Anyone who’s been on the internet has probably seen a scam account once or twice in their lives.
They’re likely to worm their way into the comment sections of random posts on social media platforms with dubious offers ranging from cheap accommodations to business deals. A popular scam in Asia is apparently offering to buy old or collectible notes.
Photo from mothership.sg
So one Singaporean, Alton Ong, decided to start a conversation with one such scammer to see how the game is played. He began by messaging the Instagram account of an alleged scammer and pretending to be interested in a sale:
After ‘Williams’ curtly moves the conversation to WhatsApp, he immediately makes a mistake in his routine:
‘Williams’ is able to backtrack and the move the deal swiftly along, ironing out the details and his offer:
They settle on a deal that seems too good to be true, perhaps so that unsuspecting individuals agree to everything without thinking to question it:
Then, the first red flag is raised:
In order to get Alton’s trust back, ‘Williams’ goes to great lengths to fabricate a story. Facebook users commenting on Alton’s post point out how using that particular photo was a huge mistake.
They recall that ‘Williams’ claimed he was living in America, but question when America suddenly shifted to driving right-hand.
Plus, the car plates are missing the telltale State names:
Continue reading on the next page!