I recently listed a car for sale on craigslist and other local classified ad services.This is one reply I got, which is clearly an attempt at scamming:
From: Dave Smith <goldenwum12@yahoo.com>Subject: [The title of the classified ad for the car]Hello,I just viewed your car posting on craigslist and i have interest on it i will like to know the present condition and two more pictures of the car before i proceed with the transaction.Thanks
Problem is, the scammer is not very smart. I did not posted pictures to begin with, so there are no more pictures. So, I sent this reply:
From: meTo: Dave Smith <goldenwum12@yahoo.com>Pictures attached.
I intentionally did not attach any pictures. A genuine buyer would have noticed this of course. Instead, the scammer proceeded with the next step, revealing his true intent:
From Dave Smith <goldenwum12@yahoo.com>To: meHello,Thanks for your reply i got all your information about the car and am ok with it, i will be making your payment today i need your full name and address to make your payment today through electronic check i will handle the shipment myself.All what you need about the mode of payment is to get a Blank check paper and magnetic versa ink to print the check, the check will be sent to your email and you get it printed from it. You can get this materials from the following stores.1. Office Depot2. Office Max3. Staples Store 4. Stationery Store5. Compusa.When you get this materials you can print the check out and immediately after the printing you can then get the check cashed at your Bank or any bank of america branch around you I will wait for you to confirm and clear the check.The payment will be in excess as i will want you to contact my shipper with the excess fund for shipping the car after you must have confirmed and cashed the check.i will wait for your bank to clear the check so you can deduct your own money and send the excess fund to the shipper via Western Union Money Transfer so as to cover the cost of shipping the car from your place to it's destination. I will add extra 100$ for the purchasing of check paper and magnetic versa ink.For more information about the mode of payment you can check the website www.qchex.com and know more about it .Dont worry i will handle the shipping myself with my shipper. you can IM on this ID goldenwum10@yahoo.com or call me on 9145954296 for more information.Thanks and God Bless
This is a classic scam where a fake cheque is sent to the victim for more than the amount owed, and the difference is to be wired to the scammer.
Contents:
Comments
Hal (not verified)
Craig's List scammer Brandon Collins tried me as well
Fri, 2007/10/05 - 14:17I am trying to sell my car on Craig's List. The scammer that contacted me seemed legit, but something just didn't smell right. Here's his E-mail:
Hello
How are you is this posted ad of yours still up for sale?If yes please send me your phone number!
Thanks
So far, all seemed on the up and up. I said it was just posted and is still for sale. Here's the reply:
Sounds Good.
I want to purchase the item today and pay you via Electronic Cashier Check drawn from my Bank of America account it is a real cashiers check after you print it. The check will be sent to you immediately via email all you need to do is purchase a Business check paper at any Office depot or stationary store to print the check on and immediately when you print the check proceed to your Bank to deposit or Cash it,the Business check paper cost $20 only but i will offer you $50 to purchase the Business check paper to print the check.The item will be picked up from you by my Company shipper so you don't have to worry about shipment of the item also I will wait for you to confirm and clear the check before the shipper come to pickup the item from you actually I should have handled this myself but i am not available to do that now i am currently away for my Company seminar that is why i want you to do this and i will pay you $50 to purchase the Business check paper to print the check.This is the fastest and best method of payment because it is instant once you purchase Business check paper all this process of printing and cashing of the E-check can be done within 2 hours.
Thanks
OK, that seemed kinda strange, but my brother-in-law used to operate this way for an exporter that would pay him to 'collect' Isuzu diesels and ship them outta the country, so I replied, but kept digging. I mean, why such vaguenesses like calling my car "the item"? This is his next reply:
Ok,
Proceed to any of this Below listed store to purchase Business check paper :-
(1) Office Depot
(2) Office Max
(3) Stationery store
(4) Staples Store
(5) Shopping Mall
(6) Compusa
Get back to me immediately with your full name and address with phone number when you purchase the Business check paper so i can send the E-check to you and the instruction on how to print the check for you to Print and Cash or Deposit the check immediately.i would have called you but i am currently on a business trip and cant get to my home phone but here is the number for record....after you have bought the Business check paper please send me your full name and address!.....503-665-3195.
Thanks
BTW, did I mention that I was a cop for nearly 14 years? I forwarded this to some friends at the department. They confirmed my own investigation that this guy is a scammer. I sent him a 'you're busted' E-mail. He has yet to reply.
Nino (not verified)
Can I scam a scammer
Fri, 2007/11/16 - 14:14Is it illegal to scam a scammer. If I could creatively arrange for him to perform so degrading act before any payment was done or have send you cash or something before you pay his shipping company. This would be fun, but is it illegal.
MR BARRY SMITH (not verified)
I WANT TO SELL MY CARS UNGENTLY
Fri, 2007/10/05 - 21:22HELLO MR./MRS.
HOW ARE YOU DOING AND HOW IS FAMILY ALL, AM BARRY SMITH I LIVE IN UNITED STATE OF AMERICA SO WANT TO SELL MY CARS AND IF YOU ARE INTERSTE PLEASE TRY AND REPLY ME BACK SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSE MORE BETTER AND I WILL LIKE TO KNOW YOU MORE BETTER THAN THIS OKAY, AM SURE THAT I WILL LIKE READ FROM YOU SOON AND IF YOU WANT TO CONTACTE ME barry_joe01@yahoo.com
FROM
BARRY SMITH
Anonymous (not verified)
F.B.I----------------Interpol
Tue, 2009/05/19 - 08:33Dear mr Smith this is a final warning. I am am Agent for the international committee for internet piracy. The above E-mail address barry_joe01@yahoo.com was sent to our office via the F.B.I It is my duty to inform you that your ip adress has been tracked and followed. Very clever using msn and microsoft servers to help hide your movement. I am writing this on my own free will. I will promise that wether you are in nigeria or india, i dont care, you people are worse than the murderous terrorists that killed all the americans in new york during 9/11 if you think you are just tryng to make a dollar, i got news for you. you are just a no good nigger scammer. I have friends that are black and even they agree you sir or madame are the true definition of the word nigger ignorant and arrogant. but dont worry once the trace is done your ass is grass. If you think those yanks treated the gitmo prisoners badly wait till we get our hands on you. you day has come to an end.
Anonymous (not verified)
heres another e check scam
Sat, 2007/10/06 - 11:38Thanks for the reply .am located in Ca and we have a private shipper that will come to pick
it up after you must have received cash from your bank.Our mode of payment will be via
electronic cashier check. Echeck is simple, secured, legal, fast and it is setup to eliminate
the stress of putting check in mail for days. .All you need to do is to get a business check
paper for $20. Once you have the business check paper i will send the secured link to print
out the electronic check to your email for printing. You can then print and proceed to clear
and cash the check at your bank. The cost of procuring the business check paper will be
added to the bottom price.
Please visit www.insticheck.com to to get more info on echeck,you can get business check
paper from officedepot, officemax, staples or any stationery store around. I will be waiting
to read from you soon.
Thanks
Anonymous (not verified)
Careful - Brandon Collins sent this to me too!
Mon, 2007/10/08 - 08:14On 10/7/07, Brandon Collins wrote:
>
> Sounds Good.I want to purchase the item today and pay you via Electronic
> Cashier Check drawn from my Bank of America account it is a real cashiers
> check after you print it. The check will be sent to you immediately via
> email all you need to do is purchase a Business check paper at any Office
> depot or stationary store to print the check on and immediately when you
> print the check proceed to your Bank to deposit or Cash it,the Business
> check paper cost $20 only but i will offer you $50 to purchase the Business
> check paper to print the check.The item will be picked up from you by my
> Company shipper so you don't have to worry about shipment of the item also I
> will wait for you to confirm and clear the check before the shipper come to
> pickup the item from you actually I should have handled this myself but i am
> not available to do that now i am currently away for my Company seminar that
> is why i want you to do this and i will pay you $50 to purchase the Business
> check paper to print the check.This is the fastest and best method of
> payment because it is instant once you purchase Business check paper all
> this process of printing and cashing of the E-check can be done within 2
> hours.Thanks
Anonymous (not verified)
Barry Johnson
Wed, 2007/10/10 - 20:58got same for my post on craig list
Hello
I'm sorry I haven't been on line, but I had an accident and can't get around
to mail a check.I will have loved to call your phone but i am deaf, If you
are still interested in selling the item to me i will add $50 to your asking
price to cover cost of Business Check Paper that is needed for printing of
the Check.Due to various scams on internet,my mode of payment will be via
Echeck drawn in US bank and my shipping co will handle the shipping and pick
up arrangement once your bank has cleared check.Read more about Echeck via
www.insticheck.com ,I should be home from the doctor by this afternoon, and
would be happy to send the Echeck once you must have purchase the Supplies
at staples or stationery store.It is sold for just $20. Thanks for getting
back to me, and once again I'm sorry I didn't see your email until today.I
will await your email today.
Thanks
Mhlekazi (not verified)
Echeck Scam
Wed, 2007/10/10 - 21:11Well... These guys are hitting it hard. I hope nobody gets burned.
=======
Ok,
Am really intrested to purchase your searay,am ready to buy it now.The easiest way for me to pay is throught Electrnonic Cashier's Check which is E-Check draw from my Bank (Bank Of America) I have no problem with you waiting for the E-Check to go through at your bank or anything.here is a thing from the E-Check: You will probably need to buy Business Check Paper, at Shopping Mall,Stationery Store,Office Depot or Office max.And it cost $20. Once you purchase the business check paper. I will email you the check and you will have it printed. then proceed to your bank and deposite the check. I will wait for your bank to verify and clear the Echeck before we proceed with shipment. As my Bank Operator informed me that the check will use two or three before the check will clear at your bank. Which is Conforms to All American Banking Association rules and standards this is to stop C.O.D.
Let me know if this helps
Bill Jack
My Reply:
It is available. I live in California though. Not sure how this will work for you but it's yours if you want it.
Best,
Terry
----- Original Message -----
From: bill jack
To: sale-440845572@craigslist.org
Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 12:12 AM
Subject: 17' 1986 Sea Ray Seville - $750
** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
Hello,
I am interested in your item,hope the the item is still valiable for sale..
Bill Jack
174 Lackland Ave
Piscataway, NJ 08854
732-733-2052
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this message was remailed to you via: sale-440845572@craigslist.org
Anonymous (not verified)
I almost got scammed by this
Wed, 2007/10/17 - 19:56I almost got scammed by this piece of shit too. I got suspicious when I google the address and it was an address for a pharmacy!! The phone number is always busy. Then I googled just the phone number and found all this to be a scam!!! God, I am glad I went with my gut feeling on this. Also, you think someone that uses the name John Smith (too common of a name...just smells like a scam) would have somewhat good command of the english language and grammar.
I have added his email to me and is almost identical to the other people.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:14:20 +0000
From: john22990@gmail.com
Subject: Re: ***ANTIQUE LIVING ROOM FURNITURE*** - $2000
Goodmorning
Thanks for the mail , the price is okay by me and i am ready to purchase from you immediately, I anticipate that the cashier check will be sent via express mail.My address is My address is
11750 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD WEST LOS ANGELES , CA 90025,United States and my cell number is 310-862-6880 . I will like to tell you that i will be paying with a cashier check in us dollars and as for the moving my mover will come for the pick up at your location upon your confirmation of receiving the payment
and i dont want you to look for any other buyer.I would have love to come down for the pickup.But am not chance to do that now but am
satisfy with your your description of the ANTIQUE LIVING ROOM FURNITURE . I will like to read from you concerning this moving arrangement before processing and sending the payment out to you.Your full
information is needed where the payment will be send to.
Full Name
Address
phone number.
Thanks for your co-operation, while awaiting your response.
Regards,
Anonymous (not verified)
JOHN SMITH scammer on Craigslist...
Wed, 2007/10/17 - 20:38I had some furniture for sale on CL when this piece of shit contacted me about buying it...goes by the name of JOHN SMITH (come on...right there you have to be suspicious).
Got suspicious about this individual when I googled their address and found it to be a PHARMACY!!!
When I googled the phone number it took me right to a scam forum and found people had experienced something similar to what I have. (Thank God for google!) This is the last email I have from him:
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:14:20 +0000
From: john22990@gmail.com
Subject: Re: ***ANTIQUE LIVING ROOM FURNITURE*** - $2000
Goodmorning
Thanks for the mail , the price is okay by me and i am ready to purchase from you immediately, I anticipate that the cashier check will be sent via express mail.My address is My address is
11750 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD WEST LOS ANGELES , CA 90025,United States and my cell number is 310-862-6880 . I will like to tell you that i will be paying with a cashier check in us dollars and as for the moving my mover will come for the pick up at your location upon your confirmation of receiving the payment
and i dont want you to look for any other buyer.I would have love to come down for the pickup.But am not chance to do that now but am
satisfy with your your description of the ANTIQUE LIVING ROOM FURNITURE . I will like to read from you concerning this moving arrangement before processing and sending the payment out to you.Your full
information is needed where the payment will be send to.
Full Name
Address
phone number.
Thanks for your co-operation, while awaiting your response.
Regards,
________________________________________________________________
I hope I can help someone else out with this....don't get suckered...like your mom always told you "If it's too good to be true, it is!!!"
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