Last night I got to talk to a scammer. Good times.
A friend of mine had his gmail account compromised and used for the "London mugging" scam, where the scammer sends messages to friends and family claiming to have been mugged in a foreign country (I guess London is the typical location) and that they need money wired to get themselves back home.

Ha.

I was also watching Breaking Bad at the time. Double ha.

Here is the conversation I had with el scammerino:

7:52 PM Brian: Hey
are you there ?
7:55 PM sparx: yes. hi!
Brian: am not too good
sparx: no? what's up?
7:56 PM Brian: I'm stranded in Manila Philippines with my family
got mugged at gun point last night
scary!
7:57 PM sparx: manila? i thought you just left for puerto rico last night
Brian: No
I was hit on the head but getting better
all cash,credit card and phone was stolen
7:58 PM sparx: did they take your wheelchair? can you still move around?
7:59 PM Brian: thank God we still have our life and passport safe
8:00 PM sparx: your wheelchair though, do you still have it? do you still have the meth you smuggled in your wheelchair's frame?
Brian: our return flight leaves in few hours but having troubles sorting out the hotel bills
i need your help
sparx: if you lost my meth i'll fucking kill you
8:01 PM DO YOU HAVE THE GOODS?!
Brian: yes i need your help
8:02 PM sparx: there's still an hour until the swap. there will be $80,000 in the breifcase. take out what you need to get back, i'll consider it a loan
8:03 PM *briefcase. sorry, can't spell.. got pretty pissed when i thought you lost the product
8:04 PM still there?

The chat status went idle, which is why I tossed in the "still there?" – I was really hoping I would get to play more with my new friend. 🙁

You've seen them advertised on TV. "Get your authentic Barack Obama U.S. Silver Dollar.. blahblahblah. Buy now and get like FOUR of them! For $20!"

Please. PLEASE! Do not trade anyone $20 + shipping and handling for four $1 coins.

These are not collectors items. They are normal one dollar coins (the kind that you can walk into the bank and trade a dollar bill for) with a STICKER on them. They will not increase in value – 20 years from now they will still be a $1 coin, worth $1.

I know that public education has failed many Americans, and left many without basic reasoning skills.. but.. it still saddens me that anyone, no matter how intelligent (or un) can be coerced by a television commercial into agreeing to trade $20+ for $4.

If you really want Obama dollar coins, head to the bank and get a few $1 coins (they'll cost you… $1 each!), buy a pack of Avery stickers for your printer, print off and stick some little Obama heads onto the coins and VOILA, you just saved yourself from getting ripped off!