Internet Scammers

TexasTractors · Jun 4, 2003

FYI, I have recieved several of these emails over the past few months to some ads in the TBN classifieds. I am almost certain it is some sort of scam, so watch out. Just thought I would pass along the warning.

"Message from ralph : Hello, My name is Ralph Benrick,I''m a reputable business man here in West Africa.I''m really interested in your ad so much,and My method of payment is a certified cashier''s check that is
drawn on a US Bank,and or at a near by cashing store around you.
I''ll be looking forward to giving me your last price,so as to transact
business with a trustworthy person,and i hope you are the type of a loyal
person. I''ll like to know if you do shipping to the republic of Africa,and if
you can''t i''ll handle it by contacting my shipping agent for the
shippment arrangement. You can send me pics if really available,
I''m waiting for your mail today.
Thanks,
Ralph......."

hosejockey2002 · Jun 4, 2003

Definitely a scam. I can't imagine why someone would buy a tractor in the US and have it shipped to Africa.

Anonymous Poster · Jun 4, 2003

Yeah, that's a common scam:

1. They say that they are paying by cashier's check or wire.
2. They then claim that they are from Africa (often Nigeria).
3. They then say that they have for some reason either over pay you and want you to wire the rest back or overpay you and you pay the shipper.
4. Assuming that you bite, they send you a cashier's check or ask for bank info for your account.
5. If you get a cashier's check, you wire the "extra" money back or pay the shipper by cashier's check or wire.
6. You may even "ship" your tractor, part, etc if the shipper is legit and the scam is to to get a free tractor/part with you paying to ship it.

The scam is based on people's assumption that a cashier's check is the same as cash. The check is usually forged (it may even be drawn on a local bank). You then wire or send a real cashier's check back to them (i.e. they send you a forged check, you send them money), or you pay to ship your equipment to them (if the shipper is real). Either way you are out. If you want to toy with them get the check, and contact the bank if it exists (after you have verified the phone number is acutally that of a bank) and verify that the check is valid. Then take it to your bank, tell them of your concerns, they will then pass it through and prove it is forged.

If they claim they are going to wire you the funds they say they need the bank account number, name on the account, the ABA routing number, to wire money to your account. They may ask for your social security number, but usually they don't need it. After they have your account number, they clean out your account by wire to an oversees account. The only way to avoid this scam is to set up a second account with no funds and when the money shows up, transfer it out to your regular account.

Beware of people who pay with foreign checks, or ask you to ship goods overseas. Often the transaction is fraudulent (either a stolen credit card number which ends up with the payment taken back from you, a fraudulent check, etc.)

A final way to scam people is that they set up a fake online escrow account that says they received the payment and when the equipment is received they will send payment (this is a common ebay scam). You get the e-mail that they have the funds, you send your tractor/equipment but the payment never comes because the escrow site is fake.

Think about it, who would offer to send more money than something is worth. Who would pay to ship a tractor from US to Africa--just buy it in Japan and save a step.

Anyway--always be suspicious, don't give out your information and if they want you to use an escrow company, use one that you pick. Bet they say they can't deal with that company and try to give you one or two others (all of which are fake and usually on-line).

Anonymous Poster · Jun 4, 2003

Its very common for people in africa to buy oil field equipment and other machinery because its cheaper and better made then most equipment they can get. But i guess this is a scam because whenever people asked to buy his used oil field equipment they would call.

rich1010220 · Jun 4, 2003

Below is some of an e-mail I received after putting a ad for a tractor in the classifieds. I was only asking $4700 for the tractor. Beware of these scammers.

My client will be the one to issue the check in your name and address.Let me have your full name,contact address and your phone#where the chekck will be mailed to.
My clinet will isseu the sum of $8300.whcih the rest should be depsited with my shipping agent.they would be of need of that amount ,which will enable the come pick up the tractor form its destination.
Thanks,
hamm.

Thanks for your understanding and also address.I will have to forward all our discussion to my client so he can issue the check on time,once you receive payment from him immediately send the rest fund via money gram to my shipping agent so as to make things more faster.Once you receive payment from my client i will have them contact you so you two can fix a date for shippment.Pls make all document ready from your side.
Thanks,
Hamm.

N.B

ont forget to send the money immediately you receive payment.

Anonymous Poster · Jun 4, 2003

Note the innocuous other statements where they will accept your conditions. Their only request is to send your payment back immediately.

Anonymous Poster · Jun 4, 2003

Take him up on his offer, but have a small print that costs the difference for handling overseas payment.

Of course their payment will never clear. And of course, never give them personal info.

Tractors4u · Jun 4, 2003

I had a guy named Austin from Africa contact me. He offered me a $6000 check for a $2400 tractor. He said he had friends over here that owed him the money and they would send the check to me and I could take my part out and send him the rest. Funny thing is he called through one of those telephone translators for the deaf. I kept trying to turn him down, telling him something sounded fishy. He was very insistent that he was on the up and up. I told him to send me the check and I would give it a month to clear. He never sent the check.

BillG_in_TX · Jun 4, 2003

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ... shipping to the republic of Africa ... )</font>

That must be one of those new countries.
I can't find the republic of Africa on any of my maps. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

jimstractors · Jun 5, 2003

Same exact thing happend to me. AT&T deaf translator and all. I told him to send the exact amount, that I wasn't a bank. Never received a thing. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Jim
Jim's Tractors