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Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 18, 2018 - 12:54pm PT
Dear friends:

Having just been sent a check for $1,250.00 for an antique stove we had on Craigslist for $399.00, I thought I would share some more information on this common scam.

The scammer's 1st Craigslist email said he would send a Money Order for $50.00 more than $399.00, if I would hold the stove for him. After the 3rd email through Craislist, with strange syntax (he was buying the stove for a sibling) I told him I would only accept U.S. Postal Money orders & asked for his full name & location.

I never got another email & thought I had discouraged him, but after two weeks, I got a text message informing me he had mailed the money. I did not reply. Yesterday, I got a second text wanting to know if I had got his check, & today I got another one, & I have not replied.

Today I received a letter with no return address, but a North Houston TX postmark. Inside was a check to me from a CA Title company for $1,250.00. The check looked pretty authentic, but was a little thin, & in the For area was typed Available Funds. We took it to our local bank, told them we were sure it was from a scammer, & asked for their help. Some research revealed the routing number was authentic, but when they called the bank the check was drawn on, they were assured the check was bogus & the Title Company had suffered alarms, from many more bogus checks.

Be carefull out there folks.

Fritz & Heidi



BBB February 15, 2017

Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland (BBB) is warning consumers to watch for overpayment scams when advertising merchandise for sale online. A Wellington, Ohio woman told BBB her ​fiance lost $1,800 after he posted an ad on Craigslist to sell tires. He was contacted by a buyer who agreed to purchase the tires for $300 provided he first remove his Craigslist ad. The female at first offered to pay cash and pick up the tires personally, but later said she would send a check and arrange for a mover to get the tires. When the check arrived, it was for $1,800 - $1,500 more than the purchase price. The seller was instructed to wire transfer the overpayment to a Lawrenceville, Georgia, address. Even though he waited two days for the check to "clear" before sending the $1,500 refund, his bank later notified him that the check was counterfeit and he needed to reimburse the bank for the funds that were withdrawn. He was stuck with an overdrawn bank account and an expensive lesson.

Don’t assume a check - or cashier’s check - is legitimate just because your bank makes the funds available for you to withdraw. A deposited check can take several days or more to clear. Under federal law, banks must make funds from certain deposited checks available one business day after the deposit but it could take weeks or months for the check to be discovered to be counterfeit.

In order to avoid these situations, BBB cautions consumers to avoid:

•The Invisible Buyer - Never deal with a person who communicates only by text or e-mail and will not talk to you on the phone. Get as much information from the seller as possible, including a name and phone number. While you cannot always trust if those are real, you can write down the license plate number of their car if the transaction will take place in person.

•Foreign Bodies - Be wary of individuals claiming to be overseas. In many different types of scams, con artists claim to be living abroad or on military deployment to avoid in person contact. Consider this a red flag.

•Stranger Danger - Never give personal information including credit card numbers, social security numbers, or your address to a stranger.

•The “Oops” Payment - Never accept a check for more than the purchase price of a product or service, no matter how tempting. Ask the buyer to write the check for the correct amount. If the buyer refuses to send the correct amount, return the check and do not send the merchandise. And never wire money to strangers. Remember, once you’ve sent it, it’s gone.



If you have fallen victim to an overpayment scam, you can file a complaint with BBB (bbb.org/cleveland) or Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov). Also post a report at BBB’s Scam Tracker site (bbb.org/scamtracker).
L

climber
Just livin' the dream
Jun 18, 2018 - 01:01pm PT
Good info there, Fritz. Thanks.

Those little bastages are getting more clever each go round.
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 18, 2018 - 01:55pm PT
Yeah! There's always a scammer waiting for you out there. Heidi's sister had an almost identical Cragslist scam happen to her last winter.

After she received the fat check & stopped responding to emails & messages, the scammers threatened to call the cops on her.

That didn't work well, since she's a District Judge & had already turned the fat check over to a proscecuting attorney.
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
Jun 18, 2018 - 03:20pm PT
I bought a bike from Craigslist from a local seller.
We chatted about the exchange and he wanted to meet me in a local Target parking lot.
I was fairly dubious as to what I was getting into so I made arrangements to have Mike with me and designated a well lit and trafficked area.

The deal was fine...I think he was as leery about Craigslist transactions as I was and didn’t want someone coming to his home. He was very nice and I got a FABULOUS deal without over paying.

Susan.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jun 18, 2018 - 03:40pm PT
If you have fallen victim to an overpayment scam, you can file a complaint with BBB (bbb.org/cleveland) or Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov). Also post a report at BBB’s Scam Tracker site (bbb.org/scamtracker).

And if you believe that will help you please contact me for a great deal on beachfront property in Nebraska!
Robb

Social climber
Cat Box
Jun 18, 2018 - 04:03pm PT
This is a scam that's been around for a while. Most of these used to come out of Nigeria. A friend of mine got milked for several k on one.
RURP_Belay

Big Wall climber
Bitter end of a bad anchor
Jun 18, 2018 - 05:15pm PT
I have another one to report - thanks for the public service, Fritz!

A warning for you or any of your friends who may be regular customers at Walmart, we here at F&J like to look out for our readers. Over the last month or so I became the victim of a clever scam while out shopping, which has be quite traumatic. Don’t be naive enough to think that it couldn’t happen to you! Here’s how the scam works.

Two seriously good looking 21 year old girls come over to your car as you’re loading stuff into your trunk. They both start washing your windshield with a rag while their cleavage is practically falling out of their skimpy T-shirts. It’s impossible not to look.

When you thank them or offer a tip, they say no and instead ask you for a lift to another Wal-Mart. You agree and they get in the back seat. On the way, they start having sex with each other. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and gives you a blowjob, while the other one steals your wallet.

I had my wallet stolen on the 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 20th of last month and the 2nd of this month, 4th, three times on the 5th, three times just yesterday, and very likely again today.

Sharing is caring!
hooblie

climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
Jun 18, 2018 - 06:08pm PT
no scam here, just an anecdote that comes to mind:

a few years ago i responded to a craigslist ad for this fine little american made scooter
which to this day, longs wistfully for the meticulous, kid glove treatment it's former owner gave it.

an arrangement was made to meet the seller at my bank.
his buddy was on call to give him a ride home should a deal be struck.

he brought along a gym bag which contained the original turn signals, footpegs etc
which he had chosen to replace, along with a shop manual and binder documenting every service detail ...
including shipping labels for upgraded parts, and instructions for the trickle charger, and on and on.

after the banker counted out the cash and performed the required notary services,
we stood up to leave. he had his jacket on one arm and helmet in the other
so i grabbed the binders and while lugging the gym bag across the lobby
i tossed out a throwaway comment:

"geez, it's been a while since i walked out of a bank toting a gym bag."

the guy stopped short, turned around and gave me a look ... a no joke,
frozen in time, filed away in the permanent record, up and down, LOOK.

take my word for it, not all my humor lands on all fours,
so i wrote it off. no biggie, just another sorry attempt.

a few days later,
marveling at the complete documentation of air pressure checks and radiator top offs,
i came across a courtesy follow-up letter from a vendor of third party accessories
which for some reason was addressed to him at his place of employment:

"mr. joe riderdude" U.S. Marshall
Federal Building, Flagstaff, Az
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jun 18, 2018 - 09:18pm PT
Stellar tale hooblie! It was a pleasure to finally meet you at the last Birdfest.
A Czeck is never any better than the Balance supporting it even with a shoulder stand.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/664661/Classic-Czech-Climbing-History-1983
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jun 18, 2018 - 10:14pm PT
Geez, yer mean, JB! You didn’t have the heart to tell him the Mounties don’t collect for the CRA?

BTW, you should sleep better knowing the Barrie nephew is into his 6th week at RCMP boot camp and doing well. Apparently they just started firearm training and there was a lot of trepidation amongst the non-rural nancy boys and girls. 😉
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
Jun 18, 2018 - 10:55pm PT
fear

Ice climber
hartford, ct
Jun 19, 2018 - 06:45am PT
....Meet me in the Sheriff's Office parking lot.....

This warrants repeating. Don't ever invite people to where you live if at all possible to sell something portable. I've had more than a few 'sales' fall through after asking someone to meet me at the local PD "when I'm done with my shift".....

Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jun 19, 2018 - 07:02am PT
^^^^ Pfffft! I tell ‘em they’re gonna show me their driver’s license, they’re being filmed,
and I make sure they see my 9mm in my waistband.
Messages 1 - 13 of total 13 in this topic
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