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Scam?
- Thread starter 707GK
- Start date
Start with a stolen card number. The "courier" (who is actually the thief) picks up the food, and now has free food and some extra cash. The transaction gets charged back by the real cardholder, and since it's a "card not present" transaction, there's nothing the scammed merchant can do about it.
Edit: Well, if the pickup is videotaped, the merchant could try to pursue charges against the individual that picked the order up, but it might be difficult to prove that guy was the same person that placed the order.
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I've seen people not only write out a check at the supermarket register but afterwards, with no sense of urgency or situational awareness, document the transaction in the checkbook before slowly, slowly putting it back in their purse.
And then they look at you behind them to commiserate about how they can never find anything in their purse expecting you to sympathise and chuckle while you're actually trying to make them spontaneously combust with your mind.
I listed an item for sale on CL last year and got the exact same message. I replied that I don't like scammers and never heard back.
Automatic,Red Flag,for sure! You can always expect that type message on CL,gotten them alot.
A hope that maybe humanity is changing for the better. Maybe my 34 year old brain is still young, naive and optimistic that humans are ultimately good on the inside.
I suppose that’s a thought I should just let die.
It's a scam.
Only tangentially on-topic, but funny as hell...
Only tangentially on-topic, but funny as hell...
The check will “clear” your bank,
Then you send the gear.
A couple weeks later, the check won’t clear the buyer’s bank or prove to be fake.
Your bank hits you for the amount of the check plus fees. Buyer has possession of the gear.
TOTAL SCAM
Then you send the gear.
A couple weeks later, the check won’t clear the buyer’s bank or prove to be fake.
Your bank hits you for the amount of the check plus fees. Buyer has possession of the gear.
TOTAL SCAM
You always have that now-a-days. Especially on stuff that is priced in the dollar range of music gear.
What I typically do is:
(Receive this text msg)
“Is the item still available”
(Me)
“Yes it is, can you overnight me a certified check and send your personal courier to retrieve it?” It’s frustrating to the scammers when you know their con better than they do...
I actually went thru with part of it back when this scam was fairly new. Seemed fishy, but wanted to see where it would go. I agreed to the transaction. They sent me by mail, a check for almost 3 times the amount. Was not overnighted but sent 3 day. Was not a certified check, was actually a business check from some company in Florida. I texted the buyer. He said that I should just deposit the check and give the overage to the “courier service” when they retrieve the item.
I took the check to my bank and was told that this is a common scam. What they do is run this con parallel to another con where (somehow) people are convinced that they can make money by driving to random addresses and picking up items.
So what would have happened is that the company in Florida would have reconciled their business account, questioned the check, the check would have been reversed, I would have been responsible for the full amount. Also (I was told) my banks policy is to close the account when this happens. My bank told me that this is mostly out of Nigeria. They are known for looking the other way on this because it’s an income source for their nations economy. Not to mention I would have not made money on my item. And not have the item. I shredded the check and blocked the phone number. If you do get to texting with one of these characters, they like to call the thing in you ad, the “item”. If you ask what the item is, they usually don’t know. Good luck, and my advice is “just say no”...
What I typically do is:
(Receive this text msg)
“Is the item still available”
(Me)
“Yes it is, can you overnight me a certified check and send your personal courier to retrieve it?” It’s frustrating to the scammers when you know their con better than they do...
I actually went thru with part of it back when this scam was fairly new. Seemed fishy, but wanted to see where it would go. I agreed to the transaction. They sent me by mail, a check for almost 3 times the amount. Was not overnighted but sent 3 day. Was not a certified check, was actually a business check from some company in Florida. I texted the buyer. He said that I should just deposit the check and give the overage to the “courier service” when they retrieve the item.
I took the check to my bank and was told that this is a common scam. What they do is run this con parallel to another con where (somehow) people are convinced that they can make money by driving to random addresses and picking up items.
So what would have happened is that the company in Florida would have reconciled their business account, questioned the check, the check would have been reversed, I would have been responsible for the full amount. Also (I was told) my banks policy is to close the account when this happens. My bank told me that this is mostly out of Nigeria. They are known for looking the other way on this because it’s an income source for their nations economy. Not to mention I would have not made money on my item. And not have the item. I shredded the check and blocked the phone number. If you do get to texting with one of these characters, they like to call the thing in you ad, the “item”. If you ask what the item is, they usually don’t know. Good luck, and my advice is “just say no”...
Just to clarify...Fact is the vast majority of them are overseas (or even if not). They have no interest in your gear or your car and dont even know what you are selling really. No one is shipping their gear or cars ever in this scam. They overpay and then ask you to send part of the overage to their shipping/courier company who will pick up the item. The recipient of that money is untraceable or overseas. Thats where they get your money. No one ever shows up to pickup the gear or car. Respond to 1 and see how it plays out.
