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I know this is a SCAM but How?

hbui

Member
Well, I ran into a great deal on CL and emailed the person. He wrote back claiming he's currently in New England. I still proceed with caution and here's the quote from his email...

About the procedure, things are pretty simple. First I go to Royal Mail with the item and start the delivery procedure. After I give them the item for you, Royal Mail will send you a notification to let you know the process has been initiated, and that they have the item for you. Also, in the notification they will send you clear instructions on how to make the payment to Royal Mail, to the Royal Mail agent's name. After you complete your payment, then you will notify Royal Mail, they will collect the payment and once they have your payment, then they will deliver the item to you asap. Delivery time is 2 days. After you receive the item you will have 5 days (i think it's enough) to test it to see if it is as I said, also to see that everything is in good order and then if you are satisfied with the items, then you will instruct Royal Mail to release the payment.
So if you want to make this happen please provide me your full name and shipping address. I will support the shipping and handling cost and you the fee to send the money to Royal Mail.
Thanks
,




I'm almost certain this is a scam...my question is, where is the trigger? At what point do you go (ahh..so that's how it works)...right now, I just know it's a scam but not the mechanism...
 
yes, it is a scam

as you soon as you send some money, then you got scammed and don't get your money back or the thing you wanted to buy
 
They're in New England put posted it on your local (Washington) craigslist? I wouldn't bother with anything that isn't local on craigslist
 
I see nothing on the Royal Mail website about any escrow service.

Even if they did, you'll probably be paying "the agent's name" and no one from Royal Mail will have ever heard of them.

 
Royal mail? For New England? Isn't "New England" just the term for the many states up there?
 
oopps...he's currently in Liverpool, United Kingdom. I'm from the washington area...yeah...it's pretty obvious it's a scam...okay, now a I get it..he'll probably just send me a fake payment request then...
 
Royal Mail would indicate that he is in old England.

Without knowing anything about their process, there are a few possibilities that come to mind:

They deliver payment to him as soon as they get it, with no recourse for you.

They deliver payment to him after you receive the package, without caring if it is as intended. You receive a box of rocks.

The "Royal Mail agent" that you are making payment to is a friend of his.

etc.
 
It's real simple.

You give him your name and address. He composes a fake, but very official looking email from "Royal Mail" that says your package has been dropped off, and it's safe to send payment.

You send payment. You never hear from "Royal Mail" or this guy ever again.
 
It sounds exactly like an escrow service, but the lack of the word "escrow" in the description, and this:
I see nothing on the Royal Mail website about any escrow service.

Raises flags.

But here's a thought: Call 'em up and ask.
 
Originally posted by: QED
It's real simple.

You give him your name and address. He composes a fake, but very official looking email from "Royal Mail" that says your package has been dropped off, and it's safe to send payment.

You send payment.

Guy shows up at your door with a package, and it sure as hell ain't the type of package you were wanting...

You never hear from "Royal Mail" or this guy ever again.

Fixed.


Just for kicks and giggles, tell the guy to go ahead with it and when you get the notice, send some dumb crap to the guy... like Sunday coupons or a poorly drawn fake "Royal Mail" payment made from crayon and construction paper. Or, if you're up to it, print out some stills from 2G1C and mail those.
 
Originally posted by: Quintox
Originally posted by: Fraggable
He could give royal mail anything in a box, who's to say it's whatever you think it is?

Good point.

Are you guys missing the point that Royal Mail does not offer escrow services in the first place?

What is it about people where they automatically assume that a government agency, such as a national postal service, will gladly step in and vouch for the veracity of some complete stranger in an international transaction? Is it because PayPal will e-mail you when you get paid that some just assume the post office would do this for you as well-- without even asking the post office in the first place whether they even offer such a service?

This scam is just a slight variation of those posed often to Craigslist's sellers, where the scammer (a potential buyer) will say they are sending payment via Western Union or a Postal Money Order. "Western Union" or "USPS" will then send the victim (the seller) an e-mail stating that the buyer has paid for the items and it is safe to ship the item to the seller. Often times, the amount "Western Union" or "USPS" claim has been paid will be greater than the agreed purchase price, and the buyer will ask for the seller to send some of the money back. Of course, the emails are forged-- but by the time you realize that you already shipped your laptop to some guy in Nigeria and sent him a money order for a couple hundred bucks for the favor.
 
Originally posted by: Aluvus
Royal Mail would indicate that he is in old England.

Without knowing anything about their process, there are a few possibilities that come to mind:

They deliver payment to him as soon as they get it, with no recourse for you.

They deliver payment to him after you receive the package, without caring if it is as intended. You receive a box of rocks.

The "Royal Mail agent" that you are making payment to is a friend of his.

etc.

lol, i was gonna say...someone has to know this thats is not New England if hes sending Royal Mail.
 
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