OT: Need help!! Someone trying to scam me.

[Blammo300]

Hi I know this is not the right forum, but I was hoping someone might know of something I can do. I was trying to sell a old freezer on craigslist and I recieved a email from a guy who lives in belgium who wants to buy it. Long story short the guy "accidently" sent me a check for $3000 when the fridge only costs $250. I recieved the check and took it to the bank to see if it was fake. They told me it was a fake check and then I read this on craigslist scam page.


"1) distant buyer offers a high-value (but fake) cashier's check in exchange for your item

you receive an odd email (actual examples sent to craigslist sellers below) offering to buy your item site unseen.
cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or just about anything else.
value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - buyer 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
scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)

distant seller offers to send you a cashier's check 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"

The guy is still emailing me asking me to send his money and I even told him it was a scam.

Is it possible to find out a persons IP from there email address? This is his email address: bobby_bobby767@yahoo.com

 

[Matthias99]

This is *totally* not the right place for this, nor can you trace that email address back to anything but Yahoo. I'd report him to abuse@yahoo.com, although I'm not sure what they'd do other than cutting off his email account. The bank that drew up the cashier's check would also probably like to know about this; what he's doing is almost certainly illegal there.

You might want to try the For Sale/Trade forum here; they have threads on people to avoid (and this guy should be added to it), and may be able to offer better advice.

 

[Thegonagle]

Please take this to the AnandTech Off Topic Forum.

As of the time of this edit, you could have a dozen or more repiles if you had posted this there. I don't understand your reasoning for posting this here as an "OT" thread.

 

[imported_composer]

Thanks for the post though, I even check out money orders sometimes when selling stuff on ebay...or personal checks. Banks are always happy to oblige. You can never be too safe.
Another point is when working on a prject, always get it in writing, and/or some type of advance. I spent a few months scoring this project and was never paid) it wasn't a whole lot of money, but still a hassle nevertheless. It was for a web site based class. It was when I was stupid in a business sense. I had just finished creating a feature film trailer and was paid well, nothing in writing, so I thought this person would be a sure thing as it was just for web based classes, presentations. Lesson, get it in writing. Not to sure about Craigs lists, seems kind of scammy all around, work wise and such. What are others take on it?