Letterpres Scam?

Would people actually try to scam someone using letterpress items as bait?

I received this email (below) today and have to say it actually sounds fishy…..especially when his email address is M…@gmail.com ……What do you think? I’m not even remotely interested in what he is peddling but want others to be aware.

name = Adam S.
email = M…@gmail.com
message = Dear Sir/Dear Madam,

my friend is a typesetter, and she recently found an extremely rare type: Dürer type font specially made for the Kroměříž castle in the Czech republic. She has no use for it, but the sheer rarity of this type makes it very valuable. Would you like to contact her on behalf of buying the type set?

Thank you for your time,

Adam S.
submit = Submit
REMOTE_HOST: 85.71.40.62

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You should probably just give them a credit card number and CVV2 and order 10 packs, to be on the safe side. I’m happy to receive up to 3 but no less than 1 pack, but will have to pay you COD, as I am located in the republic of Nigeria, and I very much need the type as urgently I have a matter which requires your attention….. For it is by the grace that only you may assist me…..

….. If you don’t know what “nigerian scam” is, look it up ;-)

Rubicon327 - It is always best to proceed with caution when you think correspondence is questionable. We can not take any action unless you follow the directions in the contact email. For more information see the Help section or Recognizing scams and suspicious offers.

General warning

One of my friends wanted to sell something of value around $Aus10,000. Took precaution of listing only his mobile (cell phone in USA) number; and opened a credit card bank account with only $10 in it especially for the possible transaction, so if scammed, he would lose only a few dollars. Sure enough, he got 5 calls wanting to buy the item, but asking for his banking numbers so “they could pay the money into the account”. Scamming takes an unbelievable amount of money out of Australia each year.

Alan Nankivell Brooks

Thanks everyone.

I am aware of the typical scams that are out there….just didn’t think they would use “type” as bait. It was also more professional sounding than most of your typical scams like Haven Press wrote how they usually sound.

Does anyone even know if what he sent is true? Is there such a thing as Durer type font and is it rare? I never even bothered to try and google it…..just curious is all.

I actually love the language in the NS emails. Sometimes I like to actually verbally talk to people I don’t know that way in public the first time I meet them, as a joke.

to Rubicon 327 and others interested in type faces and history

It is humbly suggested that the Internet carries lots of information. I looked up Durer and was astonished to read the history. Very interesting.

Alan.

Too funny.

Joseph Moxon, the first to write on printing, in the late 17th century (1683-4), thought typography was developed from mechanical constructs by the ancients. He had apparently seen a Durer.

Two hundreds years after printing and JM reveals himself to be as dumb as we are, and he didn’t even have the internet to help drain his brain!

Gerald

Heh heh. You’d be amazed at how targeted the ‘Nigerian scams’ can be. I’ve seen similar ones used in connection with antique flutes, fountain pen parts, and rare books. Same song, just a slightly different tune.

And in each case the scammer knew the specialized terminology, and was able to use just enough of it to sound like they knew just enough less than their chosen ‘mark’ to be a temptation.

Don’t forget, they are professionals, too. And they have nothing invested in it but their time.

Rubicon327:
Durer created a black letter typeface called Textur. Attached is scan from “The Alphabet Abecedarium” by Richard A. Firmage and published by David R. Godine out of Boston.

image: durer_textur.jpg

durer_textur.jpg

Wow….thank you for posting that!

Anytime :)

Hi,

this was an actual offer…

[Editor’s note: At the request of this user, we have removed some of his personal information from the original post.]

You still don’t know how to write an appropriate email.

Not even worth acknowledging him as “you”. Too much attention. Not worth arguing either. Doesn’t even make sense.

Wow, I have a fan! And after all this time I though he didn’t love me.

Hey Adam- how about some photos of that Dürer type?

DGM

The offer is off, the woman sold it, from what I know. So it’s my last visit to the typesetter’s world….

[Editor’s note: At the request of this user, we have removed some of his personal information from the original post.]