ATTENTION: There are many people out there who want to steal your money. Unfortunately, some of them may use our Classifieds. While most users are good, and honest, a few are not. The National Consumers League says "fake check scams are a clever ploy designed to steal your money." Typically scammers send counterfeit checks or money orders in excess of the amount requested. In return the seller is asked to wire the excess to another person. The seller is legally held responsible for the funds. This scam has cost unsuspecting people thousands of dollars.
Hindlist.com has learned that some of these "scammers" have contacted classified advertisers here posing as potential buyers.
Here are some tips to spot a fake check scam:
-The potential "buyer" wants to send a cashiers check or money order in excess of your asking price.
-The potential "buyer" wants you to wire the extra funds to someone.
-The potential "buyer" does not call you directly.
-Many "scammers" are from other countries and have obvious grammatical or spelling errors in their emails.
Examples of Scams
Scam
"We are interested in buying your above mentioned (10" F/7.5 truss Dobsonian with Swayze mirror) at advertised rate of $1,995. Goods to be picked up from your location for onward shipping to London. Cost and modaliti s of shipping to be born by us. Payment for the purchase is by check through a debtor in US. The debtor owes us higher than our purchase. He will therefore be sending you a check for $7,000 to cover the cost of our order, as well as the Shipping costs. On receipt of the check, you will cash and deduct the cost of our order .The balance you will send as we would instruct you to the Agency that will ship the Goods to us. If this arrangement suites you fine, please send us your address where to send the check, as well as the name to be on it. Also send us your phone number for easy communication."
- The concept of this scam is simple, you are being sent a STOLEN check. You cash it, send the balance to the PO Box of the buyer. When this is found out by the company whose check the scam artist stole, YOU are responsible for paying back the balance.
Scam
Hello,
I am interested in immediate purchase of your item, but before i proceed on this transaction i will like to ask some questions as follows. i can only raise a certified cashier check or money order for the payment of your item including the shipment money, so i will like to know if the item is still available and also if it's in good condition, Please your answer on this will enable me to issue your payment to you asap;
- Do you accept a (certified cashier check or money order) as a mode of payment?
- What is the last price of the item?
- Will you let our shipping company to come to your house for the pick up of the item?
- Will you be able to send the excess fund back to the shipping company for their service to come and pick up this item via western union money transfer same day you receive the check ?
- Do get back to me with your contact info where you want the payment to address to.
Best Of Regards,
Bill...
If you think you may have received a phony check call the bank listed on the check. If you get a bogus check, don't deposit it, report it to the National Consumers League at or www.fraud.org .
To view the most recent scams and warnings issued by the FBI, go tohttp://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm
To file a complaint, visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center athttp://www.ic3.gov/
