How do you tell if it's a scam or not?

[3RRL]

Right,
That way is not for a scamming sellor.
It was for Stumpfield because I know he is a good guy. I don't know what a buyer can do under circumstances of buying over the internet such as from eBay? I've been fortunate and gotten everything I bought over eBay.

 

[tallyho8]

I have had very good results with ebay also and never been scammed and I have over 1000+ feedback. But I have run into scammers on the internet many times.

I just wish I could think up a nice easy way to prevent anyone from ever being scammed. (except the scammers)

 

[dsb5610]

Thanks for all the comments. I went into the bank and talk to a branch manager and leanred there's really no way to be 100% sure a cashier's check is real. The bank will except my deposit. If the check turn out to be fake, they will void the deposit. As simple as that. In some cases, even a bank teller can not authenticate the cashier's check. That's why they check IDs and even finger print when you cash a check at the issueing bank. Here's advice I got from the branch manager:

1. Know the person you are dealling with. Check IDs/address and make sure the cashier's check was purchased by the person you are dealing with and is payable to you for the exact amount. Absolutely no third party dealing. (most scammer don't want to do this... not only they have to create a fake check, they have to make fake IDs too. They don't want to deal with you directly.)

2. Don't even bother to verify the cashier's check if you can't satisfy #1. No deal period. Call the issueing bank and verify the issue date, amount and remitter. Everything must match exactly. The issue date should be very close to the transaction date. Noboby would keep a cashier check sitting around waiting for something to buy. If the issue date is too old, tell the buyer to get a new cashier's check.

3. Only accept the check in-person and from the actual person you are dealing with (the person you sold the product to, the same person who purchased the check and the same person here to pickup the product and hand you the check.) Nobody else.

If they can't satify #1,2&3. Tell them to send you the check with exact amount and wait at least 10 days to clear. Otherwise, no deal.

Stumpfield,

Did you discuss wire transfers with the bank? Other than the additional cost ($20 here), for this type of transaction it seems to be a pretty safe way to go. Your item does not leave until you have verified funds in your account. The buyer does not pay out anything until the product is in hand.

I'm curious if you discussed options beyond a cashier's check and what the bank recommended you do.

dsb

 

[tallyho8]

I received another bad Cashiers Check today from another scammer. I had an ad in the local paper for an item for $59. The paper also has an online edition which attracts all the Nigerian scammers. This guy emailed me that he wanted to buy the item and was sending a cashiers check which included enough for shipping.
Then the check comes for $2500.00 and he wants me to cash it and then wire the balance of $2441.00 to his "shipper". I wonder how many people are actually dumb enough to do this. It must be quite a few since there are so many scammers constantly doing this. And every time they send me a check it costs them money, not me. The USA does not have an extradition treaty with Nigeria so we are fair game to them as long as there are people dumb enough to fall for their scams. Instead of tearing up these checks, I think I will post them on a bulletin board titled "Scammers I've scammed".

 

[mjarrels]

Must still work... story in the local paper today where an older couple just lost $450,000 dollars on a "investment opportunity".

mark

 

[dooleysm]

They can put an awful lot of lines in the water for $2441.00 of pure profit.

 

[RonMar]

It is only pure profit if you send them the $2441

 

[RollingsFarms]

what is a dead give away to this scam is the email address they give. i know of some small businesses that use yahoo as their email account, but any major worldwide shipping company would most likely have their own webpage along with their own email address. the other thing that tipped me off is the bum wrote a term paper instructing you on how to send it, where to send it, blah blah blah....OK! THEY GOT IT! geez.....haha. the "person" seemed way more interested in the money aspect of the sale, and didnt seem to show much interest or have any questions about the product up for sale. just a few things i noticed.