Craigslist - Scumbag Scammer
- Thread starter Kashta
- Start date
So can someone explain to me how the scam works? I've heard of people overpaying for big ticket items via money order, and then asking for a refund in the amount of the overpayment, but I'm not seeing that here.
The guy agreed to pay $85 plus an additional $40 via money order, and then pay for shipping himself. So where does he make his money? Or does he just get a free used wheelchair if the money order bounces?
Seems like kind of a lot of risk for little reward here.
The guy agreed to pay $85 plus an additional $40 via money order, and then pay for shipping himself. So where does he make his money? Or does he just get a free used wheelchair if the money order bounces?
Seems like kind of a lot of risk for little reward here.
I get those all the time, I always tell them to send cash and I will ship with 50.00 back because cash was used. I tell them if you want it urgently send cash right away and or better yet send me there credit card number and I will bill them... they never write back :lmao:
I think what I got was a feeler. He offered to pay a lot of money up-front for an item he hadn't seen yet or even asked questions about. So it's a large, heavy duty wheelchair instead of a standard manual one. Okay, what's the weight capacity... 200 lbs.. 450 lbs? Which kind is it? Is it in good condition? How wide is the seat, 25 inches... 30 inches? No one who needs this for real is going to buy it without asking those questions first.
What he's really doing is fishing for people who are vulnerable or naive or overly trusting to make contact with and establish some level of trust. He does this at a high volume... browses through certain kinds of ads that are a few days old.. even a week old. Sends out the same canned reply to all the ads he collects saying the exact same thing and nothing more, "still available for sale?" He wasn't after a bargain on an old used wheelchair. Doesn't even mention it. My ad was just one of many.
Anyone who replies back to his email, become potential victims. He says a lot of garbage that doesn't mean anything. Meanwhile, he's really going after each person's name, address, and phone number. Already has their email address. As later emails get exchanged, he collects more info about everyone. Could be a ploy for identity theft later on if the victim doesn't question this and reveals too much information.
My ad was an obvious one for a scammer to hit. Young people and the elderly make the best targets, so... an old man might be selling his manual wheelchair because he just bought a powered one. Old people and crippled people are often very lonely if they don't have family around and can lose touch with the outside world. People in their elder years now were also taught to save money from an early age. Way more than our general population has for many decades since. If they were lucky in life, they may have acquired a lifetime of savings or property.. maybe hoarding it for a rainy day.. might have a pile of money stashed away in an old trunk or a nice savings account.
Or, the wheelchair being sold off suggests a family member just died and the seller is probably distraught.. could be this person now has a lot of money, property, or an inheritance they suddenly have to deal with and aren't prepared to cope with it all. People like this are at a real low point in life. It's a real good time to make bad decisions.
It might have just been a money order/check deposit scheme. I buy into the presumed saftey that's implied by the money order. He sends me one that's not worth the paper it's printed on. I get excited because now I'm getting $125 for a wheelchair I couldn't get $85 for, much less give away. So I go for it... Three days later that money order appears to have cleared the bank. Then this anonymous shipping company shows up needing a cash money payment up front. Something has gone wrong.. didn't get arranged right and now I have to put up a $500 deposit or pay packing or fees or something.. but the buyer's not here and can't be reached right away. Or I get a hold of him by email and he says he'll send more money in a larger money order to cover the shipping. I think this money order is reliable too since the first one cleared (and by then I'm fully committed to this sale)... so I do it. By the time I find out a month later that these money orders were worthless.. the buyer and the shipper can no longer be found.
There are a lot of different options a scammer has to choose from. I didn't play along long enough to find out which it was in this case. I just know it's easy to get used wheelchairs locally, no matter where you live. It doesn't make sense to pay so much to hire a shipping company to pack and transport one from Nevada to Oregon. They have old people in Oregon who die all the time.. like anywhere else. Used medical equipment is easy to find locally.. private sales ads, nursing homes, church groups, medical equipment suppliers.
While I was reading up on these scams before answering his message, I found a lot of interesting information. These excerpts come from a site called 419hell.com and are informative and humorous. (I had to bleep out the strong language to post this here.)
Overpayment Scam (Auction Scam) - Scammer will pay for a listed item on eBay, Craigslist or other classified ad site with a fake check or money order that is far larger than the agreed-upon price of the item. The scammer tells the seller to deduct any packing or shipping costs incurred, then refund him the remainder using a wire transfer service. Often times the victim sends the remainder only to discover later that the check or money order was a fake.
Cancellation Scam - Similar to the Overpayment Scam. The scammer will pay for a listed item on eBay, Craigslist or other classified ad site with a fake check. After the victim receives and deposits the fraudulent check, the scammer cancels the transaction and demands their money back immediately. The victim then refunds the entire balance of the check by wire transfer. Only later is the deposited check discovered to be a fake.
And some entries from the same site's FAQ pages...Cancellation Scam - Similar to the Overpayment Scam. The scammer will pay for a listed item on eBay, Craigslist or other classified ad site with a fake check. After the victim receives and deposits the fraudulent check, the scammer cancels the transaction and demands their money back immediately. The victim then refunds the entire balance of the check by wire transfer. Only later is the deposited check discovered to be a fake.
Q: After a brief email correspondence, a foreign company has hired me. My job is to deposit and cash checks for them. The company has mailed me a check for $5,000. Could it be an email scam?
A: Yes, it is definitely a scam. The check is a fake.
Q: But I visited the company's website.
A: Fake website, dude.
Q: But the website was VERY professional looking with tons of verifiable information.
A: It's possible that both the website and company are real, but the email is from a scammer who is posing as a member of that company. Regardless - no legitimate company will send checks worth thousands of dollars to someone they have never met.
Q: But I deposited the check and it cleared. The money is in my bank right now.
A: Sigh... The money you see in your bank account is called "flash money". It is imaginary money that appears, temporarily, in your bank account following the deposit of a fake check. The purpose of flash money is to convince you that the scammer is legitimate. Often the scammer wants you to send him a percentage of the flash money as real money, usually by money transfer. When the bank eventually discovers that the original check or electronic transfer is fraudulent (could take days or even weeks) the credit will be reversed and you will be held accountable for the loss.
Q: But the bank is the one who is legally at fault for not recognizing that it was a fake check, right?
A: Wrong. According to the law you are responsible for the checks you deposit. That is because you are in a better position to gauge the legitimacy of the checks since you are the one dealing directly with who ever is sending the check to you. When the fake check "bounces", the bank can sue you to recover the funds. It is also possible that the police could bring charges against you if they suspect you knew the check was counterfeit.
Q: What should I do?
A: Contact the bank and tell them what happened.
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Q: A woman, whom I have met online, says she finds me attractive and wants to come visit me so that we can go on a date. Is it a scam?
A: There is nothing wrong with that. A lot of happy couples meet online.
Q: ...All she need is $400 for a plane ticket.
A: It's a scam. And she is probably a man.
Q: But she has sent me photographs of herself.
A: Fake photos, dude.
Q: But I spoke to her on the phone.
A: That was the scammer's girl friend or an accomplice.
Q: Are you sure?
A: If the chick asks you for money - it's a scam.
Q: Even if she is hot?
A: Especially if she is hot.
-----
Q: Is it legal for me to "turn the tables" on the scammers and steal money from them?
A: No. That is called "cash baiting" and usually falls under the category of wire fraud which is definetly NOT legal. I personally do not have a moral objection to cash baiting scammers and it is highly unlikely that a 419 scammer (who was in the prosses of attempting wire fraud himself) will ever report the crime, press charges, appear in court, etc... None the less - cash baiting is NOT legal.
Q: The scammer sent me a check. I know that it is fake - but can I cash it anyway?
A: H*** no! Knowenly cashing a fake check is a crime. You can keep it as a suvenear, toss it in the trash or can give it to the cops. But do not try to cash it!
Q: Ya ya. But, hypoteticly, what would happen if I deposited a fake check that a scammer sent me?
A: If the bank accepts the check, your account ballance will reflect the added money. However the money you see in your bank account is called "flash money". It is imaginary money that will appear, temporarily, in your bank account following the deposit of a fake check. When the bank eventually discovers that the original check or electronic transfer is fraudulent (could take days or even weeks) the credit will be reversed and you will be held accountable for the loss. Even if you don't try to take out the money - the bank will still contact the police. If they suspect you knew the check was counterfeit when you deposited it - the police could bring charges against you. So don't do it.
Q: Is it legal for me to send the scammer a bomb or a poisonous snake? (As hard as it may be to beleave... this was a real question that was posted on a scam baiting forum HERE.)
A: What?!?!? Are you f***ing retarded!?!?!?! Of course not!!! You can't kill someone just because you don't like them, stupid!!!
Q: Is it legal for me to send the scammer a practical joke ittem - such as a box of exploding cigars or a candy bar made from ex-lax?
A: I'm almost sure that would be illegal. Besides - there is a good chance the scammer might sell or give those ittems away to an innocent person. A candy bar made of ex-lax could be faital if eaten by a small child. Particulary in a country, like Nigeria, with poor medical facilities. And an exploding cigar, if left unattendid in an ash tray, could start a fire and hurt lots of innocent people.
Q: Is it legal for me to send the scammer something harmless, but disgusting. Such as a dead fish or a soiled baby diper?
A: Um... You should check with your post office first before sending something like that. But sure, I guess that would be legal. Unfortunetly that might be kind of expensive. Better send it postage due.
A: Yes, it is definitely a scam. The check is a fake.
Q: But I visited the company's website.
A: Fake website, dude.
Q: But the website was VERY professional looking with tons of verifiable information.
A: It's possible that both the website and company are real, but the email is from a scammer who is posing as a member of that company. Regardless - no legitimate company will send checks worth thousands of dollars to someone they have never met.
Q: But I deposited the check and it cleared. The money is in my bank right now.
A: Sigh... The money you see in your bank account is called "flash money". It is imaginary money that appears, temporarily, in your bank account following the deposit of a fake check. The purpose of flash money is to convince you that the scammer is legitimate. Often the scammer wants you to send him a percentage of the flash money as real money, usually by money transfer. When the bank eventually discovers that the original check or electronic transfer is fraudulent (could take days or even weeks) the credit will be reversed and you will be held accountable for the loss.
Q: But the bank is the one who is legally at fault for not recognizing that it was a fake check, right?
A: Wrong. According to the law you are responsible for the checks you deposit. That is because you are in a better position to gauge the legitimacy of the checks since you are the one dealing directly with who ever is sending the check to you. When the fake check "bounces", the bank can sue you to recover the funds. It is also possible that the police could bring charges against you if they suspect you knew the check was counterfeit.
Q: What should I do?
A: Contact the bank and tell them what happened.
-----
Q: A woman, whom I have met online, says she finds me attractive and wants to come visit me so that we can go on a date. Is it a scam?
A: There is nothing wrong with that. A lot of happy couples meet online.
Q: ...All she need is $400 for a plane ticket.
A: It's a scam. And she is probably a man.
Q: But she has sent me photographs of herself.
A: Fake photos, dude.
Q: But I spoke to her on the phone.
A: That was the scammer's girl friend or an accomplice.
Q: Are you sure?
A: If the chick asks you for money - it's a scam.
Q: Even if she is hot?
A: Especially if she is hot.
-----
Q: Is it legal for me to "turn the tables" on the scammers and steal money from them?
A: No. That is called "cash baiting" and usually falls under the category of wire fraud which is definetly NOT legal. I personally do not have a moral objection to cash baiting scammers and it is highly unlikely that a 419 scammer (who was in the prosses of attempting wire fraud himself) will ever report the crime, press charges, appear in court, etc... None the less - cash baiting is NOT legal.
Q: The scammer sent me a check. I know that it is fake - but can I cash it anyway?
A: H*** no! Knowenly cashing a fake check is a crime. You can keep it as a suvenear, toss it in the trash or can give it to the cops. But do not try to cash it!
Q: Ya ya. But, hypoteticly, what would happen if I deposited a fake check that a scammer sent me?
A: If the bank accepts the check, your account ballance will reflect the added money. However the money you see in your bank account is called "flash money". It is imaginary money that will appear, temporarily, in your bank account following the deposit of a fake check. When the bank eventually discovers that the original check or electronic transfer is fraudulent (could take days or even weeks) the credit will be reversed and you will be held accountable for the loss. Even if you don't try to take out the money - the bank will still contact the police. If they suspect you knew the check was counterfeit when you deposited it - the police could bring charges against you. So don't do it.
Q: Is it legal for me to send the scammer a bomb or a poisonous snake? (As hard as it may be to beleave... this was a real question that was posted on a scam baiting forum HERE.)
A: What?!?!? Are you f***ing retarded!?!?!?! Of course not!!! You can't kill someone just because you don't like them, stupid!!!
Q: Is it legal for me to send the scammer a practical joke ittem - such as a box of exploding cigars or a candy bar made from ex-lax?
A: I'm almost sure that would be illegal. Besides - there is a good chance the scammer might sell or give those ittems away to an innocent person. A candy bar made of ex-lax could be faital if eaten by a small child. Particulary in a country, like Nigeria, with poor medical facilities. And an exploding cigar, if left unattendid in an ash tray, could start a fire and hurt lots of innocent people.
Q: Is it legal for me to send the scammer something harmless, but disgusting. Such as a dead fish or a soiled baby diper?
A: Um... You should check with your post office first before sending something like that. But sure, I guess that would be legal. Unfortunetly that might be kind of expensive. Better send it postage due.
That one cracked me up, too.
Here are a few more tips:
Here are a few more tips:
Q: I have already sent my real phone number and address to the scammers! What should I do?!?
A: Don't panic. Stop replying to the scammer's emails. If the scammer calls - tell him you are not interested and hang up on them. If they call back - tell them you know it is a scam, you will never give them money and that you have talked to the police. That should do the trick. Scammers are in it for the money and are only interested in dealing with people who don't realize they are being scammed. They still might try to persuade you with a few more emails or calls. Just ignoring them. Eventually the scammer will move on to greener pastures.
Q: The scammer's lawyer is threatening me with a lawsuit!
A: The scammer is trying to scare you into sending money. It’s bull****. He is a criminal who will never appear in court or pursue legal action against you. There isn’t any legal action he can take to force you to send money. From now on - just delete his emails without even reading them.
Q: A scammer is threatening my life! He has my real phone number and address! What should I do?
A: Don't panic. It is extremely unlikely that a scammer will ever travel to your home and cause you harm. The scammer might claim that he is nearby or that he has "connections" in your country, but in all likelihood he is really just a cowardly little thief hiding thousands of miles away. He is only interested in scamming you out of money and has no real intention of ever getting off his lazy *** and traveling all the way to your location to harm you. If you are still concerned - call your local police department and they will tell you pretty much the same thing. (If you do call the police - use their NON-EMERGENCY phone number. DON'T CALL "911" unless you are in immediate danger.)
Q: A scammer is threatening me with voo-doo. What should I do?
A: Don't panic. Voo-doo is not real. How do I know? George Bush. If voo-doo was real - George Bush would have turned into a goat, dropped dead or burst into flames a long time ago. Delete the emails without reading them and hang up the phone if they call. You have nothing to fear, but fear its self. Chill out - you will be fine.
Q: The scammer has invited me to visit him. Would it be safe for me to do that?
A: F*** no! No good can come from a face-to-face confrontation with a scammer. If you are lucky - you will just get robbed and beaten. If you are unlucky - you could be tortured and murdered. 419 scammers are unscrupulous men of the worst kind. Don't go! If you are still not sure if an email is a scam or not - please print it out and show it to a cop before you send money or travel.
A: Don't panic. Stop replying to the scammer's emails. If the scammer calls - tell him you are not interested and hang up on them. If they call back - tell them you know it is a scam, you will never give them money and that you have talked to the police. That should do the trick. Scammers are in it for the money and are only interested in dealing with people who don't realize they are being scammed. They still might try to persuade you with a few more emails or calls. Just ignoring them. Eventually the scammer will move on to greener pastures.
Q: The scammer's lawyer is threatening me with a lawsuit!
A: The scammer is trying to scare you into sending money. It’s bull****. He is a criminal who will never appear in court or pursue legal action against you. There isn’t any legal action he can take to force you to send money. From now on - just delete his emails without even reading them.
Q: A scammer is threatening my life! He has my real phone number and address! What should I do?
A: Don't panic. It is extremely unlikely that a scammer will ever travel to your home and cause you harm. The scammer might claim that he is nearby or that he has "connections" in your country, but in all likelihood he is really just a cowardly little thief hiding thousands of miles away. He is only interested in scamming you out of money and has no real intention of ever getting off his lazy *** and traveling all the way to your location to harm you. If you are still concerned - call your local police department and they will tell you pretty much the same thing. (If you do call the police - use their NON-EMERGENCY phone number. DON'T CALL "911" unless you are in immediate danger.)
Q: A scammer is threatening me with voo-doo. What should I do?
A: Don't panic. Voo-doo is not real. How do I know? George Bush. If voo-doo was real - George Bush would have turned into a goat, dropped dead or burst into flames a long time ago. Delete the emails without reading them and hang up the phone if they call. You have nothing to fear, but fear its self. Chill out - you will be fine.
Q: The scammer has invited me to visit him. Would it be safe for me to do that?
A: F*** no! No good can come from a face-to-face confrontation with a scammer. If you are lucky - you will just get robbed and beaten. If you are unlucky - you could be tortured and murdered. 419 scammers are unscrupulous men of the worst kind. Don't go! If you are still not sure if an email is a scam or not - please print it out and show it to a cop before you send money or travel.
See:
http://forum.419eater.com/forum/
...for a huge set of resources and a community who seeks to waste these scammers time (and make fun of them in the process)... register to see the video and photos... hilarious stuff there!
http://forum.419eater.com/forum/
...for a huge set of resources and a community who seeks to waste these scammers time (and make fun of them in the process)... register to see the video and photos... hilarious stuff there!
Not for nothin, but doesn't it strike you odd that someone would offer far more than the selling price, even if they were desperate? I wish you luck with craigslist, but as my dad says, some things are just too good to be true.
Heh, my favorite is www.thescambaiter.com
I still can't believe how much crap they sent that one dude in lieu of computers. Just absolutely amazing. I read dozens of pages thinking "dude can't take much more of this", and, yeah, he apparently could.
