Buying & Selling Safely
With identity theft on the rise you need
to be extra sure you know who you are dealing with in an
online transaction. Although many consumers and ethical
dealers have benefited greatly from the Internet, so too
have crooked buyers & sellers. As such, you need to
be aware of potential scams to solicit deposits.
Here are some of the most common ones directed toward buyers
& sellers online in (but not limited to) the US, UK,
Canada and Australia.
These instances are few and far between
and are not limited to just "Internet crime."
These unscrupulous people can just as easily perpetrate
these scams through a local newspaper. The following tips
will help you identify fraudulent situations and safely
buy or sell a vehicle online or offline.
Safety Tips When Selling when
buying
Sellers beware! This new "counterfeit
cashier's check " or "money advance"
scam targets the average person who's selling through classified
ads or auctioning goods over the Internet. Sellers have
been targeted in the US, UK, Canada and many other countries
- so it's important for everyone to be educated.
Here's how it works: You put a
large item up for sale (a car, for example) then
you're contacted by someone overseas. They may misrepresent
themselves from time to time as a local resident. They pretend
to be interested in buying your item for themselves or their
client. They ask you if a friend/contact in the United
States (or your own country) can mail you a cashier's
check to cover the purchase price of your item plus
will want to pay you extra for shipping fees.
You may see no reason to object, since,
unlike personal checks, cashier's checks cannot bounce because
the amount is paid to the bank when the check is issued
(similar to a money order).
After the cashier's check is deposited,
you are asked to wire the extra money for the shipping
fee back to the buyer or directly to their accomplice
(the shipper) so he can arrange for the transportation.
It's only when the cashier's check is discovered by the
bank to be counterfeit that you realize you've lost the
money you wired for the shipping fee. Your bank will come
back to you for those counterfeit funds, sometimes weeks
after the fact.
There are also variants where you ship
the item and lose everything (although very rare as they
just want your advanced fee). The deal can be canceled at
the last minute for some reason and a refund for the cashier's
check is requested from the buyer via wire transfer too.
This could also be any other type of request for an upfront
fee advance just to get your money!
Actual
Suspicious Messages:
Good Day i am interested in buying
your (car) I will like to know if you would accept a cashier
check for the payment, i also need to know the price,
and your full name and address including your phone number
is also needed in which payment will be sent to . i have
a shipping company who takes cares of my shippment .So
don't bother about the shippment. I will also like to
know if is still in good condition and shape. urgent response
is needed for procedure of payment.
regard
brian
xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
Thanks for the swift response and so sorry for the delay
in my response to your acknowledgment. I'm based in Florida
and i have five other collections centres in the country
to assist in prompt networking with my prospective customers.
So i'm really interested in buying the van and proximity
is not a problem at all. I am a restorer, i will like
to pay you as soon as possible. Kindly consider it sold
to me.
Since you have acknowledge my interest in the purchase
of the car i will like to make payment available to you
as soon as possible. I will go for $1000. i mean i will
pay $1000 and i will like to send the payment as soon
as possible.
Presently i am out of the country for my honeymoon in
holland and i will be back in a couple of weeks, but i
can at present instruct my client in state to send you
a Money Order of $4000 that will include the cost of the
shipping,as soon as you received the check,deduct yours
and send the remaning balance via WESTERNUNION MONEY TRANSFER
or MONEYGRAM to my shipper who will be responsible for
the test driving, signing of the tittle and pickup. If
you have any of its pictures dont essitate to email me.
Also as part of my policy i always like to run a mechanical
restoration process on any purchased car so the part of
the remainder is also this purpose, so you don't have
to worry so much about the repairs and your daughter bringing
the car to montreal, it will totally be taken care of.
I just feel i need to expanciate on the issue of overage
amount ($4000) i'm sending to you. The overage amount
is the estimated amount and over times of experience it
has been always working and you dont have to worry. Again,
i'm not asking you to setup any shipping for me i guess
if you read the context of the email i sent to you earlier,
you will discover that it's not in my style to make an
overage payment and always want to be at the point of
transaction i made but i had to go on my honeymoon.
The remaining balance is not for shipping alone, some
part of it is for the expenses to be incure while the
car has been pick up from your place to my workshop because
before i make the final delivery to my client, it is part
of my working principle to run a routine mechanical check
up on the vehicle where somethings like the car battery
and radiator are replace despite the fact they may still
be working well while with the owner. The engine will
also be serviced and many other things that i can't start
to enumerate right now which also include the interior
but that is the way i do my thing and that is why i have
many client patronizing me.
My shipper will be coming over to your place to do the
pick up as soon as the Money Order is cleared at the bank.
Thanks for the understanding.
Kindly let me have the legal name to be written on the
check, your contact address and your phone number. Looking
forward to reading from you soon.
Regards,
Micheal
xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dear seller,
This is Dr Mark Olsen,I am presently
runing a private clinic
in the united arab Emirate (U.A.E) . i am interested in
the purchase of your above name (CAR) advertised on one
of the best internet market site in USA, recomended to
me by a colleague in this regard. i am making the purchase
as a gift for my daughter who is wedding in USA in NOVEMBER,
she will love it.
i am very ok with the details you have provide on the
internet advert
and i am ready to make payment for it as soon as possible,
hope is still available for sale. i will like you to email
me the below information to assure me of the sale:
1) is it still available for sale?
2) email me the last price you will accept to sell it
to me in dollar including tax.
3) email me your address where it is located presently
so i can
know what it will cost me for the transportaion.
4) also let me know if there is need to replace any part
before use.
Do not worry about the shipping, this will be a bit costly
for me but i will sort it out, i will arrange with a freight
forwarding company who will send an Agent to your location
after payment is made for the pick up, it will be shipped
and transported along with my medical equipments in europe,
this will make it easy and sheapper for me compare to
the high price here.
I will appriciate if you can send me a more recent picture
of it via my email.
Please make the price considerate since i will be paying
for the shipping.
i await your email with your last offer price.
kind regards,
Dr Mark Olsen.
Phone: 447024023693
Be
Extremely Skeptical:
- Of
overseas offers from someone you do not know. They may
use broken English or pose as a poor mother, widow, minister,
or foreign government official.
- Of
payment by cashier's check / bank draft / certified check.
- Of
buyers sending more than the purchase price of the item.
- Of
buyers who seem more worried about payment than the shipment
of the item to them once payment is made.
- Of
buyers who show little or no concern to the condition
of the item they are purchasing.
- Of
buyers who want to bring others into the transaction like
their client, a shipper or friend owning money to the
buyer.
- Of
buyers who ask you to forward or wire money for what ever
reason.
How
to protect yourself:
- Always
ask about their location to identify "the scam"
if not obvious! Get the buyer's address, telephone number
(not a cell phone number).
- Trace
their IP address or their ISP
source. The source IP address is included with our
security protocols and will be listed, with links to trace,
within the initial email inquiry you might have received
from our system.
- If
the buyer has a free e-mail account (e.g. yahoo, hotmail,
fastermail etc.) ask for a fixed e-mail address (e.g.
somelbusiness.com, comcast.net, etc.). With a free e-mail
account the buyer can remain anonymous.
- Cross
reference questionable buyers email or phone numbers at
ScamChecker.com
(not all scammers are listed there but it's a start) or
trace it using google or the white
pages.
- The
scam always requires you to send money at some point to
someone even though you are the seller!
-
If you receive a cashier's check, call the bank that issued
it (the bank's name will be printed on the check) and
ask them if they authorized that check.
-
NEVER do ANYTHING until a check clears with assurances
from the issuing bank and your bank!
- NEVER
pay anything up front for ANY reason!
-
Ask them to make the transaction through a reputable third
party escrow service, perhaps an escrow account with a
law firm of your choice or www.escrow.com.
Fraud sites often claim they are recommended by eBay,
eBay Motors, or Yahoo! Auctions. You may see the list
of sites eBay actually recommends by clicking
here. We advise against transferring money through
a Western Union Bank / MoneyGram service (this includes
BidPay). If the seller insists on using this payment method,
you're probably dealing with a scammer (even if they send
what seems to be legitimate shipping information or ID).
- Do
not alert this "buyer" to your knowledge of
this scam. Simply back away from the transaction.
- Report
fake check scams to the National
Consumers League's, Internet Fraud Watch.
Anyone can list a vehicle for sale on
a website, or put an ad in the paper with a picture of a
vehicle. Unfortunately there are always people who do business
with bad intentions. A "fake," or criminal type
person, in this scam can list a vehicle for sale without
ever owning it. They simply take the picture, make up
a description, or steal the information from another ad
and list the vehicle for sale as their own.
Buyers will typically note that the deal
seems "too good to be true" (your first
clue)! When you contact the seller, the item for sale will
no longer be located where it was advertised (I just moved,
or I'm currently overseas... etc.) making it difficult for
you to view it in person. They may even say the vehicle
is located near you or is being stored at a MotoSeller.com
warehouse (we don't have warehouse or store vehicles). The
seller will request that you send some money as a "down
payment" via Western Union Wire Transfer to
an overseas location so you don't "lose the sale."
or put a deposit down through a fake escrow website.
Sample
Suspicious Seller Email:
Hello, As the seller, I would like
to take a moment to personally thank you for your interest
in my car. I know that you have many choices out there
and I appreciate your interest. I hope you are serious
in your intention for buying. Don`t take it personally,
but I am tired with people who offer to buy my items and
in the end they turn out to be scammers. That is the reason
why I ended the auction a few minutes ago. Anyway, the
car is available and I guess you could be it`s owner if
everything turns out all right and you are serious about
buying. The car looks and runs exactly as new. The title
is clean, and you will receive it along with the vehicle,
so you will have no problems whatsoever registering it
there. The paint is flawless, the body is in excellent
condition.
It was never involved in any accidents.
THE CAR IS US STREET LEGAL, and has US EMMISSION SPECS,
it is DOT&EPA CERTIFIED. I am located in Greece. I moved
here 5 months ago, brought the car with me, but now I
have to sell it back in the States because I can`t register
it here, it has as I told you, US specs, emission standards
and everything. Registering it here in Europe will take
forever. My final price on this is US 7,800$. I know it
seems a little low, but I will be quite happy to get rid
of it, believe me, no one will buy it here and i have
no use for it. If you will take this price, I am willing
to pay for shipping and insurance to your location. I
only want this transaction done through Ebay`s safe transaction
program. Please get back to me asap if you decide to buy,
so we can agree on the terms of the sale.
PS: I require half of the money
prior shipping. As I said, we will use eBay for this transaction
so it will be 100% safe. In case you agree, I will also
need your full name and complete shipping address.
Thanks
xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com
These criminals may try to tell you
we are endorsing their sale however: MotoSeller.com does
not ship, insure, certify or inspect vehicles, we do not
carry or own inventory and do not have any warehouses or
facilities to hold sellers vehicles. We do not have sales
personnel to meet with you, as we are an Internet business.
If someone tells you this in an attempt to explain why their
vehicle is not available for you to see in person please
notify us immediately as they are likely pulling a scam.
Avoid scams from crooked sellers by recognizing
the good deals. Buying locally from someone you can talk
to over the phone and meet face-to-face is still always
your best approach.
How to protect yourself:
- MotoSeller.com will never email you to certify a "seller"
or their vehicle as in good standing!
- MotoSeller.com will never tell you to use Western Union
to pay for purchases!
- MotoSeller.com does not offer shipping, insurance, storage
of vehicles or act as a 3rd party for a transaction!
1) If the the seller is overseas
or the information within an advertisement is incorrect,
misleading or you find (through communication with the seller)
that the item for sale is not located where it has been
advertised please advise us immediately!
2) Use extra caution if the price
is unusually low. If an item is listed significantly below
the manufacturer's suggested retail price or book value,
take extra steps to verify the seller's claims.
3) Confirm where the item is located
and always request to see or test-drive it in person. If
you find that the item for sale is not located where it
is being advertised (i.e., different state or country...
etc.) please advise us. If a dispute arises in the transaction,
United States laws may not apply to an international seller.
4) Call the seller or ask for their
phone number to talk directly. Verify the Seller's Name,
City and Email. If the phone number listed is not accurate
or match the area code of the items location, use added
caution to verify the seller has possession of the item.
Cross reference questionable sellers email or phone numbers
at ScamChecker.com
(not all scammers are listed there but it's a start) trace
it using google or the white
pages.
5) Be cautious if a seller requests
a deposit or any money via Western Union. or is offering
Free Shipping and Escrow. Shipping a vehicle any distance
can be costly and should be reflected in a higher then average
price.
6) Watch out for Bogus Online Escrow Services. Online
vehicle sellers often use escrow services, which collect
and verify payment from a buyer. The money is held by the
service until all parties are satisfied with the sale. Select
your own reputable Escrow service, perhaps an escrow account
with a law firm. Wire transfer services do not always provide
protection or refunds if a dispute arises. Before sending
funds to any Escrow Service, be certain to verify it is
a reputable institution. Ask them to make the transaction
through a reputable third party escrow service, perhaps
an escrow account with a law firm of your choice or www.escrow.com.
Fraud sites often claim they are recommended by eBay, eBay
Motors, or Yahoo! Auctions. You may see the list of sites
eBay actually recommends by clicking
here.
There have been some instances of phony online escrow services
operating on the Internet. Make sure you check out the escrow
service with SOS4Auctions.com.
They catalog the good and bad services.
6) Pay escrow deposits by credit
card because you can often dispute the charges with your
card provider if something goes wrong.
7) If sending money with Western union
you will likely never ever see that money again. Once the
cash is wired to the other end and picked up by the seller,
Western Union cannot get it back. Call the Western Union
Fraud Department, 1-800-325-6000 if you have any
doubts about a Western Union transfer.
More info on protecting yourself from
escrow
and check fraud at carbuyingtips.com
More
information on scams:
If you have been a victim of any of these
scams, please contact
your local office of the United States Secret Service, FBI
or report by visiting: http://www.ic3.gov
Immediately. If possible, preserve the check and the mailing
envelope(s) for fingerprinting or other potential investigative
examinations. or Report fake check scams to the National
Consumers League's, Internet Fraud Watch.
Scam Victums
United
http://scamvictimsunited.com
Anti Phishing
Work Group
http://www.antiphishing.org
Wikipedia
entries on Internet fraud.
Con
victims out $10,000 or more. Fake escrow sites, fake car
sales a devastating combination:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3660523/
VNUNet,
UK:
http://www.vnunet.com/News/1141529
Protect
Yourself These Scams:
http://www.scamvictimsunited.com
Press
Release:
http://www.state.de.us
File
an online complaint:
http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp
Wired
News Article: Nigerian Net Scam:
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,56829,00.html
Internet
Fraud Preventive Measures:
http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/fraudtips.asp
Nigeria
- The 419 Coalition Website:
http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal
Nigerian
Fraud Watch:
http://www.nigerianfraudwatch.org
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