Another scam via Craigslist: offering more than asking price

Seadoo challenger seat - $700 (Nor. Cal.) Inbox

Aramigthy Bankole
show details Aug 26 (7 days ago)

** 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 there,pls i will like to know if the above listed item is still available for sale ???

(Note the grammar and punctuations is off.)
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Our response to Aramigthy
show details Aug 27 (6 days ago)

Yes it is. please give me a call to discuss an offer. xxx-xxx-xxxx Thanks - Dave

(Note that we gave our phone number to call and discuss.)

Aramigthy Bankole to me
show details Aug 28 (5 days ago)

Hello
I realy appreciate your response to my earlier mail.like i said i will like to buy this item so pls do withdraw the advert from Craigslist. I will also like you to know that i will be paying via check due to the distance as i am located in United Kingdom in Manchester.I will need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.

1.Your full name
2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal address
3.Your phone number.

**I will like you to know that you will not be responsible for shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you have cashed the check**
Have a nice day.

(Wow, so fortunate to have their own mover!!! ;)

Our response to Aramigthy
show details Aug 28 (5 days ago)

Sounds great! I will only take a check from Bank of America or Wells Fargo. Otherwise we can set up paypal arrangements. Thank you.

Aramigthy Bankole to me
show details Aug 28 (5 days ago)

Thanks for your quick response, The cheque will be issue for you as soon as posible, but i will surely need your full name, residence adddress and your phone number to facitate your pay...You can cash the Cheque in this two Banks..ok
Will like to hear from you soon..
- Show quoted text -

Our response to Aramigthy
show details 11:38 am (46 minutes ago)

I understand that I can cash your check at either of my banks but I can cash any check at any bank. It does not insure that the funds are available unless the check is issued from one of those 2 banks. I appologize for this inconvenience and it is not intended to insult your integrity but one can't be too careful online. I hope you understand. We can do paypal if you are not local and a check from either of the 2 banks is unobtainable. I don't mean to be difficult but there are too many scams on craigslist.

Thanks,
Dave

Aramigthy Bankole to me
show details 11:42 am (42 minutes ago)

I can only issue you a Cheque and you are free to cash it at any
Bank......Let me know if you are still intrested in selling this item
for me...??

Regard,
Aramigthy.
DIrector

(Notice they are now a DIrector? Director of what? Scammers!)

We have not responded back yet. We have gotten several of these for the same item and some have the same wording. Deal locally and in CASH only. If you can meet the person it is better. If they are sending a Money Order or Cashiers Check they should be able to pay in cash as well and meet you. It is so sad you can't trust people these days.

Hello,
Thank you very much for your response about the item,i really
appreciate your reply and i like buying the item for my darling
husband who work oversea as a gift?i will offer you $700.00
usd and i will add $150 for the shipping overseas Via paypal,i want to
count on you by handling the shipment for me via (USPS first class),because
am an occupied woman here with my work in Alabama,i use to work from 6 to 7pm
everyday. i will make the payment via paypal to your account cos i believe its
the best to make an online transaction,so send me your paypal email
address so that i can proceed with the payment of the item asap. Thank
you very much hope to hear from you soon. best regards
michelle waltson
michellewaltson@breakthru.com

Another scam email address and name for you guys. Offering me 250$ more than what I was asking for, and cant even speak english. Pffft.

I received the following email and recalled that seeing something on local tv about a scam. Did a search and found your webpage. I received the following identical message as several others:

Hello I really appreciate your response to my email.I want you toconsider
it sold, pls do withdraw the advert from craigslist toavoid
disturbance.I want you to know that i will be paying via bankcertified
check .I will like you to provide me with the following.information to
facilitate the mailing of the check to you .
1.....Full name to write on the check
2.....Full Physical address to post the check
3.....City, State and Zip Code
4.....Home & Cell Phone to contact you
*** Note that the payment will be shiped to your address via UPS NEXT
DAYSERVICE and I will like you to know that you will not be
responsiblefor shipping i will have my mover come over as soon as you
have cashedthe check** Thanks

Seriously people, open your eyes. I do feel for people who fall for internet and email scams, because similar situations could come up in just about anyone's life but these emails have such horrible grammar that you can hardly read them, are filled with improper & distracting punctuation that even the most english-illiterate who can write know better than to use, and boast some of the weirdest names I have ever heard... Red flag, red flag, and BURNING RED FLAG ON FIRE! If they can't meet you with cash or pay through paypal from a confirmed account, move on.

Hi ,
I hope you are fine and alright. I have been busy myself but doing great. There is something i think i must bring to your notice. After a reconciliation of my account , i discovered that somehow my assistant must have over paid you. The payment that was meant for another transaction was sent to you and the one meant for you was sent to another, however i want to believe i wont have a problem with you. Please once you receive your payment, i would like you to deduct your money and send the remaining via money gram to my daughter so she can settle some of her pressing needs and also reactivate my Fed ex account. I will provide the info you need to complete the money gram transfer once you receive payment. Thanks once again for your understanding.

DONTTTTTT DO IT!!!! BE CAREFUL! I DIDNT FALL FOR IT

SCAMS INVOLVING "Thomas Lowen" & Willoby Nicolas!!! WATCH OUT!!! (ALL OVER)
Reply to: sale-808117008@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2008-08-22, 11:15AM PDT

BEWARE OUT THERE WHEN POSTING YOUR ITEMS!!! I ATTACHED THE RESPONSES I RECEIVED AFTER POSTING SEVERAL OF MY HIGHER PRICED ITEMS...CRIB, SOFA SLEEPER, & LOUNGE CHAIR. BOTH RESPONSES WERE VERY SIMILAR SO MY HUSBAND LOOKED UP THE NAMES & SURE ENOUGH HAD FOUND THE NAME "THOMAS LOWEN" FLAGGED FOR ATTEMPTING TO HAVE PEOPLE REMOVE THEIR POSTINGS FOR AN EXTRA $30 OR $20. THEN SAYS HE CAN'T VIEW THE ITEM IN PERSON BUT WILL MAIL A CASHIERS CHECK AND HAVE HIS "MOVERS" COME PICK UP!!! SCAM SCAM SCAM!!! PLEASE DON'T BE A VICTIM!!!
On 8/19/08, willoby nicolas wrote:
> > Hi,
> > Thanks for the prompt response to my enquiry, I am interested buying
> > it the price is ok ith me. I would love to come and check it but my
> > wife will put to bed anytime this week and as good husband,, i need
> > to be there with her,I should believe it is in good condition as
> > stated and seen in the picture,I will make the payment of this item
> > through my secretary,let me know the cost of shipping it to Saint
> > martin ville,Louisiana. Pls do withdraw the advert from Web i don't
> > mind adding $30 for you to do that,so i would be rest assured that the
> > item is held for me..I will be making the payment via a Certified
> > Check , which my secretary will send across to
> > your, so I will need both your name and physical address along with
> > you phone number to issue out the payment.

Thomas Lowen Wrote:
Hello,
Thanks for the prompt response and i will like you to withdraw the advert from Craigslist,i dont mind adding an extra $20dolls for you to take the advert down from criagslist so that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item.I dont have time to come take a look. I will be paying via cashier's check.
However,shipping and other expenses involved would be our responsibility..So i will need you to provide me with the following information to facilitate the mailing of the check.
1.Your full name
2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal address
3.Your phonenumber.
i will have my mover come over as soon as you have the check
Have a great day .

BEWARE OUT THERE WHEN POSTING YOUR ITEMS!!! I ATTACHED THE RESPONSES I RECEIVED AFTER POSTING SEVERAL OF MY HIGHER PRICED ITEMS...CRIB, SOFA SLEEPER, & LOUNGE CHAIR. BOTH RESPONSES WERE VERY SIMILAR SO MY HUSBAND LOOKED UP THE NAMES & SURE ENOUGH HAD FOUND THE NAME "THOMAS LOWEN" FLAGGED FOR ATTEMPTING TO HAVE PEOPLE REMOVE THEIR POSTINGS FOR AN EXTRA $30 OR $20. THEN SAYS HE CAN'T VIEW THE ITEM IN PERSON BUT WILL MAIL A CASHIERS CHECK AND HAVE HIS "MOVERS" COME PICK UP!!! SCAM SCAM SCAM!!! PLEASE DON'T BE A VICTIM!!!
On Sep 15, 2008, at 11:53 AM, Willoby Nicolas wrote:

Hi,
Thanks for the prompt response to my inquiry, I am interested in buying it,.I would love to come and check it but My Daughter would be going for a Kidney transplant in the next few days and as a good father i have to be at her side with the mother.I am handling the purchase of this item now to my secretary.pls do withdraw the advert from Web i don't mind adding $20 for you to do that,so i would be rest assured that the item is held for me.I should believe it is in good condition as stated and seen in your ads.I will be making the payment via a Certified Check ,my secretary will send it across to you,I will arrange a Mover who will be coming to Pick it from you once the Certified Check has been cashed. Pls I will need both your name and physical address along with you phone number to issue out the

payment.
Regards.

is this some kind of money laundering thing or what? i don't really understand how they are making money. I think I'm missing something

What do you do if you have the check in hand but realize it is a scam. Should we shred it, turn it in, etc. Can he still track us given he has our mailing address?

Yea, they have your address. (so does anyone with a phone book or the Internet)
Do you think they are going to spend the money and risk being caught by coming to your home to retrieve a fake cashiers check? Say you never got it. Say your ex-wife stole it. Say your dog ate it. Or even better, say your next door neighbor is a retired Cop and when you asked him what to do, he took the check and sent it to the Police for fingerprint analysis. Then, frame the check and brag about scamming the scammers. If we all fight back, these clowns will be out of business.

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Thanks for the prompt response to my inquiry,I really want to buy it,I
would love to come and check it but the nature of my job wouldn't
allow me so i got the services of a mover whom will come for the pick
up of the item on my behalf. Please do withdraw the advert from Web i
don't mind adding $50 for you to do that,so i would be rest assured
that the item is held for me.I should believe it is in good condition
as stated.I will be making the payment via a Certified Check,which my
secretary will send across to you.I'll be picking the item from you,
My Mover will be coming to Pick it from you once the Certified Check
has been cashed.It will be delivered by the United Parcel Service
within 2-3 days.Please note that 'United Parcel Service' do not
deliver to P.O.Box addresses.I will need the following details to make
payment arrangement done asap.

1.Your full name to be on the check,
2.Home or work
3.Your phone number.

Get me the following information as soon as possible.Warmest Regards.

Vince Thomas