I have a couple of wood boat projects going on and seeing as I don't have the money to but new motors on both, I decieded to try and sell on the internet at a wood boat web site. Well the day after I place the ad, I get an EMail from some guy that says he ie from Portagul and needs the boat right away for a client. I figured, kind a weird, but hey,maybe my lucky day. So I email him back saying sure, I'll sell to you. He sends me back this long email on how someone will send be a check for 3000 more than the price of the boat and I am suppose to send him the rest of the money via western union. ??? They would come and pick it up imediately the next day. So know it is very obvious that this guy is trying to commit check fraud, but the worst part about it is that when I called the local police to ask them if there was anything that could be done to get this guy, they said Nothing we can do. they said the best thing to do was just forget about it. The internet to me is a great method for obtaining information and talking to other good folks that I would normally never meet, but I suppose to everything good, there is an equal amount of bad. I just wish there was a way of getting people like that.
There have been several instances on our local news where people have been taken with this very scam. One in Traverse city for 50,000 on a big yacht. Must be those bank checks are pretty good fakes.
When I started reading your thread I thought for a minute you had fell for the scam. "Sorry about that'. Anyway, I am glad you didn't send them no money. These guys are crooks. It is amazing to me that not only do these people want to scam you out of yer boat, but they want you to send money to Boot. I read where some of the bank checks, and some of the money orders, cash certificates or whatever they send you were so good that sometimes the bank would start out by honoring them. Then the person who is getting scamed goes ahead and sends the other part of the money back. Within a week or 10 days the bank would discover the fraud, and of course take their money back out of your acount. ???
We get that at work with credit card fraud. They want to buy ANYTHING we sell, don't care how much it costs, want it shipped overnight, etc. I called the bank that clears our credit cards, and they were so nieve that they'd never heard of such a thing. ::) They steal the credit card numbers, buy all sorts of stuff, you ship it out, and before you (the shopkeeper) can stop the shipment, because the credit card gets denied, they have your stuff, and you can't get it back. It is pretty common. Sad statement isn't it. :-/
I've heard about that scam around here except they were doing it with cars. Our cops published a warning in the paper and on TV because some woman got scammed.
Norwiscutter:
Sorry to here about the fraud attempt against your boat. You have probably worked hard to build it and to get such a scam is apaulling, to say the lease.
I did a quick search and I found a boat trader sight that may be of interest to you. I don't know anything about them.
http://www.boattraderonline.com/
best of luck with your boat sale and happy boat building.
cheers :)
Its ridiculous how many nigeria letter scams I receive EVERY week from someone telling me they are the widow of so and so.. here is an example. My website must attract these wierdos :D
I just gotta mention the word FRENCH FRIES
There, now at this moment, the top 4 threads on the forum are about food. 8)
Sure Jeff.....typical Yank. You'll mention taters but not give equal time to
GRITS ;D..... Actually GRITS should be given higher billing than the lowly tater.....'cause they are so good and good for you. They will cure the common cold. ;D
[size=8]....EAT GRITS....[/size]
How'd some minitonka yankee learn the secret of grits? ???
Any way, Jeff its only a couple of millenia back that food was the only topic of discussion. :P
Oh heck, for all those prairie sod busters, might as well add
PEROGIES
Just read about a 'new' scam going around. Seems someone calls (or emails) saying something about a warrant for your arrest, because you failed to show up for jury duty. Then when pressed, asks for your social security number, etc. :o Pooof! You been scammed and your identity stolen.
Jury duty scam (http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp)
There was a time when social security number wasn't to be used for identification and we protected it pretty closely. Now your SS# is everywhere. How is it used by those who steal identities?
They use it to prove they are you and then use that to get new credit cards and things, maxing out the card and having it all attributed to you is one way.
8) 8) my brother gave 2,500 DOLLARS for a artic cat quad runner usa internet site he was told to wire payment to i believe norway they had a very convicing story to make my story short money sent , artic cat not rec. e bay notified ,fbi notified , money lost :( :( :( 8) 8)
Tom, give my your SS number, your address, and your phone number, and you'd be amazed at what sort of mischief I can have.
cancelling your phone and power would just be the start. credit cards are the real fear.
Yes, but all three of those items are readily available to someone with the diligence to search. There are some people who have all of that information, and more, on the header of their bank checks.
Almost any office today that schedules appointments wants your SS#, not to mention the reams of paper applications the public is asked to fill out.
Why would a number that was so generally spread through the population be accepted as Identification? Well, one answer is that the government required everyone to have a number, that if used properly, made them unique. It just so happens that the business society found it convenient because it works in a 'sort'. So much for its intent to not be used for Identification. :)
I think we're seeing things slide back a little bit on that. I have gotten so that I refuse to provide my SS#, and I find that most of the time, I still get what I want. If I still have to provide it, then I decide I didn't need whatever they were peddling.
In our county the Judges frown upon missing jury duty. So much that after the court sesion they go to their chambers and call the people who miss jury duty themselves. >:( If they do not like your excuse they give you a contempt of court warrant. :'( They do not ask for personal info they just ask what is so important to make you miss your duty. :-[
Farmerdoug
Need a SS#? I can give you one right quick. Of course tomorrow, I may give you a different one. Numbers are easy to come by. On the same note, my cat has received a credit card application.
Here is some advice from an attorney that got his wallet stolen:
1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED"
2. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!)
3. Photocopy the contents of your wallet and keep the photo copy in a safe place. That way you can call and cancel.
4. In addition, call the three national credit reporting organizations and the Social Security fraud line number immediately to place a fraud alert on your name. The alert means any company that checks your credit will be notified and have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
Equifax: 800-525-6285
Experian: 888-397-3742
Trans Union: 800-680-7289
SSA fraud line: 800-289-0271
A guy that worked here for me put a Harley on the web for sale. Same same, guy from nigeria emails him saying that was his dream bike and he wanted it. Sent a check for twice the amount asked drawn on the Dell computor medical account in san antonio tx. My guy called the bank, verified the account number and that there was enough $$$ to cover the sales price.
He runs down to the nearest check cashing place, they verify the check again, charge him 10% and cashes it. He buys a certified cashiers check for the differance and over nights it to the buyer. Buyer says his guy will come and pick up the bike.
Week later cops are hooking up my employee here at work for all kinds of charges.
In the end he got to keep the bike, and the money he asked for it. The check cashing place pressed felony charges for fraud and theft, The Feds pressed for wire fraud, and a few other little fillers. Check had a legit account number for Dell, probaley had millions in it but was a complete forgery.
Everyone and I mean everyone in the office told him NOT TO DO THIS sale. GREED GREED GREED.
In the end, he retained a lawyer, cost $5k all charges dropped but the civil suit from the check cashing place continues. Of course he lost his bail money, I gave him 10 days off for being stupid on my time.
Norwiscutter, I dabble in wooden boats and may know someone local who would be interested in yours. If not I can point you to a good place on the web to advertise it. Let me know if you still have it for sale.
By the way I *sold* a boat just last week to a guy who emailed me from Taiwan and really wanted it bad. I was almost sure it was the scam and was really sure when he asked for a picture of the 22' sailboat I was selling and I sent him a picture of a 12' ice boat instead.
He said it looked just fine ::) and he would be sending the certified check the same day.
I thought the check might look nice framed next to a picture of the little iceboat. :)
I showed up for jury duty once and while we all were in the large conferance room (200 or so people) the judge said that he knew many of us had a good reason not to be there. So he said, "If you think you have a good reason not to be here, turn to the person next to you and tell them that reason, then turn to the other side and ask that person. If both of them say it is good enough, then you come up here to tell me."
Nobody went before the judge and asked to leave. :)
I had some fun with a close relative of that guy selling bobcats on ebay...AU$5000 inc freight....worth AU$60k. Advertised as being in AUS with a local postcode..photo of bobcat in driveway with US number plates on car parked next to it..US dealer stickers on the bobcat . Not smart. Asked him if that included all of the attachments..reply of course it does!
You have to laugh.
DTR
it is hard to believe that anyone would fall for the nigerian scam. i know that there has been some people hurt bad by them. i sell on ebay from time to time and have had people try to pull scams. they are easy to spot. once i had a well worn radio for sale, nothing special someone emailed from a foreign land and claimed to be willing to pay a premium price for it because it was what he had always wanted. he did not get it or my money tho. i saw a tv special about the nigerian scam. people have actually been dumb enough to travel to nigeria and lose a lot of money and nearly lose thier life chasing the dream of easy money.
Couple of years ago I placed an ad in the regional newspaper advertising blue heeler pups for sale, $50. One evening I got a call from a calling service for the deaf. Person was interested in a dog, and gave me an e-mail address to work out the details. I had no reason not to think it was on the level at this point. I made contact , and DanGed if he wasn't supposed to be in England, would pay me double for the dog, would send me a money order for more than the amount and I should forward the balance to a shipping company, who would come by and pick up the dog, etc. etc. etc. ::) I think the ad in the paper must have been put on an internet ad as well. You would think it would just be easier to work for a living.
Quote from: Faron on January 23, 2007, 07:59:31 PM
You would think it would just be easier to work for a living.
Hey! Scamming isn't easy... those guys have a lot of office work to do. And then there is running to the bank, ignoring legal letters, changing ISPs.
Being a crook is no bed of roses. !!!
:D
Quote from: Steven A. on January 23, 2007, 08:32:25 PM
Being a crook is no bed of roses. !!!
:D
Surely you are not speaking from experience. :o
Bob
Quote from: pigman on January 23, 2007, 08:51:02 PM
Quote from: Steven A. on January 23, 2007, 08:32:25 PM
Being a crook is no bed of roses. !!!
:D
Surely you are not speaking from experience. :o
Bob
He he he. Nope I'm not but I do have 2 occasional customers who are and they whine about how tough it is.
They pay me and are not such bad guys I will not sell to them or feel the need to protect society from them but.... I sure would not care to have one of my children marry into their family. :)