• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

am i going to get scammed?

M

Meractik

Golden Member
This sounds to good to be true, im trying to sell a powerbook on craigslist and im getting this response from this lady...

Hello,
thanks for the fast respond, since the item is in good condition, and i will like to let you know that am sending it to one of my uncle for his birthday as a present and its very urgent and i willoffer to pay $950 for the urgent for the urgent i needed it, So kindly send your full name and address so that i can proceed with the payment via USPS MONEY ORDER so get back to me as soon as possible ..........thanks.
Best Regards,
Joan.

her email looks legit its name@usa.com..

shes sent me 1 email thus far just saying shes interested in the item and asking if its availalble now she just wants to send the money as USPS money order.... if i tell her thats okay and give her my address how would i know if hte money order she sends me is fake? i wouldn't ship the item until i had the money order and cashed it... but is it possible i could cash it then someone could come after me to get the money back because it is fake...? anyone know..
 
P-P-P-Powerbook!

sorry, i just had to...

sounds very much like a scam email to me...the whole "it's a gift, i need it quickly" spiel...ask for the shipping addy in advance, if it's in nigeria somewhere, which i think it probably will be...then you know

it's a popular scam to say "well, i live in the good old us of a, however my uncle/brother/daughter/family dog is currently in nigeria/russia/antarctica on business and i would like it shipped there"
 
Originally posted by: quakefiend420
P-P-P-Powerbook!

sorry, i just had to...

sounds very much like a scam email to me...the whole "it's a gift, i need it quickly" spiel...ask for the shipping addy in advance, if it's in nigeria somewhere, which i think it probably will be...then you know

it's a popular scam to say "well, i live in the good old us of a, however my uncle/brother/daughter/family dog is currently in nigeria/russia/antarctica on business and i would like it shipped there"
Click to expand...

faimly dog in antarctica lol. :laugh:
 
Why is it that if some item is a gift that it's a scam. Have you ever considered that it could actually every be a gift?

Also, why does it sound legit: just because it's a name@usa.com? Who cares what the domain is. It doesn't matter. A scammer doesn't have to be a Nigerian sitting somewhere in Africa. I could scam you guys, for all you care, and I'm based in Europe.

I just don't get it.
 
okay well let me put this to rest by replying and asking for the shipping address.

it sounds like shes willing to send the payment before i ship the item, so back to my original question... is it possible for me to recieve a fake USPS money order and get it cashed then get it turned around on me and in trouble for it being fake? or would they know right then when i tried to cash it that it was fake...?
 
Originally posted by: Meractik
okay well let me put this to rest by replying and asking for the shipping address.

it sounds like shes willing to send the payment before i ship the item, so back to my original question... is it possible for me to recieve a fake USPS money order and get it cashed then get it turned around on me and in trouble for it being fake? or would they know right then when i tried to cash it that it was fake...?
Click to expand...

Take it to a check cashing place.

Then you will get your cash AND if it is fake they get screwed you do not!
 
Originally posted by: Meractik
okay well let me put this to rest by replying and asking for the shipping address.

it sounds like shes willing to send the payment before i ship the item, so back to my original question... is it possible for me to recieve a fake USPS money order and get it cashed then get it turned around on me and in trouble for it being fake? or would they know right then when i tried to cash it that it was fake...?
Click to expand...

I wonder who these people are getting with these things...now I know.

Examples pulled from my gmail trash:

This one is from "Cynthia"

Hello,
I will like to make the payment for your item,but before then kindly get back to me with the condintion of the item because i have once buy a good at craig which was not in perfect condition.As my form of payment i will like to proceed with the payment through USPS POSTAL money order,and also i will handle the shipping my self because i have an account with a courier service,i will tell you what to do about the shipping as soon as my payment as been approved by USPS.
But before then kindly get back to me about the condition, if it was in good perfect condition kindly . send me your name and your house address so that i can proceed with the payment today through USPS postal money order .Thanks till i hear back from you aspa.Anne
Click to expand...

Why "Amy", why?

Good Morning,
Seller,i saw your item posted for sale here in Craigslist...well..i am so much interested in buying it urgent...
i want to know if is still available for sale..
let me know as soon as possible today.hope to hear from you back.
Click to expand...

"Hanna"?

Hello,
Could you with your honest heart describ to me
the working condition of these item.
As i recently got a scrab here.
Hanna
Click to expand...

"Bello"

Hello,
I saw your item on the website and am highly interested in purcharing it,kindly let me know the current condition and your final asking price for the item.Please get back to me a.s.a.p.
Thanks
Click to expand...

"Allice"

HELLO GOODDAY,
THIS IS MRS. ALICE I SAW UR ADVERT ON NET THAT YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR ITEM WHICH AM VERY INTERESTED IN IT AND I WHICH I WILL LIKE TO BUY IT AT THAT PRICE ADDINIG 10% TO THE ORIGINAL PRICE OF THE ITEM BECAUSE I NEED IT URGENTLY AND THE RECENTLY CONDITION OF IT. ALSO, I WANT YOU TO GET BACK TO ME WITH FULLNAME, ADDRESS WITH YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER SO THAT I CAN MAKE THE PAYMENT AS SOON AS YOU GET TO ME.I WILL LIKE TO PAY YOU THROUGH (MONEYGRAM) TRANSFER AM EAGER TO HEAR FROM YOUR RESPONSE. MY REGARDS TO YOU, ALICE.........THANKS
Click to expand...

"Kiara"

I want to pruchaseyour item, so let me know the condition and if still available for sale aong with the final price.
Click to expand...

"Sean"

Hello,
How are you doing over there, i view your item paste on the site and i develop so much intrest on it, i will like to know if this item is still available for sale.
best regards
Click to expand...

"Martin"

hello,
hope the laptop hasn't been sold.
I am interested..i can pay more because i want it urgently !!!

Regards
Click to expand...




They are getting better at it...I got pulled into responding to this one from "Debra"

Hello seller,
I saw your posted Laptop on craigslist, i will pay $700 for the Laptop, so get back to me asap if the Laptop is still available.
Thanks
Click to expand...

No taces of the key words like "urgently" or requesting my full name/address/phone number. Then the b!tch hits me with this:

Thanks for your response, am very interested in purchasing the Laptop but firstly, i will like tp know maybe the Laptop is good condition before i proceed in making your payment but all the same you can send me info such as name,address,city,state,code,country and phone# so that i can make your payment via Online payment via my bank(Bank of America) note that am purchasing the item for my son who reside in abroad so i will make the payment along with the shipping charge by adding additoinal $100 to the previous amount of $700 which am paying for the item you must go and ship after the payment have clear.
Click to expand...



Yes, every single one of these that I have quoted was/is a scam attempt. Once you get dozens of these like I have...it gets easy to weed them out.

Things to look for: Broken English, key words, for someone "else" (IE a gift), lives outside of your city, wants to pay you more than what you're asking for, is using some sort of online service to "pay".
 
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Ask her where the item will be shipped to.
Click to expand...

Look at her first email to him, she says urgent a billion times. Anyone who doesn't think this is a scam should seriously consider not selling things on craigslist/online.
 
Originally posted by: farmercal
So is Paypal the only safe form of money transfer?
Click to expand...

There are safe ways to transfer money online. Paypal itself isn't all that safe, just safer than most. What scammers do is come up with fake emails that look like the real thing and send them to you. They say that the money is on the way, blah blah blah, and the scammer will want you to ship the item at that point before any money could be transfered into your account.

Or they'll send you a fake check or money order. The bank will cash alot of these b/c they look so good...but when it bounces...the bank just pulls the money out of your account.

Some scammers even give you a fake check/money order for more/alot more than what your asking. Then they ask you to cash it and send a certain amount of the "change" back to them. So they get the cash, the product, and you're screwed in the end.
 
Originally posted by: Meractik
okay well let me put this to rest by replying and asking for the shipping address.

it sounds like shes willing to send the payment before i ship the item, so back to my original question... is it possible for me to recieve a fake USPS money order and get it cashed then get it turned around on me and in trouble for it being fake? or would they know right then when i tried to cash it that it was fake...?
Click to expand...

I don't think you can walk into anyplace and cash a check or money order without identification. If the USPS does take a bogus money order, rest assured they will be looking for you.
 
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: farmercal
So is Paypal the only safe form of money transfer?
Click to expand...

Western Union cash transfer. Once it's sent and received, it's done.
Click to expand...

That's the thing though, if you accept WU, you have to make sure you actually received it before you ship.
 
Tell her to mail the money order along with a copy of the receipt from the post office she got it from. Call that post office to verify that it is legit and then take it to your local post office and have the postmaster examine it.


Any hint of foul play and you just return it right to her and tell her no thanks.

Also, get her address FIRST and ask for a scan of a photo ID AFTER you get her address. If they don't match... sucks for her.
 
Originally posted by: Mike
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: farmercal
So is Paypal the only safe form of money transfer?
Click to expand...

Western Union cash transfer. Once it's sent and received, it's done.
Click to expand...

That's the thing though, if you accept WU, you have to make sure you actually received it before you ship.
Click to expand...

Western Union instant transfer, not a money order. Go to a WU place (some supermarkets can send/receive WU)..fill out the form, present ID, receive & cash the check. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Injury
Tell her to mail the money order along with a copy of the receipt from the post office she got it from. Call that post office to verify that it is legit and then take it to your local post office and have the postmaster examine it.


Any hint of foul play and you just return it right to her and tell her no thanks.

Also, get her address FIRST and ask for a scan of a photo ID AFTER you get her address. If they don't match... sucks for her.
Click to expand...

😀
 
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: Mike
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: farmercal
So is Paypal the only safe form of money transfer?
Click to expand...

Western Union cash transfer. Once it's sent and received, it's done.
Click to expand...

That's the thing though, if you accept WU, you have to make sure you actually received it before you ship.
Click to expand...

Western Union instant transfer, not a money order. Go to a WU place (some supermarkets can send/receive WU)..fill out the form, present ID, receive & cash the check. 🙂
Click to expand...


That's a good idea, too, I suppose. If the scammers use it so you can't get your money back, I guess the good guys can use it so they can't get shafted, eh?
 
Originally posted by: Injury
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: Mike
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: farmercal
So is Paypal the only safe form of money transfer?
Click to expand...

Western Union cash transfer. Once it's sent and received, it's done.
Click to expand...

That's the thing though, if you accept WU, you have to make sure you actually received it before you ship.
Click to expand...

Western Union instant transfer, not a money order. Go to a WU place (some supermarkets can send/receive WU)..fill out the form, present ID, receive & cash the check. 🙂
Click to expand...


That's a good idea, too, I suppose. If the scammers use it so you can't get your money back, I guess the good guys can use it so they can't get shafted, eh?
Click to expand...

Sure. All transfer costs are pinned on the sender anyway. 🙂

A while back, we (Publix #175) had someone that had been scammed sending money by the thousand to some foreign country - fortunately her daughter came in with her & we were able to fix it with Western Union so she could get some/most/all (can't recall) of her money back.
 
OP, you know this is a scam. Why even start a thread about it? I recently tried to sell a laptop on Craigslist and that attracted a LOT of scammers, especially from .usa addresses. If you follow the recommendations on Craigslist:

"Recognizing scams
Most scams meet involve one or more of the following:

long-distance buyer or seller
offer includes a cashier's check, postal money order, Western Union, or escrow service (BidPay, Squaretrade, etc.)
refusal to meet face-to-face"

... you cannot be scammed. If you proceed (and actually ship) you will give them your Powerbook for free. If you proceed PLEASE do not return here complaining about being ripped off!
 
Originally posted by: Mike
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Ask her where the item will be shipped to.
Click to expand...

Look at her first email to him, she says urgent a billion times. Anyone who doesn't think this is a scam should seriously consider not selling things on craigslist/online.
Click to expand...

I actually missed where she spelled urgent twice like that, it was earlie in the morning and i quickly read it, it does look scandalous but ive emailed her back and asked where she wants the item to be shipped to anyways. just to see what she says, if she says outside of the US, forget it im not going to do that. 🙂
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top