Another scam via Craigslist: offering more than asking price

I recently just got scammed by this same person:
Name:Mark Ola
Address:20 Lagere street
City:Ife
State:Osun
Zip Code:23436
Country:Nigeria
If anyone know of anything that can be done about this please let me know. Thanks.

I made a job application for a freelance content writer in response to a particular ad posted in Craigslist. I receive a response from someone by the name of Jennifer with this email id:
topratedwriters@gmail.com. I was asked to write a test article and was told that I would be reviewed and would be informed - positive/negative within 3 days time. There has been no response since then even with several followups.

This is a perfect example of a scam, which has been becoming a common phenomenon in this forum of late. Luring the innocent online writers to write a test article and then vanishing in thin air.

Beware: topratedwriters@gmail.com

I posted a bedroom set on Craigslist. Got an email the first day from "MICHAELDAVIS200111@GMAIL.COM". Same routine, asking if it was still available, then offering to buy with no further questions except a request for my name/address/phone. Said he would send a check and arrange for shipping.

I wrote back asking him some questions about the method of payment, the "private" shipping company, the time frame, where he was located, etc. Never got an answer in writing -- but I did get a phone call. Connection was so bad and the English was so poor I couldn't understand a single word he said. That is when I started heavy searching online about possible scams and found your site.

Then came another email from him (just like the others reported here) where he said:

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I got your information, the check will be mail to you as soon as possible, a sum of $3400 will be sent to you and you will have to deduct your $1200 for the item and help me send the excess fund of $2200 to my Private shipping company for them to come for the pick up of the item.It's because, they were having about five items to pick up in state with yours, that's why the shipment fee was $2200.
Thanks for your understanding and nice doing business with you........... i will called you know
Michael
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I responded to this email saying these were not the terms of our agreement and that I would not (under any circumstances) either accept or forward any money to his shipping company. If he wanted to arrange for shipping, he would have to make the arrangements himself . . . and, that because his emails sounded just like all of the scams I was reading about online that I was going to have anything he sent me fully checked out by the Federal Trade Commission and local authorities. I haven't heard from him since. But am concerned what to do if I do receive a check from him.

By the way -- I tried calling back the number (909-999-5007) a couple of times on different days and just got voicemail.

I received yet another email today from MICHAELDAVIS200111@GMAIL.COM:

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Hello The Check have been mail out to you and the check was cover both u and the Private shipping company like i said before cos there are the one that come for the pick the reason why the check was mail out in that amount is that am currently obligation i can be on trip any time for now and they are the one that we take Good care of the item till i get back to state and i was located in California and the Private Shipping Company is coming for Georgian in sale city and the item we be ship down to me here in CA ....me too have been hearing about the scam on Craigslist and i understand ur Felling concerns your item and i assure you that you we surely got your on cash before any shipment Arrangement and you we got your own cash in and before they --can pick up the Item ...Thanks For your Question Happy Doing Business With You
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I wrote him again re-enforcing I would not accept a check for more than the purchase price and I would definitely not send money to anyone else on his behalf. I said the risk was too high and I was withdrawing the item -- it was no longer available for sale.

I also filed a written complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission using the link on the Craigslist site (https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en) and followed this up with a call to their toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357) to ask what I should do with the check if it does actually come to me. Their advice was to shred it -- definitely do not cash it because it is usually fake. I filed the complaint for my own peace of mind -- not really expecting any action on it -- but I felt better after doing it. The FTC Rep said their office is flooded with stories just like this.

-----Original Message-----
From: micheal jeff
To: SOILM47@aol.com
Sent: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 7:34 am
Subject: Re: 1994 Toyota Celica GT - $2549 (Atlanta, tx) Date: 2011-05-28, 11:59AM CDT...

The payment has been sent by UPS courier company and the item will be
picked up as soon as you receive my payment,I will wait for the
payment to get cashed before I'd send my mover for the pick up.I will
like to tell you that i would be sending a check worth of $5000 to
cover the moving of the item and the money for the item As soon as the
check reaches you,have it cashed and remove your money for the item
send the remaining fund to my mover by via western union money
transfer.My mover is also picking some of my other items up for me in
the same city of yours so that is why i need to give him that amount.I
will like you to remove $100 for your running around in getting the
check cashed.I will send you the tracking# and shipper information to
use for sending the rest funds via western union.Please let me know if
i can trust you on this so we can move forward from here. Regards

--
is the item still available?

This guy has been posting high-end administrative jobs. However, there are no interviews and youre magically accepted...but he wants you instead to run errands for his wife. This happened to me. And it was REALLY fishy because every email he sent me he signed with a different name, different email address.

Before I could decline, he claimed to send me a large check with my paycheck and all the money I'd need to buy things for his wife. Uh, no. I still haven't received this infamous check. In the meantime, he is sending me threatening emails and calls saying that I have had time to deposit his money (take a look at your bank account genius, I haven't deposited SHIT) and that he will soon report me to the FBI.

FRAUD.

I posted an add on craigslist wanting a certain breed of dog. They sent me an email from love.kelly.pretty@gmail.com. She said her name was Kelly Love so I googled it with the state that she said she lived in and came up with nothing. It usually at least comes up with a facebook page or something, so i was kinda sketched, but I kept e-mailing her. Then it hit me that I should have her call me or something just so I know its not a scam, and instead of calling or texting me back she just wanted my address and phone number and she told me that the airport would deliver the puppy to my door. My aunt is a dog breeder and ships all over the world so I called her to know if that was possible and she said no. so then I knew it was a scam, plus they told me the airport only charged 140 for this service and just to ship a puppy is 300 and that's not taking it to your doorstep. =[ I'm glad I figured it out, but at the same time I am sad that I got my hopes up about this puppy. =[

I googled this guy's e-mail and it brought me to this site. lol

From:
Paul Redford
To:xxxxx@yahoo.com>
Thanks for the response.I am willing to pay your asking price.I will pay by a Money Order as its the only way i can pay you at the moment. I will make arrangement for the pickup after payment have been received by you. I don't mind adding an extra $40 so you can keep it in my favor.I would have loved to come take a look at it but i am presently out of town,send me some pictures.Reply with your name,phone # and mailing address where payment will be sent. I will appreciate it if you take the posting off CL today and consider it sold to me.As for the pick-up,it would be handled after you receive your payment.

Expecting to hear from you soon.
Warm Regards.