of an obstacle for you.

Thanks,

Anima

From: susan pole [mailto:susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk]

Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 3:51 PM

To: Anima

Subject: Payment under process....................

Hi Anima spoke with my Husband and he told me that the payment will be under process as soon as i want him to. Also,the shipping Agency has adviced that their shipping cost should sendt alongside your Asking price to you so that you can forward it to them during pick up.

I will still have to have your phone number so that it will be easy for me to contact you .

Anima,should i use only the infomation given to me for the payment or should i include your name?

I want you to get back to me as soon as possible.

Regards,

Susan

Thanks for your response.

The payment is under process,I want you to understand that iam presently in Ukraine in a UNICEF arranged programme but will surely be home soon,I have

From: Anima [mailto:anima@artbyanima.com]

Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 11:17 AM

To: 'susan pole'

Subject: RE: Payment under process....................

Hi Susan,

My phone number is 780-483-5009. You can use the information I provided for the payment. How exactly will you be paying? Please let me know so that I can have a better idea of when exactly to make the art work available for shipping.

Unfortunately, I require that you pay your shipping company directly. I have also let them know that this is a strict policy I have when the customer arranges their own shipping.

Thanks,

Anima

Sorry for this,i forgot to ask you in my blast mail to you,should the cheque be drawn on your name?if yes,i want you to let me have your full name or should it be drawn on Art by Anima?.

I want you to reply ASAP.

Regards,

Susan

From: Anima [mailto:anima@artbyanima.com]

Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 10:06 AM

To: 'susan pole'

Subject: RE: Payment under process....................

Hi Susan,

You may make the cheque payable to Art by Anima. Please send a separate cheque that is made payable to the shipping company in the amount they are requesting. That means I will be expecting two cheques from you - one made out to Art by Anima for the amount of the paintings and the other made out to your shipping company for the amount of the shipping costs. That way when FedEx comes to pick up the shipments I will just give them that cheque. Otherwise I will not be able to pay the shipping company. That is my strict policy. Please also let the shipping company know that the artwork will not be available for shipping until after the cheque has cleared the issuing bank. This will probably be 4-6 weeks after I receive your payment.

Thank you,

Anima

From: bundle_movers [mailto:bundle_movers@myway.com]

Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 9:50 AM

To: anima@artbyanima.com

Cc: susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk

Subject: RE: Pick Up Arrangement for Mrs Susan Pole's works

Hello once again,

Thanks for your response.

We want you to know that we got your last mail right but we have been dealing with Susan Pole for a while now,it is a pity that we could not get our payment before we come for the pick up from her because we are presently in a remote Area of China,we knew Susan to be a good person in the past few years that we handled some shipment for her and her Husband.

We are only considering her for her past well behaviour in business and that is why we have agreed to come for the pick up and have our payment from you during pick up.

We will like you to let us know as soon as She sent the payment to you so that we can contact the nearby FedEx for the pick up update,we have informed them already and they are waiting on us now.

Thannks for your co-operation and better understanding.

Yours,
Mr. Michael Collins
for Bundle movers and Logistics Services Ltd.

From: Anima [mailto:anima@artbyanima.com]

Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 10:16 AM

To: 'bundle_movers@myway.com'

Cc: 'susan02_pole@yahoo.co.uk'

Subject: RE: Pick Up Arrangement for Mrs Susan Pole's works

Hi Michael,

I'm very happy to hear how reliable you have found Susan Pole to be. That makes me feel more confident about this transaction. However, because of how common fraud involving certified cheques is, I've told Susan the following: The artwork will not be available for shipping until after her US certified cheque clears the issuing bank. I've estimated that this will take 4-6 weeks. I will not ship the artwork until that has been confirmed by my bank. Also, Susan will be paying you with a separate cheque that she will have made payable to your company. When FedEx comes to pick up the artwork I will give them the cheque from Susan. I will not give FedEx any cash - the payment must be directly from Susan.

I hope you understand, as it is very important that I have policies in place to prevent as many negative situations as I can.

Thanks again,

Anima

If you've received a suspiscious email but you're not sure that it's definitely a scam, try this email reply.

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Labels: fraud and scams