Hi! If you are new to buying or selling on the Internet, here is a word of advice: if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Some examples of Internet scams follow. They will give you a heads up about the kinds of things to be on your guard against.
Basically, scammers are enabled by our greed, ignorance, naivete, or good will.
Be careful.
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1. Craigslist is a feeding ground for all kinds of scammers. Here are some words of advice:
You might get some fraudulent emails. Don't click any links in any email messages you get if they are sent to you from supposedly interested buyers.
Arrange the money/goods exchange for a safe time and location away from home if possible (a fast food restaurant parking lot for example).
Arrange for a quick call a few minutes before the exchange so that no one wastes time with a "no show".
Take CASH only, and in person if possible.
Money orders and Cashier checks can be fraudulent. Be careful.
DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.
NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification."
NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION - bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.
AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
Example Craigslist Scams:
Someone claims that craigslist will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that craigslist will handle or provide protection for a payment.
- These claims are fraudulent, as craigslist does not have any role in any transaction.
- Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from craigslist, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes!
Distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check
- you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.
- cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.
- value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
- banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
- scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)
Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:
- Scam "bait" items include apartments, laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything
- Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.
- Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere
- Apartment listing may be local, but landlord/owner is "travelling" or "relocating" and needs you to wire money to them abroad
- Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, rent is below market, etc
Distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:
- this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE
- sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not
- scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check
- deal often seems too good to be true
Distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.
- most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers
- for more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud"
Distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods
- he says he trusts you with the partial payment
- he may say he has already shipped the goods
- deal often sounds too good to be true
Foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds
- foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly
- you are typically offered a percentage of payments received
- this kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email
Most scams involve one or more of the following:
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2. The following email is from an Internet thief. After a while, you are likely to see many of these types of scams.
Typical Internet Scam
3. This one looks like an official eBay email, doesn't it? But, it is not, it is a scam. Here are the four clues:
1. It hit in my spam box.
2. Look closely at the 'From' section (red highlighted). eBy.com certainly is not eBay.com.
3. The 'To' section is blank. And,
3. How about that item number (red highlighted)? It is totally fictitious.
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Question about Item #200434957586 - Respond Now
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Question about Item #200434957586 - Respond Now |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi-Om7kONNs&feature=player_embedded
One good defense would be to begin using the eBay Toolbar. You can read about it here -
http://pages.ebay.ie/ebay_toolbar/
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5. Here are some helpful tips from Western Union. Many scams involve the use of Western Union money transfers.
Western Union knows you work hard for your money. That’s why we’re working to help you protect yourself from fraud.
Be cautious if:
- You receive an offer that sounds too good to be true, like a rock-bottom price on expensive or hard-to-find merchandise.
- You are the winning bid in an online auction and are dealing with a seller who will only accept a money transfer as payment.
- You’re told you’ve won a lottery or prize, but have to pay taxes or fees before you can collect.
- Someone responds to your ad claiming they have found your lost pet or jewelry and asks you to send money for shipping or a reward.
- You’re selling merchandise and receive a check for much more than your asking price, but are asked to send the extra amount back through money transfer.
- You’re offered a low-cost loan but must pre-pay fees or the first few loan payments using money transfer services.
- You get a call from someone claiming to be a police officer or a hospital employee asking for money for the bail or medical treatment of a loved one.
- You respond to an internet posting and are asked to provide details of a money transfer to someone you have not met personally in order for them to "verify" the existence of a money transfer.
- You respond to a job ad for a Mystery Shopper and as part of the job you receive a check and are asked to wire money back. Even though a bank makes funds available, it does not mean the check or money order will clear. It can take weeks for a counterfeit check or money order to be discovered, at which time the bank can deduct the amount that was originally deposited into your account. Visit www.fakechecks.org/ecard.html for additional information on the mystery shopping scam.
Always:
- Know the person you’re sending money to.
- Buy goods and services from known and trusted sources.
- Be alert to internet advertisements for goods or services wherein the provider suggests you send funds via a wire transfer service.
- Avoid paying for online auction purchases through money transfer.
- Use extra caution if buying or selling items to someone outside of your country, especially when buying popular, high-dollar,items.
- Discontinue any transaction if someone coaches you on how to respond to questions asked by Western Union. This is a sure sign of fraud.
- Check with the Better Business Bureau if you are suspicious of a business.
- Contact your State Attorney General Office of Consumer Affairs if you think someone is trying to defraud you.
Remember:
- The Western Union Money Transfer service is a great way to send money to people you
know and trust. - The Western Union Money Transfer service isn’t intended to send money to someone you
don’t know. - Western Union doesn’t provide an escrow service and isn’t responsible for the quality or non-receipt of any goods or services.
- Western Union will pay a transaction to the "named recipient" if they know all of the details of the transfer and present unexpired identification in the name of the recipient.
- Sending money using a fictitious receiver name won’t protect you when doing business with a stranger. Don’t do it.
- Where available, the “Test Question” feature is designed for emergency situations where the receiver will not have proper identification. It should never be used as additional security to time or delay payment of a transaction.
- If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
