Big things happening on the scam front today. Our scammer started calling Rob around noon. Unfortunately for the scammer, Rob was unreachable until about 6 pm, so the scammer wasted the afternoon calling again and again ... eight times in total! No caller ID was available, and we think he may have been using a VoIP (Internet) phone.

Our scammer is a man with a strong foreign accent. He is quite perturbed that he hasn't received the money yet. Acting as Ayres, Rob told him he was unwilling to send the money via Western Union because he had a police record. Then he said he had lost the transmittal information, and asked him to re-send it.

Then he said the car had been wrecked and asked if the scammer still wanted it. The scammer did assure "Ayres" that he wanted the car. (Let's keep in mind that we are talking about a 15-year old Honda Prelude with 145,000 miles, which failed inspection due to rust perforation, and now has been reportedly "wrecked.")

He also didn't explain how he got "Ayres" phone number. We sent it via email to the "shipping clerk" and somehow "Richard Williams" got the number. Gee, you'd think they were one person!

All told, the conversation took about 10 minutes, and I don't think our scammer was very happy about it! But the hook is still set deep, and I think we have a shot at occupying his attention for another week or more. So far we've wasted nearly four weeks of his time. This started back on September 25.

"Ayres" also mentioned that he was still sick. We think the next step is for him to enter the hospital, before he gets a chance to visit Western Union. Ayres mother, or perhaps his Aunt Abe, will pick up the conversation on Ayres' behalf.