Whassupjack.com

This is a long post but a necessary one to point out how the scam works.I have been a big fan of Ebay and Stubhub for online transactions. I like the transparency and the security. I have not had much exposure to Craigslist. I scanned all three looking for Bruce Springsteen concert tickets. I saw this ad on Craigslist.

• Date: 2007-10-17, 8:03AM CDT
  2 Tickets - Bruce Springsteen Concert on Oct 21, 2007 @7:30 PM at United Center in Chicago, IL
  Section: 121, Row: 11, seats together
  $ 450/pair

I emailed the seller and offered $300 for the pair. He quickly sent an email response below.

• Hi there,
  The tickets are still available. I can sell you this pair for $300. We just want to save some money. The fact is we are stuck with those tickets. We
  would hate to see the tickets go to waste. We have to selling them because we - me and my wife - we won’t be able to make it to this event. We’ve decided to spend our “Honeymoon Period” traveling as much as possible. We are in Europe, UK now.
  Regarding delivery and payment, I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast, and in this way you will receive the tickets in less than 1 day (overnight delivery), if you move fast as well. The solution is provided by a company called Parceline which is similar to Fedex, DHL or UPS, which will handle the payment and delivery of the tickets.
  It will allow you to pay for the tickets only after you will receive them - this way you will see that they are genuine. Please click on the link below to the Parceline website to see how we can complete the deal safely and fast directly from the website of the company where the procedure is explained.
  http://parcelinefreight.co.uk
  Let me know what you think
  Sebastian
  PS. Tickets are located in Section: 121, Row: 11. This are hard tickets, received as a wedding gift.

The first hints of a problem have appeared.

• He quickly accepted a lower bid
• He has a story
• He is in the UK
• He wants to use an unconventional method for the transaction Parceline
• He says it is to insure that the tickets are genuine

I continued the transaction and received this email

• I went to Parceline just earlier and I have sent the tickets. They will contact you later today to your e-mail with the confirmation and the instructions on how to complete your end.
  Please follow the instructions at your earliest and complete the transaction.
  Keep me posted.
  Sebastian

An email quickly followed from Parceline freight

• Date: Thursday, October 18, 2007
• Tracking (Consignment) Number: 963563401
• Direct Parceline Distribution (DPD) Shipment Details & Payment Instructions
  Please follw the Payment Instructions
• 
• 
• Dear DPD Express Customer,
• We have your package in our custody.
• Description of goods: (2) Bruce Springsteen Event Tickets - Section: 121, Row: 11, Seats 23 and 24
• Event Date / Location: Oct 21, 2007 At Venue United Center in Chicago, IL
• Parcel Content:
• 1. (2) Bruce Springsteen Event Tickets - Section: 121, Row: 11, Seats 23 and 24
• Sender of package ( Seller ): Sebastian Summers
• Sender’s Address: 473 West Derby Hotel, Tuebrook, Liverpool, L6 4BN, United Kingdom
  Receiver of package ( Buyer ): Mike Gentleman
• Receiver’s Address: Same as Delivery Address Delivery Address:
• Address:
• City / State: Hinsdale IL
• Zip(City Code): 60521
• Country: USA
• 
• Delivery Type: Parceline Express ” Next Day” Delivery - After the Payment is received and verified by DPD.
• ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) - Pending
  Amount to be paid by the Buyer: US $300.00
• Payment Instructions - Receiver of the Payment- DPD Agent - Alicia Lampard (Account Administrator)
• Go to a Wester Union Location, in person, and make a Money Transfer to the Name of the DPD Agent who is responsible with this transaction - Alicia Lampard - using the “Money in Minutes Service” from Western Union.
• Click below for a sample form and detailed instructions:
• Western Union “Money in Minutes” Green Sample Form
• In order to complete the Money Transfer using the Money in Minutes Service you will need the Payment Details of our DPD Agent.
• 
• DPD Agent Information (Details)
• Please make your Money Transfer payable to:
• First Name: Alicia
• Last Name: Lampard
• Address: 2 Little Parkfield Road
• City / State: Liverpool
  Zip(City Code): L17 7AA
• Country: United Kingdom
• History : Alicia Lampard is a Direct Parceline Distribution Account Administrator, DPD Logistics UK. Since joining DPD in 1991, Alicia Lampard has held a number of senior roles. He has led several financial projects and established sound commercial and financial control policies. In 2005, Alicia Lampard was promoted to his current position, where he takes responsibility for DPD Logistics UK’s accounting and financial activities.
• 
• After you complete the payment you need to send the Payment Information for verification to our Payment Department at their e-mail address:
• DPD On-Line Payment Service
• The Payment Information you need to send to us for verification are:
• - MTCN - The 10 digits number that the Western Union operator will give you
  - Sender’s Name and Sender’s Address ( exactly as it appeares on the Western Union receipt )
  - Amount Transferred
• 
• Important Note:
• The Payment must be made at one of Western Union’s Agent Locations, in person by the Buyer. The payment must not be made using Western Union’s Send Money Online Service due to some recent high Credit Card fraud. We will not confirm any payments made online - (We cannot accept or process credit or debit card information at this moment). We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
• 
• Please read our DPD Payment Privacy Policy to learn our payment release and payment refund conditions.
• 1.The Payment will be sent to the Seller by DPD only after you receive the package, check the merchandise and if you are completely satisfied with it, you will then instruct us to release the Payment to the Seller.
• 2.DPD acts as a third party holding at the same time the merchandise and the Payment.
• 3. After the merchandise is received by the Buyer, the Buyer will have up to 14 days depending on the nature of the merchandise to review the merchandise. For transaction No. 963563401 the inspection time is 5 ( five ) business days.
• a) If the Buyer decided to keep the merchandise the Buyer will instruct DPD to release the funds to the Seller.
• b) If for any reason the Buyer does not want to keep the merchandise, the Buyer will ask DPD to be refunded. The refund procedure is very simple, the Buyer will receive the money from DPD through Bank to Bank Wire Transfer, or by Check or by Western Union Transfer. The refund method is at the Buyer’s choice.
• 
  
• 
• Thank you for using DPD Express
  Alicia Spinner - DPD Customer Department
• Email: DPD On-Line Customer Service
• DPD Freight Management (UK) Ltd.
  Trelawny House, Lark Lane Delivery Office
  Address: 2 Little Parkfield Road
• City / State: Liverpool
  Zip(City Code): L17 7AA
  Opening Hours: 07.00 - 21.00
  Managing Director: Mike Gooley
• 

It looks very legitimate but has a few flaws.

• No phone number
• Asking to use Western Union (the single biggest indicator)

If you click on their link it gives a tracking output.

Here is how to verify the details

• Google “Parceline Fraud” shows a warning from the real company concerning fraud using Western Union COD
• Use SEO quake, a firefox plugin, to check inbound links. If it is real, there should be many.
• Google Parceline and input the tracking number.It shows no such order.

I emailed him my response

• if you have a paypal account we can proceed. Parceline does not do western union

All further attempts to contact him resulted in an email bounceback of a closed account. Always check before completing the transaction. If anyone wants to use Western Union to a foreign country, it is a scam.