Almost defrauded - Be aware of a new scam from Nigeria targeting people selling used audio/video equip.

[Lex]

I had an inquiry on my Kappa 7.1s that are for sale recently. CAUTION flag: He said he was in London, (even had a nice Yahoo.co.UK email address), but someone in the states owed him some money, so he wanted to forward that money to me, buy the speakers, then me send the balance (over 3K) to him via Western Union. Most people would probably have told him to take a hike. But I thought about it, and said fine, but it must be a cashiers check or money order. RED Flag number 1: I should have known something was up when he was pushing for me to send him the cash as soon as I cashed the cashiers check yesterday. Well, I said, I won't take risks, so that will be up to my bank, what they tell me to do. Of course, he didn't reply to that information. He just keeps pushing for me to send it today.

I am pretty sure it was a fake cashier's check. Unbelievable. Why did I think that? Well, it was a weird deal from the start with him in London, but someone over here having some of his money. Well, he was going to get the money sent to me, and then I send the balance on to him. But when the check arrived, it got even weirder with the guy's name, street, and state in Maryland, but not a complete address, RED flag number 2: (no zip or city) listed that way not once but twice on the package and envelope inside, RED flag number 3: a check from another state, Florida, and the envelope from Nigeria! FLASHING red flag!!! I couldn't believe it. He was very anxious for me to send the money as soon as I got the check. If I would have seen where the envelope was from before opening it, I wouldn't have even accepted it.

Well, he called this afternoon to try and push me to cash the check and western union him the money same day. I gave him a damn earshot full after I'd discovered all the facts. He never said a word while I was speaking. He likely hung up somewhere in my talking.

So, I emailed him this afternooon, and told him I'd send the check back to a legitimate US or london address. Otherwise, if I am not notified of a valid address within 1 week, I'll turn the whole package over to the Postal Inspectors.

So, it looks like the Nigerian scammers are getting smarter than just the famous Minister of Defense angle. Be carefull sellers. If something seems to good to be true, it usually is.

I'll move this to buy and sell after folks see it up here.

Lex

[David Meek]

Jeez, these people are getting outrageous! :k>'> :loser:




David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
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[Andrew Pratt]

At least you're smart enough to not take chances unlike some people I'm sure.

[Danbry39]

Yeah, I've heard of this particular version of the Nigerian scam already. According to an article I read, they hit big ticket items at a place like Ebay, send a cashier's check for too much money, call and say it was a mistake and could the person please immediately send a cashier's check to them to make up the difference. A variation of what happened to you. At least you figured it out and didn't get taken. Unfortunately, there must be a fair amount of people who get taken or it wouldn't be happening.




Keith

[Sonnie Parker]

Thanks for the heads up Lex.






SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

[Lex]

Well, if the check originator had been in the same state as the cashiers check, and his address complete, and the package not come in an envelope marked Nigeria, I'd have cashed it. However, I still would not have sent them cash until it cleared, so the joke's on them. :F

I guess the idiot didn't think I was capable of reviewing the information and making an informed decision. Guess again butt fuck.

Lex

Lex

[Clive]

Good move Lex, I was not aware of this scam until now. Seems like these guys will get caught real soon. Real idiots. :evil:




CLIVE




HEY!! Why buy movie tickets when you can own a Theater?

[Lex]

I guess what they didn't realize, I already have to make decisions about transaction legitimacy in my business. I can usually pick a fraud order attempt fairly easily. Once I opened this up, things began to smell. Oh, it was already iffy at best. So, I was ON ALERT.

Oh, I am sure I'll get burned eventually. Doesn't everyone? But it won't be for 3500 bucks, that I can almost assure you of, and it won't be by a check out of state from the person supposedly getting me the funds, and it damn sure won't come from Nigeria.

Oh, I called the bank today to put this thing to bed. I found the bank's web site, phoned the branch in question, and they confirmed it was a fraudulent check. She didn't even seem to concerned about it. Like it happens all the time. Is it just me or is there something wrong with that? ShOULDN'T someone be concerned form the bank? Or they just figure they know they don't get burned, so what do they care?

So, I am turning this package back over to the postal inspectors I guess. Maybe... unless it should go to someone else. I'm not sure yet.

Doug

[ht_addict]

Doesn't this sound fishy? Just recieved it today.

Dear Sir/Ma
My name is K**** Pe*****, I am an European merchant, based in Cyprus.I
deal with various kinds of electronics and household items .I saw your
advert on the internet.And I am so much interested but my means of
payment is through a cashier's check drawn
on a USA Bank, I will like to commence business talk on this advert, i
will be waiting for your reply, and in your e-mail please let me know
the price you are willing to sell, and also the shipping cost to cyprus.
I am waiting for your favorable response.

Yours

K****

ht_addict

[Andrew Pratt]

That reeks of fishy

[Lex]

Addict, that does wreak. I'd say that's one of the hits from Nigeria. I'd bet good money on that.

Oh, you know, the lady at the bank gave me a cold dose of reality yesterday too, we were discussing the check I'd asked her about, and I told her it turned out to be fraudulent. She said, you know, if you'd have sent the money, you'd not only have been out the cash that you sent, but you'd also have to make it up at the bank, so it's a double lick. 3500 bucks, then becomes 7000!!! I hadn't thought about that, but that's exactly right. Geesh, talk about a hit!

Lex

[John Holmes]

Good Job! I'm glad you did not get scammed.

ht addict,

I agree with these guys. Don't take the chance!!!




"I came here, to chew bubble gum and kickass. And I'm all out of bubble gum!!!" My DVD's

[ht_addict]

I emailed back the person who sent me the offer. Apologized for my assumption that I was about to type if I was wrong. Told them that I had heard of the scam before and if they really wanted the amp I'd have to have the cheque drawn on a CDN bank and untill it clears I wouldn't return the excess money they were about to send me. Low and behold I didn't hear back.

ht_addict

[Robbie]

I guess it's a good idea to let checks clear before processing a persons order. I used to get upset at folks who waited 10 days or so until a check cleared thinking they didn't trust me. Guess I'll have to rethink my point of view. Thanks Lex

Robbie

[Ken McDaniel]

This scam is starting to become very common on Ebay and internet transaction in general. The cashier's check appears to be a good deal. The problem is that the cashier's check is not cash. It must be written against a valid account or bank. The scam is that they always involve an overpayment or return.

Most banks will cash the check. When they process it a couple of days later and find out that it was a fake, they'll hit you for the bill for the cash. If you've already sent out the refund of payment difference. You're out that sum of money.

Most people get caught because they think that a cashier's check is the same as a money order. While a money order is converted to cash and gone, the cashier's check must still be processed against a bank or account. A good rule of thumb is to never deal in cashier's checks, overpayments, or second and third parties. And absolutely never, ever ship an item until payment has fully cleared (in the case of checks, several business days).




Ken

[Lex]

Yeah, you know I actually did think a cashiers check was as good as a money order, until now. Thank goodness my good business sense took over in my situation. BTW, it's more like 11-15 days for a cashiers check to actually clear the bank. The bank takes your money when your issued a cashier's check, and I guess puts it in their own account. So, yes, the check is cashed against their account. But you know, I'd never thought about it that way. That's what they are banking on, that people won't think that way, and indeed think it's as good as a money order.

scamming bastards.

Lex

[k9endy]

another one

This one was pretty good. The phone numbers were a throw off, but I did some research and found that it was a number owned by a voice mail company where the crook could call from anywhere in the world to retrieve messages, never having to be in the United States. He could also recieve faxes at that number and retrieve them off the internet if he needed to. E-mail address and manner of writing was the dead giveaway, not to mention his "allegiance" to using his own shipper which would have probably cost me thousands in the end...

Dear XXXXXXXXX,

Thanks for the attention being given to my enquiry.

l do appreaciate you are gong to give a call but lets you understand that l am like a bird and l can only retrieve your message from the voice machine when ever l made it back home and inorder to foster this transaction l do hereby urge you lets have the requested payment informations as requested earlier, again do include the picture of the liner when next you are going to mail.

Thanks and l do look forward to your soonest correspondence with the requested info i.r payment info and one or two pics of the liner.

Thanks once again.

Best rgds,
McLarry



XXXXXXXXX wrote:
I will give you a call.

Thanks,
XXXXXXXX
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Larry
To: XXXXXXXX
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 8:12 PM
Subject: Purchase enquiry for the 2004 BAYLINER 175


Good Day,

This is a purchase enquiry in response to your advertised ad ( 2004 BAYLINER 175 ) for sale on http://www.wheelbynet.com.

The final price of $11,500 is ok. Also want you to know that one or two pic(s) of this would really be a driving force for me to proceed from here..
This is also to bring to your attention that payment will be issued in the mode of a guaranteed Certified Bankers' Check.

Anyway, l'd made enquiry for this just because of the passion for it. Particularly my wife who is monitoring and making sure that l embark on this purchase.
And I would appreciate it even more if on your part you would handle this transaction successfully ( exhibit a high level of professoinalism, sincerity ), as I do take a giant step in purchasing it.
All shipping expenses/ handling and proceedings to my home shall be taken care of by me - ( l am seeing into the shipment myself because l do owe an allegiance to the shipping company that is going to handle the shipment, hence my sticking with them).

The payment shall (upon my requests and instructions to my Financial group ) be issued/ made payable and post mailed to you.
Hence I require the following payment informations so as to forward them for an immediate payment issuance :
-Name as it is to appear on the Check ?
-Contact Address of the Recipient ?
-Contact Phone Number ? (so I could call you if need be).
*Note*
All informations given shall be kept confidential and only be used for this transaction.

Once again thanks for the confidence in me and l do Look forward to a successful transaction with you in good faith and trust.

Thanks for the understanding.

Sincerely,
Mike Larry.
Richmond Beach, WA. 98188
(Phone: 206-984-9735 ).
(Fax: 206-984-9735 ).
mclarrystation@yahoo.co.uk




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[billnuts]

well, do everyone a favor

Hey, not to bump another site, but it has nothing to do with this site so i hope its ok.

you should list your stories and letters on www.ripoffreport.com


plus this site lists alot of other scams and makes for entertaining reading

search under white van for a good one...

so others can hear this stuff outside of the forums, its not like ebay cares or would post anything to warn its members of scams like this..


bill

[Patt]

Gee...I learned something new today.

Money order...not cashier's check
Money order...not cashier's check
Money order...not cashier's check.......got it.

[MARK32]

Thanks for the heads up on this scam. I have never been to this site before, but after having received a strange email from someone in Richmond Beach, Washington wanting to buy my Dodge Dakota in Virginia. I'm glad I googled the phone number, because it brought me to the original post here. It has the exact same two phone numbers, just a different name. The other plus is that I am an A/V junkie, so this site is great. Just wish I could afford more, but I'm still young enough, so, someday.

[ThomasW]

There was an article on one of the national TV news shows, stating that this type of scam is actually one of the larger money making 'industries' in Nigeria

[Burke Strickland]

This sounds a lot like the ebay scam you warned us about a couple of years ago:

http://64.27.11.233/forum/showthread.php4?t=6877&highlight=scam

Best advice is to 1) avoid any transaction where they want to "overpay" and have you send cash back, and 2) avoid cashier's checks . And, 3) of course, if the paperwork has "Nigeria" anywhere on it, run away even if the other two items don't apply. (I'm sure there must be some legit businesses in Nigeria, but it is highly unlikely they would be sending emails to private individuals in the US).

Burke

[BlazeMaster]

I had a similar situation when I was selling my 150lb CRT RPTV, it just smelled fishy that the guy wanted something this heavy sent all the way to Nigeria and funds wired through Western Union. In the beginging, I insisted that he'd find a better deal locally in Nigeria and that the shipping of items this heavy makes cost just as much as buying it there brand new. After several emails, I just told him to "stop trying to scam me". It seems that whoever it is, that person actually knows about videogon, because every time I posted an TV or FP on there for sale, I'd get some similar attempts from Nigeria.

[autio]

here is a link where they document scamming the scamers very interesting

http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/class/scam/

[eddiem67]

I received a 5000.00 check from one of these yahoos, I just hung it on the wall, I knew it was bogus and I never shipped him anything and did they ever complain or ask about product shipped? Nope.