On 7/23/2011 10:35 AM, Steve B wrote:
I got the following response for some conduit I am selling on Craigslist.
It is fishy, but there is no mention of kickback or taking the goods before
check clears. I figure this is a scam, but am unsure of how it works.
Anyone?
aroo james to me:
Hello,
I am very much satisfied with the condition and price of the above
item you posted on KSL and I would like to make an immediate purchase
of the item. So i will advice that you withdraw the ad from the web.
Pls, i will like to know how you intend to proceed on this, but i
would prefer that i issue out a certified check to your location and
upon the confirmation and clearance of payment, my shipper will come
for the pick-up at your location. I would really have loved to come
for the viewing of the item but since i am not chanced my movers will.
If you are okay with this, please do get back to me with the following
details so i can make out payment
IMMEDIATELY.
1: Your Full Name to be on the payment
2: Your Address and zip code (NOT P.O BOX)
3: Your mobile number or cell phone number
I would forward all your details to my secretary to make the payment
out to you fast...i am on a business trip right now, and would be busy
for sometime, i would be checking my email time to time to check your
message.
Have a nice day
ME TO AROO JAMES:
I proceed very simple. Bring US currency. Pick up merchandise.
AROO JAMES BACK TO ME.
Hello,
Thanks for your swift response.I would have preferred paying you by
cash,but i am presently on Business Trip,and due to the interest i
have with the item.I will instruct my secretary to go ahead and
prepared the Certified Check asap. Then when the check clears, my
shipping Agent will come for the pick up.
Get back to me your full name and address,so that I can go ahead and
issue out the payment.
MY LAST TO AROO JAMES:
You seem not to understand what I told you, so I will tell you once more.
When a living person pays me with American currency, I shall release the
goods. Is that clear enough?
Steve
It's a scam, as others noted. No need to bother with responding any
further to him. Usually they tell you to pay the shipper, and they
"accidentally" write the check for too much, and ask you to send the
overpayment back to them. So the goal is they get free stuff + money too.
If you get the issue (of these sorts of scams) frequently, one thing you
can do is do a lookup of the email domain to see where its coming from.
Nobody is going to pay to ship a pile of ordinary hardware store ****
halfway around the world. If it's not in your geographical area, forget
them.
If all they can provide is a gmail, hotmail, yahoo or whatever web-based
account, forget them too.
First go here-
http://www.dnsstuff.com/
and then enter the domain name in the "whois" box and press the go
button. For an address like "http://www.google.com", you drop the
"http://www." part, and only enter "google.com"
Google is a webpage of course, but it works for mail servers too.
For an email address of ", you just enter
"google.com" and it will tell you were the domain is geographically
located.