Scam? I think so.

[plastikosmd]

Don’t be surprised if your spam calls go up.
They got a live one.

I recently had to clear a “background check” on the phone to access something financial.

3 questions

name
mailing address
phone number attached to the account (cell)

after I “verified” I was not particularly comfortable with that “security!”

 

[TIMMYDUCK]

Classic scam .

Fake tractor scammers should be mailed a fake check .

It’s worth the stamp to waste their time and crush their dreams . .

 

[TimberFarm]

Classic scam .

Fake tractor scammers should be mailed a fake check .

It’s worth the stamp to waste their time and crush their dreams . .

When I received the "widow" email telling her sob story, I sent an email back that laid into "her" like you wouldn't believe.
Drunken sailor on shore leave would have turned red.

 

[TomGould34]

who is running such a scam?
do people really go for them?
because I am looking for a service that will write my research paper free and I am scared to get scamed

 

[scaredychicken]

EVERYTHING about that screams scam ...

In another thread I was complaining about a listing on Craig's list that sounded too good to be true and that the person who listed it replied back to me once and then not again.

Well, today I got a reply with a name and the pictures I requested. The tractor looks fantastic. The location of the tractor, according to Craig's list is about 2 hours from me. I sent the seller, who says she is selling her recently deceased husband's tractor, a list of dates that I could come and pay cash for the tractor. This is the reply I got:

As I mentioned before, I'm a widow and now I'm here in *******, ** staying with my parents. [That is not the location listed on Craig's list].
The tractor is already at the shipping company in Roanoke sealed and ready for shipping. My presence won't be necessary because I prearranged the deal with Continental Freight Shippers. The deal includes free delivery and it will arrive at your address in 3-4 days. You will have 5 days to try out prior to making any purchase and if by any reason you find something you don't like about it you can send it back at my expense. If you are interested in knowing more info about how it works, I can ask Continental Freight Shippers to send you an email with more information on how to purchase it. Continental Freight Shippers will contact you shortly after they have the details with all the confirmation that you need to complete this deal and you will also have proof that I am covered by them and a legitimate seller.
If you would like to receive the email from Continental Freight Shippers with all the transaction information please reply with your full name, shipping address and phone # and they will call you right away. Hope to hear from you soon.

So, this obviously looks fishy. I cannot find a company with the exact name of Continental Freight Shippers but there are a few with very similar names. My wife, who is an excellent researcher, could not find a person by the name the seller gave me in the area that the Craig's list posting originated from except for someone who is deceased. Craig's list also says only to buy face-to-face. The part about trying it for 5 days and sending it back at the seller's expense sounds ridiculous too.

I sent her my work number and address. I'll play along and try to be an optimist just because I want it to be real (the pictures show a sweet tractor!). I'm normally a realist....pessimist according to my wife.

It makes me sad and angry that we live in this kind of world. It also makes me disappointed in myself that I'm still hoping this might be legit.

Curious if others have seen this sort of thing?

RUN in the other direction, give them no info.

Yes this scam is for almost anything, usually vehicles, equipment, time shares, larger items ...

They are not selling anything - they are making ads up, stealing online photos, and raping your information for access to bank accounts and personal details identity theft.

Be careful.

 

[N80]

they are making ads up, stealing online photos, and raping your information for access to bank accounts and personal details identity theft.

Be careful.

This is not an identity theft scam. This is not hacking. They are trying to get you to pay them before a non-existent item is sent to you. I'm not saying that they wouldn't use your credit card number if you gave it to them but this is a specific type of scam with a specific intent. No information that I have given them is particularly valuable to them and all of it can be found on line anyway.

So yes, we all need to be careful. But every scam is not the same.

I did get a call from the "shipping company" yesterday. I did not answer it (I was busy at the time) and have blocked the number.

They emailed me back earlier today asking if I'd been in contact with the "shipper". I told "her" that I'd sent my money to them but had not heard back. ;-)

Off topic a little but our credit card gets used fraudulently every year or so. USAA cancels the card and overnight ship us a new one whenever it happens. Fortunately it costs us nothing as USAA is a great company to work with. We have asked them repeatedly if it is anything we are doing that makes this happen and they assure it is nothing we are doing wrong.

 

[scaredychicken]

N80 - they will certainly use it for identity theft also. they build profiles from every detail

 

[Midniteoyl]

Absolutely fake.

 

[N80]

N80 - they will certainly use it for identity theft also. they build profiles from every detail

That’s a lot of work for building a profile of readily available info. But whatever you say.

 

[dodge man]

It’s been several months ago someone setup a scam as a fake tractor dealer. I read about it on this forum or another. They setup inventory, had an address, nice website etc. They got money from people. They started showing up at some guys house out in the country looking for their tractor. It was all pie in the sky.