Beware !!

[CSX3183]

I listes a NOS Ford $27 Fuel Injection unit. I was contacted by a Sarah, who used broken English min her emails. She ststed she was purchasing my unbit, and to remove it from all selling sites. I told her I did, but I did not. Last night I received another email telling me I would receive an overnight payment via UPS.

This package originated in Brooklyn NY according yo UPS, TWO packages arrived just now, both contained identical checks for $5,500.00, with instructions to email; jmfasting@aol; to receive instructions to wire funds to.

Package says it came from Jim Kurt, 578-598-9002,1200 10th Avb., Great FallsMT

I don't have to tell you that the scamers are out there, and now they have invaded our forum.


BE CAREFUL

[ENTDOC]

broken english

[RedBarchetta]

Tell them you desire (no, insist!) on shipping the materials to their Brooklyn location in conjunction with the wiring of any funds. Then go to the backyard and clean up after Fido and dump it in a plastic lined box. I think you can figure out the rest...

[bkozlow]

This happened to me a little while ago. They are Nigerians working a con. They sent me E-mails wanting a check, I told them I had turned it over to the Tampa Office of the FBI and please contact them, as they (FBI) wanted to talk to them. Never heard from them again.

Bill K

[mrmustang]

Thank them for their payment and then explain the extra "handling charge" which negates a return or forwarding of funds .......



Bill S.

[*13*]

I work for a foundry. Someone called & tried a similar scam yesterday. They are getting ballsy!

[Gunner]

There is virtually no risk up front and *ZERO* recourse once you wire the funds, and they only need a sales rate a hundreth of that of Beverly Hills Bugatti to rake it in - how ballsy would you be in trying to rope people?

[*13*]

Ballsy in the sense that it's usually obvious it's a scam from the getgo for all of the previously mentioned reasons. Ballsy because they are calling US businesses on the phone rather than trying to hook the innocenty niave by email. But I understand what you are saying. Absolutely nothing you can do if you fall for something like this.

[RedBarchetta]

Tell them that you are a man of the cloth and that the funds for the items are going to be used to build an orphanage. In order to gain their trust that they are upstanding businessmen, you need some physical proof that they are righteous human beings and have compassion for all humanity. This physical proof could be in the form of a photograph of this person holding a LARGE fish (the internationally recognized symbol of Christianity) in their hands and kissing it, thus showing their respect for God and all things sacred to mankind.

Then post the picture here and I'll tell you what to do for the Second Act of the production.

-Dean

[esjohnso]

Hello, I was investigating whether this could be a possible scam and found this posting. I posted my volvo on craigslist and got the same response you talking about. I just received a check for $2500 via UPS and was asked to wire the money to an address, and that he'd send a shipper to pick up my car. I told him no I would not until I knew whether this was a scam and if the check clears. I asked him to call me and he said he couldn't because his mother was sick and he had to visit her, so I responded are there no phones available? How can he email but not talk? I can tell he's from somewhere else, his english/grammar is broken on the emails. I want to know what was the outcome for you or what is the scam? Are these fake checks? I checked out the bank, and the bank is real, but I can't tell if these are counterfeit checks or not.

[Gunner]

I guarantee you it's a scam. Did you really need to ask?

[SantaFe66]

I checked with my bank when I received one of these checks when I listed my 86 Honda Interceptor on a site. They said the bank was probably legit but after they submitted several of them for payment for other customers, the bank in Nigeria denied payment after a lengthy wait for it to clear. At that point, it comes back to your bank and you better have the funds in your account to cover it. Obviously, if you have shipped the goods (exactly what these scammers want you to do), you are screwed!

Never, never fall for these scams. They're crooks and neither the FBI or banking officials can touch them. Our laws are for us, not them.

[Rick Parker]

Ah .....keep the change

[CSX3183]

I just played with them, my unit was priced at 3000.00, then sent me 11.000.00 in 2 checks, wanted me to wire them the excess, and a shipper would pick my unit up. I told them that they owed me more $, to cover packaging, and that there was no money left to wire them, that ended their emails.

[Gunner]

I suggest that anyone caught in this scam just deposit the checks in a savings account and leave them there. Don't ship the item, don't send the "refund" - just wait.

I suspect that in many cases, the scammers are working with the banks, or some insider in the bank. They don't void the checks and claim they were stolen or forged until AFTER they get the item and/or the wired money. So if you sit on the checks... and sit on them... they can't void them or reject them in due time.

It would be an interesting experiment if anyone wants to play.

By the way, you do understand why they use UPS, DHL etc. to send the checks? Because if they mailed them, it would be mail fraud, and some very heavy Federal action would get involved. An awful lot of scammers, insurance fraudsters, etc. have gotten hit much harder for "use of the mails for fraud" than for the fraud itself. It would be less of a threat to someone outside the US, but the feds have tools - and reach - that state and local agencies don't, and I suspect that Mr. Nigeria would have some very uncomfortable days.

[vanoochka]

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Tell them that you are a man of the cloth and that the funds for the items are going to be used to build an orphanage. In order to gain their trust that they are upstanding businessmen, you need some physical proof that they are righteous human beings and have compassion for all humanity. This physical proof could be in the form of a photograph of this person holding a LARGE fish (the internationally recognized symbol of Christianity) in their hands and kissing it, thus showing their respect for God and all things sacred to mankind.

Then post the picture here and I'll tell you what to do for the Second Act of the production.

-Dean

The below link is a site for those whose hobby is making these "419" scammers look ridiculous.

http://www.419eater.com/

[Dwight]

a few year back Coach received one of their "checks". It was a certified check on a bank in Illinois. He took the check to his bank, they contacted the bank in Illinois who stated the check was counterfeited. The bank called in the FBI.
We need to get the FBI involved everytime so they can put a stop to the oversea scams.
Dwight

[Jim Weatherall]

Yep, Sarah, Jim Kurt, and jmfasting sent me $3600 for a $1400 purchase last week. The check came UPS from Jim Kurt with the address of a shopping center and a non-existant area code phone number. Sarah claimed to be in Seattle with a sick kid and otherwise would have driven to Houston to pick up the item. Really, 'bout a three day drive. Well, it's interesting her IP address is located in Nigeria.

[FIA Mike]

I just play along with them. It is easy to tell a scammer. I have them send me their check and then wait. I don't deposit it. This way the scammer goes through the hassle of making a check and paying for shipping. I now have over $240,000 worth of fake checks. The checks look good but are fake. I now have a collection of fake checks and FedEx and UPS get some extra business from the scammers.

Just having fun, FIA Mike

PS: If eveyone contacted by these clowns did this the scammers would go away.

[Jim Vander Wal]

I got the same contact info and followed up on the addresses and tel numbers. Nothing worked.
The check was marked "certified check" in the memo filed. Written for $2,400 for a $500 purchase with the balance going to different parties, again unverifiable. There were multiple communications as to whether the check was received and funds wired. There was no concern for the product that initiated the "purchase".
The check was written from MoGuide Academy Inc. in Lawrenceville, GA. The bank was Branch Banking & Trust in Lawrenceville this is a real bank. I didn't check available funds. Too much other info didn't work to bother.
I called the local police, they do not even try to follow up on these. Also spoke to a sheriff friend who does follow I-Net crimes. Way to hard to track to bother with.
My banker told me that it can take 30-60 days to really know that a check won't come back. He did offer to cash it and then wait and see.
Seller Beware!
Jim