On Topic Discussion Anyone know anything about CL/Internet Scams?

[Yooper]

The story, as brief as possible:

In early July, I posted for sale on CL some various items. I got a nibble for a 1950's bedroom set for $250. A few emails were exchanged, in which I asked for a personal telephone call. I heard nothing back, and figured this was over.

Fast forward to last week, I got a long email (from a GMail address) telling me a certified check had been sent for $1700, I was to cash it, send $1350 by Western Union Moneygram to someone in South Carolina and a bunch more information was demanded. The next day I got another email saying I have the check (nothing had arrived) and what was going on.

A couple of days later (Saturday afternoon), I got a notice that an Express Mail was at the Post Office and was Postage Due. This had to wait until Monday.

Sunday I got a very nasty email about no response.

Monday my Partner went to the Post Office, he found the envelope had come from a business address in California. The Post Office said it looked 'fishy' and Partner refused the envelope. I got home from work Monday evening and found an even nastier email threatening me with Police and FBI, etc. Tuesday, The Partner called the 'sending' company and their Legal Dept. said there was something going on with someone using their address, and it was good he refused the envelope.

I think I dodged a scam, no?

Should I report this somewhere? Or just thank my gut feelings for saving myself $1350?

 

[fetaby]

It's a scam. Whatever was inside was counterfeit, in hopes you would be able to cash it and send the actual monies on...

 

[Orlandude]

This is clearly a scam and it's good you avoided it. In my area, Craigslist is sited for scams at least once a week in the media. They have been blamed for identity theft (people are totally stupid to send their face pictures in personal ads), money scams, even home invasions and robberies. Fact is, in many parts of the country, they charge the posters for merchandise ads so they aren't eager to give up their profits. To avoid legal hassles, craigslist posts a disclaimer telling ad readers to beware of scams. That legally absolves them of any liability. A couple times I sold things on craigslist but never invited any buyer to my house. I would meet them in a public place and sell whatever from the trunk of my car. Cash only. No checks. Generally craigslist is ruined with scammers and spam bots. Even the personal ads are flooded with hustlers, whores and druggies looking for money. Gotta be real careful when dealing with anyone on there.

 

[Beachguyj]

Yes it's an old scam that's been around for a while. They send a check that looks real enough to fool the bank. They tell you that their accountant made a mistake and made the check for the wrong amount and want you to wire them the difference back. then the check you deposited bounces. I don't know where to report it, but tell them not to contact you anymore and that you know that they are trying to scam you and that you will contact the local authorities and the FBI yourself.

 

[Beachguyj]

A couple times I sold things on craigslist but never invited any buyer to my house. I would meet them in a public place and sell whatever from the trunk of my car. Cash only. No checks. .

I've bought a few things on CL from people's houses. Some have the items inside, one was a patio set so I went to a few different ones to check it out, so those were outside. I've never sold anything, but I did find help for my father once when he needed some branches from a huge fallen tree taken down. The first guy who answered seemed obnoxious but he was able to help my father and my father paid him, after that the larger parts where free to take as firewood as long as they had a chainsaw to cut it. One guy was really nice and a local cop who came several times to get firewood and I guess to help my father too.

But if you are selling anything state that it's to be sold locally only and in person. Don't let anyone ever intimidate you or threaten you via email. If it gets to a real thread then you have to get the police involved.

And if anyone is coming to your house get their phone number at least and you call them back, otherwise you have nothing to track them if something goes wrong.

 

[gsdx]

I got tangled up with something like that through a Canadian website called Kijiji. I was selling some collector stamps and a guy from the United States tried to play the 'Oops! We sent you too much money' scam. I tried first to report it through Canadian channels, but, since the scammer was American, I had to report it through the FBI. I can't remember exactly which site (this was a few years ago), but this website shows you how and where to report various scams: http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/reporting.php

 

[andyspete]

Almost 100% of the time that wiring money is involved, or anything involving another country, it's a scam.

 

[Yooper]

Gentlemen, thanks for the support. I'm pretty sure I dodged a not-too-well-aimed bullet here.

Turns out the 'sender' of the envelope we refused has refused it also, although the fairly major company in California told us someone has been using their address. Now I guess the USPS gets to figure out what to do with it.

I guess I'd make a lousy scammer, because I can't quite figure out the wiring of money part. Does the 'person' go to the Western Union office in Nigeria or wherever he/she is with the transaction number and claim the sender (not me!) misdirected the transaction and would they please give them the cash? I looked up the purported receiving address and it is a truck leasing company in South Carolina.

 

[NakedReadyGuy]

You definitely dodged a scam, once the bogus check is cashed and the money wired, the scammed party is left with an overdraft balance and insufficient fund fees. I believe that some of these scams are now being pulled outside of Nigeria.

 

[gsdx]

I guess I'd make a lousy scammer, because I can't quite figure out the wiring of money part.

Imagine you're selling your goods for $250. I buy them from you and tell you that I will pay by cheque. When you receive the cheque, cash it and wait for the cheque to clear before sending the merchandise. A day or so later, I send you an Email telling you that the cheque is en route (usually by courier), but my over-worked secretary cut a cheque for $2,500 instead of $250. When you get the cheque, cash it as per our agreement, but in a show of good faith, I offer you a bonus (say $100) if you send the 'error' amount back. Remember, you still don't have to send the merchandise back until the cheque clears your bank.

So, you get the cheque and cash it. You keep $350 of it and wire the money back to me (no cheques) through a money-wiring place such as Western Union or any of those cheque-cashing places which wire money to different destinations. This brings your bank out of the loop until they discover that the cheque was bogus. That money ($2,500 plus any fees) now comes out of your bank account. I have $2,150 of your money and you have nothing except the merchandise you haven't sent to me yet. That's fine, though. I wanted your money, not your stuff.