Classified ads on craigslist attract scammers from Nigeria and elsewhere.Here is a recent example when I was trying to sell something.Not that I asked for $375, and was offered more for it.Here is the first message I got:
pls can you tell me if this item is still for sale ?and the price
When I replied it was available, this was the reply:
I will have to inform you that i am okay with the price of the [item name] ($375)condition terms are also okay with me,For the Shippment from your location,i have my SHIPPER as soon as we seal this Transaction from your end. I have a CLIENT of my that is owning me some Fund in United Kingdom that will issue you the cheque of ($2000) soon as you receive the cheque and when cleared you will deduct the cost of the [item name] and the remaining balance will be send to the Shipper through western union money transfer for the pick up from your location. If this is okay by you, do e-mail me the following detail FULL NAME ON CHEQUE:CONTACTED ADDRESS:MOBILE&LANDLINE PHONE NUMBER:AND ZIP CODEI will compensate you $50 to remove the advert from the site and will wait until the cheque clear before the pick up commence.hope to read from you today.
This is a classic scam that involves you wiring them money via Western Union, and they sending you a fake cashier cheque.
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Comments
Nicole (not verified)
Is This a Scam
Fri, 2010/04/16 - 13:28I was sent a money order, and they want me to send the shipping fees yada yada. Can you make a fake money order?
Anonymous (not verified)
suspected scammer..
Sat, 2010/04/17 - 09:07We have a car for sale- 1st i recd a text asking me to email this fellow, mark- he said prefer to use email only & asked to send to
Mark carlos [markcarlos333@gmail.com] (- quiet alarm bells sounded!) He emailed back today..
'Thanks for your prompt e-mail. I hope the Car is in good condition and i will like to purchase it. How much are you willing to sell it? i will be paying you via my PayPal account,If my offer is accepted send me your email with PayPal including your phone # so i can pay in right away..I work on the sea and do not have much time around me. Make sure you get back to me so that we can arrange for pick up as i will like the item to be picked by my agent,so no shipping included.
I await your reply.
Mark.'
I did reply to him & gave our home ph #..I must admit am v suspicious!
Anonymous (not verified)
poss. scam
Sat, 2010/04/17 - 09:11We have a car for sale- 1st i recd a text asking me to email this fellow, mark- he said prefer to use email only & asked to send to
Mark carlos [markcarlos333@gmail.com] (- quiet alarm bells sounded!) He emailed back today..
'Thanks for your prompt e-mail. I hope the Car is in good condition and i will like to purchase it. How much are you willing to sell it? i will be paying you via my PayPal account,If my offer is accepted send me your email with PayPal including your phone # so i can pay in right away..I work on the sea and do not have much time around me. Make sure you get back to me so that we can arrange for pick up as i will like the item to be picked by my agent,so no shipping included.
I await your reply.
Mark.'
I did reply to him & gave our home ph #..I must admit am v suspicious!
Anonymous (not verified)
If it sounds suspicious it likely is
Thu, 2010/04/22 - 13:48I too was recently contacted by Harera Harikrishna with the same song and dance for an item I posted to Craigslist.
I feel bad that some of you got scammed, but honestly it was apparent from the very first email that something was not quite right. Do your homework people! If you're able to post things for sale online you're also able to access Google to check out anyone that contacts you.
Anonymous (not verified)
HA! Sorry for the people who
Wed, 2010/05/05 - 12:49HA! Sorry for the people who got scammed. :( I just scammed a scammer by giving the address of a local police station for them to mail the supposed check to. The check is supposed to be on it's way. Wonder what the police chief will think of that. :)
Law Professor (not verified)
Craig's List Scam -- And it goes on!!!
Thu, 2010/05/13 - 17:50My daughter was subleasing her room and received an interested e-mail. The person would send a check, for over the amount, and we would reimburse the difference via money order. I am a law professor and I thought it sounded phoney; I deposited the check in a small account and when it was rejected as fictitious the credit was backed out. There would appear to have been no harm. However, one day latter the bank, Chase, debited my account for another fake check -- a check which had nothing to do with me or my accounts (not my name, not my state, not my city, nothing related to me). Apparently Chase thought that since the checks were the same, yeah the same fake imprinted check was used, even though the names were different, they would debit me.
I am not investigating the situation. I am concerned that via normal banking procedures the scammers might have been given information about my accounts. We will see. The point is -- if you have deposited one of this bogus checks into an account you might consider closing that account to avoid any future links or attempted use.
There is one real part of the scam. We were told to wire the money to a Greg Johnson, Heathway, London England. Apparently, he may exist. There is an English fraud alert linked to his name.
So, even when you take steps to protect yourself, something can go wrong and the banks will always blame you.
The name on the check was Diana Huizar and Sefea Huzair. I don't know if they are victims or part of the scam, but their check ended up in my account. We are figuring this part out.
Anonymous (not verified)
I was just sent a cashier's
Thu, 2010/05/20 - 03:31I was just sent a cashier's check for a "job" on Craig's List and almost tranfered the money via Western Union before I got suspicious enough to investigate it. Now I have to go back to the bank and tell them what happened -- embarassing, but thanks to this site, it wasn't costly. Should I report them to FTC? Can they really do anything?
Anonymous (not verified)
Craigslist Scam
Sat, 2010/05/22 - 13:48What is wrong with these people saying they have jobs or 'errands' to run for honest people who actually want to work and get paid LEGITIMATELY! This is absolutely ridiculous and unfortunately there are so many people who have been scammed this way too.
I did put an ad up on craigslist as I too am looking to find work and was emailed by a person who claimed that I should look after her daughter (she claimed to be a lady and even went to the trouble of sending a photo!), she said she would also pay me $500 up front and that she would send me the funds to 'look after her Mother' (hello? where did that come from?) and proceed to take the funds out from the money she would be sending me. I received a cheque (UK spelling btw), for $3,850 and Im thinking NICE BUT I havent worked for anyone so why on earth would I get such an amount, and for what? It went on to read on the attachment with the cheque that I should email confirmationofpayment@yahoo.com - of course I havent and I wont as it went on further to say 'this is the only authorised shipping agent information to transfer the fund to:' and quoted an address based out of Providence RI.
I spoke with my younger brother this morning who said he had had the same thing a while back in the US, so he went ahead and put the cheque into a NEW bank account in an entirely different bank to see what would happen. It transpired that the cheque bounced, there were all types of investigations taken out and all types of charges added to his account, which incidentally, amounted to almost as much as the cheque was for!
So heres a note to all you scammers - GET LOST and try and do something that is worthwhile to helping others, the more you try to scam others and claim money, that money becomes 'bloody' money and will in turn come back to bite your bottom very quickly!!
Thank you
Anonymous (not verified)
Nanny Scam
Tue, 2010/06/01 - 16:15The same thing happened with me. But he needed a nanny who he thought would be me. I received this email. check out his spelling/wording. Knew there was something not right withSubject: Thanks : Nanny urgently needed
Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 14:19:19 +0000
Hello ,
How are you doing today?Am a single father of 35 years old,professional Male Accountant,single,Father of my boy of 8 years old (Bernard) and am from Glasgow, united kingdom.Am easy going person,i don't smoke but drink occasionally.
I will be coming over to your vicinity there in United State On Or before 25th of May and i will be staying for 1 months for my charted accountant program starting from May till ending of June and i will be very busy because am coming for a Chartered Accountant Program which will take most of my time everyday which am i will be sponsor by the bank and that will make me not to have time for my only son Bernard, More over he can't stay alone at home and you will be his Nanny {Assistant Sister} for the whole 1 month starting
from May till June 2010 .
Am looking for a nanny that will take care of my son,you must be God fearing,nice,caring,loving and honest.you will work for me from 8:00 am till 1:10 pm. So let me know more detail about your service per month for my child and am willing to pay your said amount ready to pay you for 1st week for a start service.everyday i will bring him to your house OR stay with him in the Hotel room before living to work and come back by 1:15:00 pm to pick him up so your service will be 5 hours so get back to me with your last offer price for a week.cause my sponsor are ready to make payment for all i need there for my Chartered accountant.
Are you legally authorized to work as a nanny.According to your display on Craigslist.com am pleased with the condition of your service,my sponsor are ready to make payment for all i need there,so get back to me with your this information so my sponsor can make the payment ready early also i will like to make it clear to you that the check that is going to make out to you will the including some part which you are going to send to my Traveling agent which is going to take care of both i & my son flight while we going out to the state so all you have to do when you receive the check is to get the check cashed and deduct the agreed amount which is your portion and have the remaining send to the Traveling agency Through western union money transfer which am going to keep you posted with the necessary as we proceed.
I will be awaiting your details before my arrival :
Your contact Name : -
Your contact Address :-
City : -
State :-
Zip code :-
Contact Phone number :-
Direct Phone Number :-
I will be willing to offer you $20 per ($500) per week Or an you just state your Last Term Of Wages :- Glad to hear from you asap through my email.. @yahoo.com get back to me asap.
Thanks in regards.
this.
Yeah right, first of all who in their right mind would let someone they never knew to look after their child. Just be careful.. Too many scams. when it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
Fraudadvisor (not verified)
Lost money by fraud...
Sat, 2010/05/29 - 15:37If you want to know, how to claim your lost money, on car, woman, pet, renting, or it was picked up by someone else, then contact me on fraudadvise@gmail.com
There is a way, even if not working in every single case, you can try. Depending on the situation.
Please consider, that your details and a fake passport is now in hand of criminals. Get advise. You might pay a small charge for the consultancy, if you need personalized advise.
Get the mind sorted on the issue. You have been a victim of criminals, sometimes is hard to get over it. And in some cases, such as relationship issues, you might not be able to discuss with anyone.
Write me if you feel it so. Maybe this way we can move the big wire-transfer provider for better security and more help on fighting fraud.
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