sellers beware this SCAM

[ray_yo]

(don't know which category this belongs in sorry admin's)

someone just tried to pull this on me through an ad i have for a bass i'm selling online...

they say they want to buy your item, and that they're sending a check in the mail, including the shipping costs it will take because they like to use their own shipping company. so they tack on almost $2000 extra since they live overseas (Paris, France in this case). they say to deposit the check, and wire the shipping portion to this company (whose info they include) right away, so someone can be sent to pick up the item because they are anxious to get it.

their hope is that you deposit the bogus check they sent you, then while waiting for it to clear you send your own money to this fake shipping company they've set up. by the time the check is exposed by your bank as fake, your money's been sent and there's no way to track it down.

now this was fairly obviously a scam from the beginning, and actually made me laugh. but it probably does work on something like 2% of people, and that's all it takes to make it very profitable. so i just thought i'd share it with other TB'ers.

cheers

ray yo

[Hollow Man]

This is an old, old, old, old, old, old scam. Commonly called the Nigerian scam because so many of the fraudulent emails originate from there.

[phmike]

When I get those scams I act excited to make a sale and offer to help them in any way. Then I send them a mailing address that is actually the local FBI office.

[thebrain]

If they can't or won't use paypal, it's automatically safe to say it's a scam.

[elgecko]

That scam is so old it can vote!

[FunkMetalBass]

Have them send a check. Once they do, the ball is entirely in your court. Deposit it and wait for it to clear. If it doesn't, report it. If it does, put it into an off-shore bank account.

[bassclef112]

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

This is an old, old, old, old, old, old scam. Commonly called the Nigerian scam because so many of the fraudulent emails originate from there.

Though this is true, in the words of Milton Berle - it ain't an old joke if you've never heard it.

Add to that "There's one born every minute..." and it's safe to say that if this wasn't working on some level it wouldn't keep coming around. Not that long ago I read about some doctor that fell for a variant to the tune of many thousands of dollars.

It doesn't hurt to refresh this alert every so often for the noobs that might just be getting into the market.

Sort of a Public Service!

[ray_yo]

yeah the check came, and my bank did confirm it as bogus. so i emailed the guy back and said i got the check and deposited it, but i've had bad experiences with western union so instead of wiring the shipping money i mailed cash to the shipping company (which i know has a fake address). ten minutes later i get this:

__________________________________________________ ______
subject: urgent urgent

Please i want you to go and receive back the payment at the place that you sent it okay. Go and collect it back asap. You are surpose to ues the western union or moneygramm to send the money. Also i want you to send me your telephone number so that i can give you a call asap today. Also how did you sent the money ? With what courier did you uesd to send the money ?? And i want you to go and collect back the money immidaitely and email me back once you have collect back the money where you sent it today.

Thank you
__________________________________________________ ______________


i'm gonna make this sh*thead sweat as long as i can

[L-A]

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

Have them send a check. Once they do, the ball is entirely in your court. Deposit it and wait for it to clear. If it doesn't, report it. If it does, put it into an off-shore bank account.

You don't "report" a fraudulent check. It bounces and you are as accountable as the payer. At least in Canada.

[nozkcb]

Originally Posted by phmike

When I get those scams I act excited to make a sale and offer to help them in any way. Then I send them a mailing address that is actually the local FBI office.

GOOD ONE!!!!

[MIJ-VI]

How to avoid getting ripped off on the internet
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...8#post10228008

[thebrain]

Originally Posted by ray_yo

yeah the check came, and my bank did confirm it as bogus. so i emailed the guy back and said i got the check and deposited it, but i've had bad experiences with western union so instead of wiring the shipping money i mailed cash to the shipping company (which i know has a fake address). ten minutes later i get this:

__________________________________________________ ______
subject: urgent urgent

Please i want you to go and receive back the payment at the place that you sent it okay. Go and collect it back asap. You are surpose to ues the western union or moneygramm to send the money. Also i want you to send me your telephone number so that i can give you a call asap today. Also how did you sent the money ? With what courier did you uesd to send the money ?? And i want you to go and collect back the money immidaitely and email me back once you have collect back the money where you sent it today.

Thank you
__________________________________________________ ______________


i'm gonna make this sh*thead sweat as long as i can

That guy must really be an idiot. Even if you wanted to, how are you supposed to collect the money back that you said you sent? Maybe you can run the mailman off the road in his mail truck road and hijack him, Lol.

[eirik_]

Originally Posted by thebrain

If they can't or won't use paypal, it's automatically safe to say it's a scam.

i prefer not to paypal. but i send money orders or certified cheques. i prefer to use real money that has touched and left my hands by my choice, and not having to worry if i hit submit or something twice by accident. (a stupid example i know)

[LiquidMidnight]

Even if this weren't a scam, what seller would be willing to go through such a rigumroll for a buyer they've never met?

[Downunderwonder]

Originally Posted by ray_yo

yeah the check came, and my bank did confirm it as bogus. so i emailed the guy back and said i got the check and deposited it, but i've had bad experiences with western union so instead of wiring the shipping money i mailed cash to the shipping company (which i know has a fake address). ten minutes later i get this:

__________________________________________________ ______
subject: urgent urgent

Please i want you to go and receive back the payment at the place that you sent it okay. Go and collect it back asap. You are surpose to ues the western union or moneygramm to send the money. Also i want you to send me your telephone number so that i can give you a call asap today. Also how did you sent the money ? With what courier did you uesd to send the money ?? And i want you to go and collect back the money immidaitely and email me back once you have collect back the money where you sent it today.

Thank you
__________________________________________________ ______________


i'm gonna make this sh*thead sweat as long as i can

Tell him you're broke (that's why you're selling ) you sent your rent money to the shipper and his cheque won't be clearing for a few days. You need 20 bucks western unioned to you to pay for gas to chase to the mailing depot in the next big city to get the cash back.

[Downunderwonder]

If that works then you've got yourself a real stupid scammer.

My favourite scammer story is the one where the guy actually got the scammer to pay shipping of a cardboard and bricks mashup of an expensive laptop all the way to France. He got a computer virus back in the last email from the prick.

Someone else pulled the same stunt on a machinery scammer. Intead of some megabuck lathe or something a crate full of busted engines got shipped to Nigeria on the scammer's account.