Friday, December 08, 2006

Someone tried to Scam me on Craigslist

I put an electric dryer for sale on Craigslist. Some guy offered me $140, which I accepted. He wanted to pay by certified check, which I also accepted (not too smart of me). I was thinking that a certified check is like cash.

Then I got this email, which smelled very bad to me:

Hi Paul,
How are you doing.Hope everything is going fine on your side, As a matter fact the deal is on and according to my secretary,he has already sent the check out to you.So the payment should arrive in a short while from now.And once you get it,i guess you know how to handle everything.And please dont bother about any other buyers.But there was a little problem which i guess we can handle with understanding.When i contacted my secretary to know maybe the payment as already been sent,i got to know that there was a misinterpretation while sending the payment.According to the instruction i gave him,he was suppose to have send you a check of $140.But instead,he sent a check of $1400. It was a terrible mistake and the check is already out for delivery to your location.But that should not disturb our own transaction.the deal is on and we will get through it.what will happen is that ,once you get the check you will take it to the bank and cash it immediately,then you deduct your $140, and a $25 dollars for your run around in cashing the check and also a $100 for sending the rest funds to my mover via western union money transfer that same day,my mover will be using the remaining funds for the pick up,i guess i can be assured in you that you can handle it with trust and have it sent to my mover.E-mail me back immediately to let me know that i can trust you to handle everything well.I will be expecting your e-mail asap.PLS AM PUTTING MY TRUST IN YOU.
Best Regards
and Stay Blessed.
Ken.

I went to internet crime complaint center and found a description on COUNTERFEIT CASHIER'S CHECK. Basically, they get victims to wire money overseas via Western Union, after they think the check has cleared, but it really hasn't.

Then I called Wells Fargo to get advice on how to proceed, or not. They told me that the scammers work outside the country and they are getting away with it. They referred me to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Unfortunately, the ICCC only keeps track of victims and are not proactive. They don't actually investigate, only keep statistics. Great.

I cancelled the deal. From now on I deal in cash only.

I can't help but think that a lot of people are falling for this crap.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

The same thing just happened to me, with almost the same exact letter. I smelled a rat right away too, and told him not to send me anything.

Anonymous said...

The same thing happened to me. I got about 10 e-mails instantly from people claiming that they were very interested in my item and were going to send a certified cashier's check immediately. I thought it odd that someone would so quickly send money without even seeing the item. That’s why I only deal with cash and I suggest everyone else do the same!

Anonymous said...

Here is what my scam said, I told them I needed to meet in person or cash only, never heard from them again.

Hello...
I really appreciate your response to my mail.I want you to
consider that its sold, pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist to
avoid disturbance.I want you to know that i will be paying via
certified check .I will need you to provide me the following
information to facilitate the mailing of the check
1.....Full name to write on the check
2.....Full Physical address to post the check
3.....Home & Cell Phone to contact you
*** Note that the payment will be shiped to your address via UPS NEXT DAY
SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be responsible
for shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed
the check** Thanks

Anonymous said...

i posted this on craigslist on Feb. 13, 2009.

My name is ---- ------ and I am a freelance computer technician and systems engineer who specializes in implementing computer, network, internet and much more. I am A+ and MCSE certified (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer). I will provide solutions for all computer related issues. My service area is the San Fernando Valley but I will also travel to Orange and Ventura county. (50 miles radius).

SERVICES:
• computer repair, design,and upgrade
• home and business network set-up
• peripheral installations
• wireless network set-up
• network security configuration
• software installation and training
• remote access installation
• password and data recovery
• virus or spyware removal
• website design and maintenance
• slideshow presentations
• I trouble shoot all types of problems

this is her first e-mail

Hello,
I am Originally from good year TX ,am lawyer in Austin,i and my husband are presently in hong kong and will be coming back from hong kong next month,we are going to settle and put up our big computer store as this is what we are here for. looking for a computer Engineer ,I will like read your description and am interested in your service,we have about 150 peices of laptops that we want to install softwares on and clean them up.We are sending the computers over and they are laptops Hp centrino(intel) computer ..i want you to Install software such as Microsoft Office and Antivirus, clean inner & outercomputercomponents, update software to current status.We will like to know if you willbe able handle this job.so please get back to us with you total cost for these services of 150 computer excluding the shipping cost cus we have a shipper that will come with the computers and the necessary Softwares to you. We await your urgent response so that we can put the arrangement in order.
Thanks NOTE: I also have all necessary softwares
Regards.
----------------------------------
second e-mail

Thanks for the reply,

Again the laptops are Hp centrino(intel ) Windows Xp on them,Anti
virus.Microsoft Office and Antivirus, clean inner & outercomputer
components, update software to current status,Get back to me with your
total cost for the services of 150 computer ..

The computers are almost new,I have a shipper that will be coming with the
150 Computers and the necessary Softwares for the installations of the
Computers and also will be Pick them Up when your done with your Service,I
will have all my software provided back after the job.
All i am after is a good job well done,I convinced my husband that i am
capable of handling this(cos he is presently busy)and i also need you to
convince me too.I would love you to kindly get back to me your final total
charges for the Services i requested for in my previous Email.And send along
your direct contact contact number so i and my husband can call you to
confirm.
I will be waiting to hear from you as soon as possible.

Thanks

Note__Can I have Refrences from you?.
---------------------------------
3rd e-mail

Thanks so much for getting back to me sooner,I really do appreciate your
effort and i will reach an agreement and make it a go now. However, based on
your email,and i feel that you should be a responsible and reputable
person,And making the payment for the 150 Computers sounds reasonable .I
must confess I'm comfortable with the cost and its quite reasonable and
affordable. I will like to ship the computers to you and make the payment for
the Computer ahead of my shipper arrival,My shipper will be coming with the
necessary Softwares for the installations of the Computers with both the
Operating System,Microsoft Office and the Antivirus for each computers.I'll
be sending a Cashier Or Certified Check as a method of payment from
which i'll like you to deduct the fees for the 150 Computers and help me send
the rest of balance to my the shipper via western union that will move the Computer from mine
place to you for your Service because he is presently on a service now,Maybe
if i am less busy i might even come to your city..(but my shipper is not even
around now so i have to call him and know how it 's going to work for us).

I will keep you posted of when you are likely to receive the payment. If this
is okay with you let me have the following information,Full name, Address &
Phone No. for the payment to be made out to you.I hope i can trust you and i
can as well be
trusted.

Hope to hear from you soon. Have a good time.

Regard
-----------------------------------

Anonymous said...

Watch out for this on craigslist:

This email address:
david.salford02@yahoo.com

and this message:

Hello,
Thanks for getting back to my mail,i would be buying and love to come down for a look but i'm not idle at the moment,because i'm indulging in my office assignment,but am satisfy with the description and the condition you gave on the website.i would like to make an outright purchase immediately.i will be glad if you can withdraw the advert placement from the website and will like you to know that i will be sending the payment for the item with a certified bank check or cashier's check in (US dollars) for the reason that i'm busy to come for the item and i will like you to please bear with me.And as for the pick up of the item i will know how to handle that with my mover.As soon as you cash the payment in check,the mover will come for the pick up,all you need to do is mail me and give me the description to your place to make it easier for the mover to come and do the pick up.I do not want you to look for another buyer and i will be greteful if you withdraw the advert from the website, and i don't mind giving you extra $50 for withdrawing the advert from the web.In order for you to know that I'm really serious in purchasing your item.I will send you the payment as soon as you give me the info to write the check. i would need your name and address to post the payment and i'll appreciate if you include your
1...Your name
2...Your postal address
3...your zip code
4...mobile phone number
Home or work address (Ups doesn't deliver to P.O Boxes)
thanks and i'll be expecting your reply.
Regards

This putz also managed to change my information on the actual craiglist ad.

Anonymous said...

I listed a broke cell phone worth maybe $100 on craigslist and clearing explained the details of the phone. Someone emailed me offering me $550 dollars with $100 extra for shipping. I didnt know what to do because that was insane. Now after reading this, I just emailed him and told him to pound sand. I told him several times the phone was broken and he said "i forgot about my fiancee's birthday in a week and my fiancee will love the phone". Do not deal with foreigners on craigslist, deal locally with cash.

Anonymous said...

I just received this reply this morning. Anyone smell a rat?:

Hello,
I appreciate your response to my inquiry.I am interested in buying the items and i am ok with their description and conditions and i am also satisfied with their price($120).I would have love to come and check it myself but am not chance now,because I just got married and am presently on honeymoon trip to Hawaii with my wife and I would love a surprise change of furniture in our home on our return because my wife like surprises. Please do withdraw the advert from the website with immediate effect,as i don't mind adding $50 for you to do that for me,so i can be rest assured that the items are held for me,I will be making the payment to you via a Certified Check in us dollars which my secretary in united state will mail across to you and as for the pick up,i will know how to handle that with my mover that as been helping me to move in new furnitures into our home. My Mover will come for the pick up once the Certified Check has been cashed and i will like to complete this transaction by Wednesday the 25th of March.If this arrangement is ok by you kindly send me both your name and full address to post the payment immediately and i would appreciate you include your phone#,i.e....

(1)..Your full name
(2)..Your full home address or your office address
(3)..your zip code
(4)...your phone number to contact you

And please i don't want a P.O BOX address because i want the payment to get to you at
your house or your office address to make the transaction fast.Thanks and get back to me with the full info as soon as possible.Thanks
kanmi

Anonymous said...

This is the one I received from: terrygee3@gmail.com

I really appreciate your response to my mail.I want you to consider
that its sold, pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist to avoid
disturbance.I want you to know that i will be paying via certified
check .I will need you to provide me the following information to
facilitate the mailing of the check

1.....Full name to write on the check
2.....Full Physical address to post the check
3.....Home & Cell Phone to contact you

*** Note that the payment will be shipped to your address via UPS NEXT
DAY SERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be
responsible for shipping i will have my mover to come over as soon as
you have cashed the check Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I had the same thing happen to me. I also did not fall for this crap. I had a guy e-mail me about buying the wedding dress I had listed for his sister. He wanted me to send him my name, address, and telephone number and he would send me a money order or cashier's check he never asked me any questions about the dress itself. Well my ad stated that I would accept local pick up only, cash only, but this guy was wanting me to ship the dress. I wanted to sell it so I told him I would accept payment through paypal. He e-mailed me back and asked me again to give him my name, address, and telephone number so he could send me payment. I then explained to him how paypal works and that I would not be handing out my personal information. He responded by saying that his shipping company would come pick up the dress from me. I then told him that I would only accept payment through paypal and I would have to ship the dress myself no third party shippers. At this point I guessed that he was trying to run a scam so I told him someone else was interested in the dress and if he was not willing to pay through paypal then the transaction could go no further. He never responded after that. So I removed my listing from craigslist I think I will do better with the dress at a consignment shop. I really hope people do not fall scams like this.