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View Full Version : Don't Fall for this SCAM!!


KJ5XX
04-09-2004, 04:46 AM
Recently I posted my Kenwood TS-50/AT-50 combo for sale on several ham radio web sites. One of the responses I received was from a Raymond Gants who "hails from the UK". He asked me my asking price (even though it was clearly posted in my ad) and when I requoted it to him he didn't quibble on the price at all.....that's not the strange part.

The next e-mail I received from him I've copied verbatim below (note that the price for my rigs was $650). Here's his response:

"Hello Ron,i have seen the price and its ok by me then i
have instructed my client in{usa} to issue the cashiers cheque to
you.meanwhlie i also instructed him to include $3000 on the payment so
you should expect a cashiers cheque of $3650 the excess is for my shipper
that will be coming for pick up.the funds will be used for the shipping
of the {Kenwood TS-50 HF rig} along side 3 other CARS i placed order for in care of my
shipper.i'll imploy you to wire the balance via western union moneytransfer
to my shipper as soon as you RECEIVE the cheque.My SHIPPER
will come for pick up on a specicified date that will be convenient
for you.i hope i can count on you for my balance I ALSO WANT THIS TO
BASE ON TRUST CAN
I TRUST YOU?...
P.S i will like you to give me ur contact info..also as soon as u get
the cheque,cashing store will given to you for by me for the fast
cashing
of the cheque.Hope this is understandable by you.
Name in full.
Adresss. .
City...
State...
Country..
phone#
pls get all this done for me so that i can fax it down to my client
that will send u the cheque.."

This is a fairly common ploy used by Internet scam artists - they send you a check worth much more than the value of your item. When you cash the phony check and the check clears, you are liable for the full amount. This is a common method used by the so-called "Nigerian letters" many have received unsolicited in their e-mail box. Note that he suggests that he will notify my of a "check cashing store" where I can cash the check - it this was a legit cashiers check, I should be able to cash it at any bank.

In this case, I queried "Raymond" further and told him that I would not handle his $3,000 transaction but only the amount of my equipment and that PayPal would be an acceptable method of payment. Interestingly enough, I haven't heard from my "buyer" since.

If I had agreed to this transaction, I would now be out my rigs, the money for them plus $3,000 for my trouble.

Sellers Beware!!

KA4DPO
04-09-2004, 12:55 PM
This sounds fishy enough to hand over to the FBI. The grammar and type of grammatical mistakes in the E-mail suggest someone from the middle east. This is likely a scam to move money into the US to finance bad guys. Maybe I'm just paranoid but you should info copy this to law enforcement.

KJ5XX
04-09-2004, 03:15 PM
I think you have a very good point. Certainly seems like some type of money laundering scheme at the very least.

I'm doing some checking to see who has authority over scams conducted over the Internet, but the FBI would seem like a logical place to start.

Thanks,

73,

Ron - KJ5XX

N0PU
04-09-2004, 05:17 PM
NOPE, no money laundering here...
Unless you want to include cleaning out YOUR account...

The check will be bogus folks... Forged Certified Check... This is an OLD scam... made new again by the internet and rapid communications... Others used to do the same thing by mail... just took longer to find the suckers...

The Bank may even cash it for you and then their forgery sectgion will detect it and charge YOUR account back when it is bad... and you are out the whole amount AND the radio because you had the money in your hand....or thought you did...

If it sounds too good to be true... it usually is...

Greed will get ya in the end... YOUR end... and it bites HARD...

KJ5XX
04-09-2004, 05:59 PM
Actually, I disagree. Yes it cleans out my account, but the scam artist from the UK is still able to get $3,000 CASH in the hands of his bogus "shipper" - sounds like a great way to launder money to me.

Glad I didn't fall for it. But I'm sure many others have.

I've reported this to the FBI - Internet Fraud Complaint Center.