YAET: I smell a scam.

[Eli]

Just got this email.

Question from eBay Member: FuseBox 100 - Professional Tabletop kiln

Dear epruett3,

Greetings, My name is Katherine.I have interest and wish to purchase your (FuseBox 100 - Professional Tabletop kiln (Item # 2393517077)which price is $965.00.I hope it is in a very good condition?In respect of the shipping,I have a shipping agent that will take care of the shipment cos`i have other consignment with him for shipping to the same destination. Furtheremore, I have a client in UNITED STATES(US) who will send the check of $3,500.00 and has promised to send the check down to you on mybehalf.I also want to tell you that,you will have to send the remaining balance being the excess fund via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER,to the shipping agent who is coming for the clearance. Conclusively,I want you to send your FULLNAME and ADDRESS,including your PHONE NUMBER in which you will receive a certified cashier check drawn in usa fund.You can also reach me on my alternate email address(xxxxx@yahoo.com)I look forward to hearing from you soonest. Best Regards Bryant Katherine.

I don't even know what to say to them. The first half sounds legit, but the second half obviously isn't. I do ship worldwide, but I'm not going to take a 3,500$ cashiers check.. and then give them the change? LOL.

What should I say? If they're really interested in purchasing the item, I want to follow through, but, uh.. no.

 

[BeauJangles]

tell them to pound sand, it's a scam

 

[Dacalo]

Wiring and then asking for change is very fishy.

 

[Corporate Thug]

scam

 

[flot]

Well known scam.

 

[Amused]

Um, no.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: flot
Well known scam.

Yep, you'll get a fake check.

 

[Yax]

Accept the check, don't send the item or the refund. See what they'd do.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Let them know of your concerns and ask for a non-refundable Western Union deposit of %10 to ensure good faith.

 

[TechnoKid]

Ask for a check in the exact amount. Nothing more nothing less. Surely if they can write a check in excess they can write it in the exact amount.


email back and forth a bit and keep us on ATOT entertained a bit....

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Accept the check, don't send the item or the refund. See what they'd do.

Or send another fake check as the return money.

 

[Garet Jax]

Scam.

The certified is a fake. You pay them the difference and send them the kiln. Your bank finds out the check is a scam and removes $3500 from your account. Bad news.

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Accept the check, don't send the item or the refund. See what they'd do.

Or send another fake check as the return money.

There's an idea. Send them a fake check that's more than theirs and ask for a refund as well.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Accept their offer, but have the bank verify the check first before you do anything with it.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Accept their offer, but have the bank verify the check first before you do anything with it.

I always do anyway, I just don't even want to get involved if it's a scam, which I am sure it is.

Nobody talks like that. As someone else said, if they can write a check for 3500, they can write a check for $965.. lol

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Accept their offer, but have the bank verify the check first before you do anything with it.

I've heard thats the hang up, at first it passes, it isnt till later it comes back as bad. Hence the reason some people still get screwed by it, it can be like a month till the damned fake check comes back.

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Accept their offer, but have the bank verify the check first before you do anything with it.

I always do anyway, I just don't even want to get involved if it's a scam, which I am sure it is.

Nobody talks like that. As someone else said, if they can write a check for 3500, they can write a check for $965.. lol

Being that they're running the scam from out of the country, just send them an I O U as the refund. They'd never know the difference.

EDIT: Tell them you'd send the difference in $100 US currency. Then photocopy a bunch of hundreds and send that to them in a giant envelope.

 

[Yossarian]

THIS IS NO SCAM.

SINCERELY,
YOUR NIGERIAN UNCLE

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
THIS IS NO SCAM.

SINCERELY,
YOUR NIGERIAN UNCLE

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Accept their offer, but have the bank verify the check first before you do anything with it.

I've heard thats the hang up, at first it passes, it isnt till later it comes back as bad. Hence the reason some people still get screwed by it, it can be like a month till the damned fake check comes back.

Then the bank is not doing their job.

It takes a phone call to the issuing bank to verify that the serial numbers and amount is legit.
Have the issueing bank fax a confirmation that the serial numbers/check number is legit.
Then you are completely covered.

What usually happens is that a bank will call and ask if the acocunt is legit and are there funds to cover the check?

 

[EagleKeeper]

As others have stated it is a scam. Question is, how much fun do you wish to have with them?

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Accept their offer, but have the bank verify the check first before you do anything with it.

I've heard thats the hang up, at first it passes, it isnt till later it comes back as bad. Hence the reason some people still get screwed by it, it can be like a month till the damned fake check comes back.

Then the bank is not doing their job.

It takes a phone call to the issuing bank to verify that the serial numbers and amount is legit.
Have the issueing bank fax a confirmation that the serial numbers/check number is legit.
Then you are completely covered.

What usually happens is that a bank will call and ask if the acocunt is legit and are there funds to cover the check?

And if there using a stolen account, the answer is yes and yes. So you cash n send, and you get screwed.

 

[sillymofo]

Accept the check, cash it, if it goes through, then give them back the change...

 

[DrPizza]

Uhhhhh, 21,000 plus posts on AT? And you haven't heard of this exact scam yet?! It's been posted a dozen times if it's been posted once.

You deposit 3500 check.
You send them the difference.
They never even bother picking up the item.
3 weeks later, your bank informs you that their check bounced. You owe your bank $2535. There's nothing you can do to track down where you sent the money, but the stolen $3500 (their client) is easily tracked to you.

 

[slycat]

PICS?!!