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Classifieds Scam Alert |
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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;
1. Do you accept a (certified
cashier check or money order) as a
mode of payment?
2. What is the last price of the
item?
3) Will you let our shipping company
to come to your house for the pick
up of the item?
4) 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 ?
5)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 to
http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm
To file a complaint, visit the
Internet Crime Complaint Center at
http://www.ic3.gov/
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