I recently posted here that I was looking for a map light. I got an email a few days ago from someone claiming to be a member here who asked if I still needed a map light. I told him yes and asked him how much. His response was $275 including shipping payment was prepaid western union or money gram.. No Paypal.... I not so politely told him to go pound sand and haven't heard another thing.. I suppose there are people out these that fall for this sort of thing... Buyers Beware.. Always use PayPal or another service that guarantees your going to get what you bargained for.
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Beware Scammers are everywhere...
- Thread starter Ktapply
- Start date
Ken Ellis
Donation Time
Kevin, I hear you on the fraud, but my opinion PayPal use isn't a good qualifier either. Many people, myself included, have nothing to do with that service due to their affiliation, and the many horror stories of dispute settlements. When I sell stuff on this site, I just ask for a personal check, or do "offsetting acquisitions" where they buy something and send it to me. I know many people use PayPal a lot, but they're not a bank, and much less worthy of trust than the regularly active folks on this site.
Regarding the light... you didn't mistakenly request the Tiger light, did you?
Regarding the light... you didn't mistakenly request the Tiger light, did you?
puff4
Platinum Level Sponsor
Never heard back from you Al...
Hello Al,
I replied to you asking what your price for the map light and I never received a response from you. Please send me an email with your price to kbtapply@gmail.com.
Thanks.
Hello Al,
I replied to you asking what your price for the map light and I never received a response from you. Please send me an email with your price to kbtapply@gmail.com.
Thanks.
George Coleman
Gold Level Sponsor
What year is your Alpine? I have one for a 5 alpine. let me know
Hi Kevin
I had a similar response to a query I posted regarding a V6 auto transmission bell housing. Similar deal - "my PayPal is not working - will accept payment by Western Union" Like you I told him to go @#$%@#$% Then yesterday I got another response from another scammer offering the same deal.
My suggestion is to be highly skeptical of anyone requesting payment via Western Union or MoneyGram. Those of us who sell things online use Visa, MasterCard, Discover or PayPal.
Nickodell
Donation Time
The most common such scam at the moment is where someone offers to buy your item - usually advertised on Craigslist - and sends an authentic-looking cashiers or payroll check, or Moneygram. They are so sophisticated that these even fool bank tellers. The thing is, it will be for a much higher sum than the asking price - often by a thousand dollars or more.
It is always followed by a frantic email, saying something like "my secretary/assistant (etc.) mistakenly sent the check in the wrong amount/sent a check meant for a different purpose. Please deposit it; you can even wait a day for it to clear, but please deduct the asking price, plus another $100 for your trouble, and send the rest back to me by Western Union. The contact identification is [xyz29564 or whatever.] I will arrange for the goods to be picked up." Of course, after several days - possibly as long as a week - the check/Moneygram bounces and your bank account is debited the amount, while your money is gone, gone, gone.
Thousands of people have fallen for this.
It was tried twice on me, in 2011 and 2012. The first was a Moneygram. I was totally unaware of the scam, and could have been duped too, but luckily I'd sold the lawn tractor to someone for cash the day before, so I emailed asking where I should send the Moneygram back to. I heard nothing, but I decided to deposit it anyhow just to see what happened. Sure enough, I got a letter from my bank a week later saying the amount had been deducted: "No effects. Refer to drawer." So it was $ in and the same $ out. A knowledgeable ex-banker neighbor said not to try that again, as you could be penalized or even run into trouble with the law.
Last year I advertised a camcorder on Craigslist, and a check, ostensibly from the City of Detroit, arrived by FedEx for $1450, which was $1,150 more than my asking price for the camcorder. This time I was ready for the frantic email saying that he secretary had mailed a payroll check in error, as the very authentic-looking check was spelled CITY OF DETRIOT. I emailed back, thanking her for allowing me to keep the $100, and saying I had complied with her request by mailing the rest to the address the FedEx came from, in Encino CA, in $100 bills. An even more frantic reply, saying "Go out and stop it from being sent out of the post office! You must use Western Union. I am in London on business." (These bastards use holding addresses, usually in another state. And they themselves are often in another country, like Nigeria.)
My final email was "Don't worry, the $100 bills are good. I know, because I printed them myself, the same way you printed your phoney check. When they arrive, roll them up and stuff them up your *ss."
I did contact the police in Encino, where the FedEx originated, but they said it was a waste of time trying to do anything. The person there would just be paid to send out FedEx envelopes.
It is always followed by a frantic email, saying something like "my secretary/assistant (etc.) mistakenly sent the check in the wrong amount/sent a check meant for a different purpose. Please deposit it; you can even wait a day for it to clear, but please deduct the asking price, plus another $100 for your trouble, and send the rest back to me by Western Union. The contact identification is [xyz29564 or whatever.] I will arrange for the goods to be picked up." Of course, after several days - possibly as long as a week - the check/Moneygram bounces and your bank account is debited the amount, while your money is gone, gone, gone.
Thousands of people have fallen for this.
It was tried twice on me, in 2011 and 2012. The first was a Moneygram. I was totally unaware of the scam, and could have been duped too, but luckily I'd sold the lawn tractor to someone for cash the day before, so I emailed asking where I should send the Moneygram back to. I heard nothing, but I decided to deposit it anyhow just to see what happened. Sure enough, I got a letter from my bank a week later saying the amount had been deducted: "No effects. Refer to drawer." So it was $ in and the same $ out. A knowledgeable ex-banker neighbor said not to try that again, as you could be penalized or even run into trouble with the law.
Last year I advertised a camcorder on Craigslist, and a check, ostensibly from the City of Detroit, arrived by FedEx for $1450, which was $1,150 more than my asking price for the camcorder. This time I was ready for the frantic email saying that he secretary had mailed a payroll check in error, as the very authentic-looking check was spelled CITY OF DETRIOT. I emailed back, thanking her for allowing me to keep the $100, and saying I had complied with her request by mailing the rest to the address the FedEx came from, in Encino CA, in $100 bills. An even more frantic reply, saying "Go out and stop it from being sent out of the post office! You must use Western Union. I am in London on business." (These bastards use holding addresses, usually in another state. And they themselves are often in another country, like Nigeria.)
My final email was "Don't worry, the $100 bills are good. I know, because I printed them myself, the same way you printed your phoney check. When they arrive, roll them up and stuff them up your *ss."
I did contact the police in Encino, where the FedEx originated, but they said it was a waste of time trying to do anything. The person there would just be paid to send out FedEx envelopes.
My wanted ad for a rolling body had no fewer than 5 replies from fraudsters all purported to be in the UK, could be the same guy using different names. One guy was in Liverpool where I have friends so I asked for an address to view. Another sent me pics he plucked off craigslist in USA of a total basket case but just sent me the rear view which looked good. He offered to send me the body including shipping via UPS for $500, a dead give away.
P. Scofield
Bronze Level Sponsor
I have several checks here in my desk that have been Fed-Ex'ed to me. I love playing with these people and wasting their time and money like they waste mine. The name on the checks is a joke, and they still can't figure it out!
I have asked them for a processing fee for $15-25 but have never gotten them to pay.
I have asked them for a processing fee for $15-25 but have never gotten them to pay.