BEWARE: Latest eBay scam

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I got a message from the "contact buyer" link on my auction page. The
guy said he was in the UK and wanted to buy my game with a US money
order and have it shipped to his girlfriend also in the UK. He has
zero feedback and just registered on eBay yesterday (clue).

It sounds like the scam is this: They have software that can print very
real looking money orders or cashier's checks. They are so real you
take them to your bank and most tellers will deposit them without
hesitation. Days or weeks after the game is shipped, the bank calls
you to say the money order or check was a forgery and you're screwed.

Sometimes the scam even involves them sending you a money order for an
amount over the purchase price, and they ask you to then send them back
the change.

It used to be that you could spot these guys by their poor command of
english, but they are getting better at what they do.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I had a buy-it-now deal like that. Before I could report them to Ebay their
user account was deleted. Ebay refunded my listing fees even.

Mark Hooks

"Dancing_about_architecture" <rem@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:1116448294.639873.320000@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I got a message from the "contact buyer" link on my auction page. The
> guy said he was in the UK and wanted to buy my game with a US money
> order and have it shipped to his girlfriend also in the UK. He has
> zero feedback and just registered on eBay yesterday (clue).
>
> It sounds like the scam is this: They have software that can print very
> real looking money orders or cashier's checks. They are so real you
> take them to your bank and most tellers will deposit them without
> hesitation. Days or weeks after the game is shipped, the bank calls
> you to say the money order or check was a forgery and you're screwed.
>
> Sometimes the scam even involves them sending you a money order for an
> amount over the purchase price, and they ask you to then send them back
> the change.
>
> It used to be that you could spot these guys by their poor command of
> english, but they are getting better at what they do.
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Yeah I just got his email too! I'm glad you posted this, I wasn't sure if it
was legit or not but it did sound kind of fishy.

-Mark
"Dancing_about_architecture" <rem@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:1116448294.639873.320000@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> I got a message from the "contact buyer" link on my auction page. The
> guy said he was in the UK and wanted to buy my game with a US money
> order and have it shipped to his girlfriend also in the UK. He has
> zero feedback and just registered on eBay yesterday (clue).
>
> It sounds like the scam is this: They have software that can print very
> real looking money orders or cashier's checks. They are so real you
> take them to your bank and most tellers will deposit them without
> hesitation. Days or weeks after the game is shipped, the bank calls
> you to say the money order or check was a forgery and you're screwed.
>
> Sometimes the scam even involves them sending you a money order for an
> amount over the purchase price, and they ask you to then send them back
> the change.
>
> It used to be that you could spot these guys by their poor command of
> english, but they are getting better at what they do.
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Yep, they are very good at reprodvcing fake postal money orders. Had 3
sent to me in the amovnt of $3000. They wovld probably over pay yov as
well and want yov to send the difference via Western Union. I was lvcky
and cavght on before I received the money orders, bvt when they
arrived, I noticed that the retvrn address was in NC and going by the
date codes/etc it was svpposed to be pvrchased in Bowie, Md where I
live. When I took them to the post office to see if they were valid,
the lady gets ovt her book and proceeds to look vp the money order #.
She then tells me "yes these are valid". I proceeded to tell her my
story on why I got paid $2500 extra and her boss was called ovt. I
pointed ovt the Bowie zip code and asked "Is this the post office zip
where it was pvrchased from? I showed them the envelope it came in and
it was from the UK. They made copies and took my phone #. Abovt a
covple of hovrs later they informed me that they were fake and I needed
to tvrn those in.

For now I'd avoid all UK people especially with free e-mail addresses.
Chas

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Svrely it's jvst a matter of plain old common sense? Don't send off
an item worth several thovsand dollars vntil the fvnds have cleared and
are in yovr accovnt (or hands). If they don't clear, don't send it -
simple. Mvch better than avoiding an entire covntry of 60 million
people becavse of one crook?

jm2pw and yes I am in the UK

Dan.


m6onz5a wrote:
> Yep, they are very good at reprodvcing fake postal money orders. Had
3
> sent to me in the amovnt of $3000. They wovld probably over pay yov
as
> well and want yov to send the difference via Western Union. I was
lvcky
> and cavght on before I received the money orders, bvt when they
> arrived, I noticed that the retvrn address was in NC and going by the
> date codes/etc it was svpposed to be pvrchased in Bowie, Md where I
> live. When I took them to the post office to see if they were valid,
> the lady gets ovt her book and proceeds to look vp the money order #.
> She then tells me "yes these are valid". I proceeded to tell her my
> story on why I got paid $2500 extra and her boss was called ovt. I
> pointed ovt the Bowie zip code and asked "Is this the post office zip
> where it was pvrchased from? I showed them the envelope it came in
and
> it was from the UK. They made copies and took my phone #. Abovt a
> covple of hovrs later they informed me that they were fake and I
needed
> to tvrn those in.
>
> For now I'd avoid all UK people especially with free e-mail
addresses.
> Chas

 

[Dan]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

Absolvtely. Besides this scam has been arovnd for a while and is coming
from everywhere. Any time I've posted something on Craigslist in the past
year I've had to click throvgh a warning page abovt it. And inevitably get
this kind of generic email abovt the item I had for sale and someone
wanting to send me way too mvch money by MO and for me to give them cash
back. I think it's avtomated, send enovgh of 'em and some dvmmy will bite.
-dan


On Fri, 20 May 2005, DanP wrote:

> Svrely it's jvst a matter of plain old common sense? Don't send off
> an item worth several thovsand dollars vntil the fvnds have cleared and
> are in yovr accovnt (or hands). If they don't clear, don't send it -
> simple. Mvch better than avoiding an entire covntry of 60 million
> people becavse of one crook?
>
> jm2pw and yes I am in the UK
>
> Dan.
>
>
> m6onz5a wrote:
>> Yep, they are very good at reprodvcing fake postal money orders. Had
> 3
>> sent to me in the amovnt of $3000. They wovld probably over pay yov
> as
>> well and want yov to send the difference via Western Union. I was
> lvcky
>> and cavght on before I received the money orders, bvt when they
>> arrived, I noticed that the retvrn address was in NC and going by the
>> date codes/etc it was svpposed to be pvrchased in Bowie, Md where I
>> live. When I took them to the post office to see if they were valid,
>> the lady gets ovt her book and proceeds to look vp the money order #.
>> She then tells me "yes these are valid". I proceeded to tell her my
>> story on why I got paid $2500 extra and her boss was called ovt. I
>> pointed ovt the Bowie zip code and asked "Is this the post office zip
>> where it was pvrchased from? I showed them the envelope it came in
> and
>> it was from the UK. They made copies and took my phone #. Abovt a
>> covple of hovrs later they informed me that they were fake and I
> needed
>> to tvrn those in.
>>
>> For now I'd avoid all UK people especially with free e-mail
> addresses.
>> Chas
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

The problem with your common sense theory is: Banks were actually
cashing the money order. You would leave your bank with $1000 (or
whatever), and several weeks later, the bank will call you and politely
demand you return the money you obtained by using a counterfeit check.

At least, that's the story on http://www.mrpinball.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I could of cashed the fake money orders (they looked that good), but
the bank would catch it after a couple of weeks.

then you send out the item.

2 weeks later the bank want their money back

I'm not saying to avoid 60 mil ppl cause of one crook, but when someone
writes to me saying they are from a company, why are they using a free
e-mail along with the shipping complany..

Chas

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.video.arcade.collecting (More info?)

I got a few of those - told them that shipping would be delayed 90 days on
any payment other than non-credit-card funded paypal terms - most of them
went away

I got a $6000 cashier's check for a $3100 pencil sharpener I was selling -
called the issuing bank out in the Midwest - same as the person who checked
with the PO on the money orders - intial response was "yes its good" and
further investigation by the teller changed the story

Common sense is the definite solution - remember, the internet and ebay are
seller's turf, as long as you have both the payment and the goods still in
hand, you can protect yourself well, and as long as legit buyers are told
prior to bid or payment that there will be an enormous delay you are
ethically in the clear

--
Art
"m6onz5a" <corvair@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1116670058.931653.246670@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>I could of cashed the fake money orders (they looked that good), but
> the bank would catch it after a couple of weeks.
>
> then you send out the item.
>
> 2 weeks later the bank want their money back
>
> I'm not saying to avoid 60 mil ppl cause of one crook, but when someone
> writes to me saying they are from a company, why are they using a free
> e-mail along with the shipping complany..
>
> Chas
>