Is This A Scam?

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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:28 pm

Sorry, I'm a newb. I listed a motorcycle on Craigslist and got this reply...

Hello,

Thanks for getting back to me, and am okay with the price and the condition and i will like to make an outright purchase of this particular item immediately because i noticed that you are serious seller, i anticipate that a cashier check or certified check will be sent to you via express mail or ups as the mode of payment, concerning the pick up, i will be responsible for that, where my mover will come for the pick up at your location upon your confirmation of receiving the payment and i want you to remove this item from the ad..So i will send the payment which will include the pick up charges in which you will make payable to the mover immediately you receive the payment to avoid the delay. Also i have other packages they will be picking for me around your location which i will like the to pick up with your item, would really love to come for the viewing but due to my work frame and the family issue for the year that might not be possible and i will like you to provide the information below so that the payment will be done as soon as possible:-

1.......Full Name
2.......Full Home Address
3.......City, State & Zip code
4.......Tel#

As soon as this is provided i will let you know when payment is mailed out and i will update you on when you will receive the payment, and give you instructions on what to do..I hope we handle this in good faith..

Thanks while waiting to hear from you

Smells fishy.
What should I do?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:31 pm

Yes, scam. He sends extra money for the shippers which you wire to them as it is a condition of them coming that you pay ahead of time. Then the check you were sent bounces..

Just tell him it is already sold, keep the ad where it is and tell him you paid for the ad to be displayed for a certain length of time so it will stay up. If he writes again, ignore him.

PS Welcome, Duck of Death - nice Unforgiven reference.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:36 pm

Hi Duck! Welcome to Eater. Yes it is a scam. You should just stop all contact with the scammer if he has your real life details.

You can post up his email address and any other identifying information he gave you so the baiters know how to reach him.

Here are a few things to look out for. We don't want to disclose too much information though, because we do not want to educate the scammers. Look for spelling and grammer mistakes. The incorrect use of the word "am" like in the phrase "and am okay" is common among scammers from West Africa. Calling the item for sale "item" rather than saying what it actually is...in this case a motorcycle. The offer to pay outright without seeing.

It is probably an overpayment scam, where he would send you a fake check for over the amount of the purchase price and ask you to send him back the difference.

If you feel that you want to start baiting, please make sure you bait safe.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:36 pm

Quote:

So i will send the payment which will include the pick up charges in which you will make payable to the mover immediately you receive the payment to avoid the delay.

Scam ? - yes.

It even has a name - the Overpayment Scam

You receive a counterfeit check and then get pressured to send the payment by Western Union before it's cleared. Bear in mind that a counterfeit could be returned unpaid months later and you have to pay up.

For the scammer the important bit is the overpayment. He's not interested in your goods just the amount he wants you to pay, which represents pure profit to him.

You lose the whole value of the cheque and risk prosecution for passing counterfeit paper.

You can confirm this by checking the ip on the mail or phone number if he's given one. The English in the mail is good, but is of the style of a Nigerian scammer.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:52 pm

Hello and welcome, Duck of Death!

Quote:

Sorry, I'm a newb

That's nothing to apologise for - we were all newbs once. In fact you did well to spot that scam and look for advice.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:43 am

oluwafemi abiola <[email protected]>

Above is the email address it came from. I'm so eager to try and reverse screw with these people. I was thinking I would ask the local US Post Office if I could receive mail, general delivery and have them go through the expense of sending a couple of checks (that would get lost of course Wink

) before I told them to piss off.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:51 am

If they have your real life info you really should not mess with them. You could however make up a safe email account with no connection to your real life details and contact him from that email. Don't mention it was a motorcycle you were selling and he probably won't even question it.

As for getting to send you a check, we do it all the time. Just make up a totally fake address and tell him to send it there.

Hellish Taskmaster Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 537

The Duck of Death wrote:

oluwafemi abiola <[email protected]>

Above is the email address it came from. I'm so eager to try and reverse screw with these people. I was thinking I would ask the local US Post Office if I could receive mail, general delivery and have them go through the expense of sending a couple of checks (that would get lost of course Wink

) before I told them to piss off.

They will probably ask you to use Western Union or Money Gram to return the extra money. If you look around here, there are some great tools to cause lad pain with the service.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:29 am

The Duck of Death wrote:

...<Snipped>... I'm so eager to try and reverse screw with these people. I was thinking I would ask the local US Post Office if I could receive mail, general delivery and have them go through the expense of sending a couple of checks (that would get lost of course Wink

) before I told them to piss off.

It seems that you've been bitten by the baiting bug.
How about signing up for a mentor?
Personally I wouldn't leap into baiting Craigslist lads or fake cheque scammers yet but if that's your preference, I'm sure an experienced mentor will give you the right guidance.

Here's another couple of useful topics:
NEW TO BAITING & WAITING FOR A MENTOR? Read this!
FAQs

You can also say Hi here too Smile

Edited to add: Don't worry about setting up a PO box. You can still effectively bait CL and other fake cheque lads by using bogus baiting character addresses. You'll have the satisfaction of keeping some bad paper off the streets as well as burning lad time and money in the production and delivery of said goods. You'll also have loads of fun when it comes to the 'payment stage', when your persona is instructed to wire the funds to the scammer.

Premium Membership is worth considering. Besides a cool orange name, one of the perks is access to a few drop boxes run by members.

You may find some inspiration in the Cheque Collection Competition topic.

Hellish Taskmaster Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 537

^ I agree. They aren't as fun as some of the others.