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This is part ONE of my guide on scams on the internet. Also see part TWO and PLEEEEEEEEEEEZE VOTE!
I picked up the following information on Craigs List. It applies to Ebay and just about any site that involves money changing hands. Please vote so that others will become wi$er and not be scammed. Most of us have been conned at one time or another, so you know that it can be a terrifying feeling in using the net!
* NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
* FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
* NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
* AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
Most scams involve one or more of the following:
* inquiry from someone far away, often in another country
* Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee"
* inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consummating transaction.
Examples of Scams
1. Someone claims that Ebay, Paypal will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that craigslist will handle or provide protection for a payment
* These claims are fraudulent, as ebay does not have any role in any transaction. They are strictly middlemen.
* Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from Ebay or paypal, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes!
2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check
* you receive an email offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.
* cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.
* value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
* banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
* scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)
3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:
* Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.
* Scam "bait" items include laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything
* common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, Ukraine, Spain, UK, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere
* deal often seems too good to be true
4. distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:
* this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE
* sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not
* scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check
* deal often seems too good to be true
5. distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.
* most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers
* for more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud"
6. distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods
* he says he trusts you with the partial payment
* he may say he has already shipped the goods
* deal often sounds too good to be true
7. foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds
* foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly
* you are typically offered a percentage of payments received
* this kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email
I picked up the following information on Craigs List. It applies to Ebay and just about any site that involves money changing hands. Please vote so that others will become wi$er and not be scammed. Most of us have been conned at one time or another, so you know that it can be a terrifying feeling in using the net!
* NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
* FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
* NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
* AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
Recognizing scams
Most scams involve one or more of the following:
* inquiry from someone far away, often in another country
* Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee"
* inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consummating transaction.
Examples of Scams
1. Someone claims that Ebay, Paypal will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that craigslist will handle or provide protection for a payment
* These claims are fraudulent, as ebay does not have any role in any transaction. They are strictly middlemen.
* Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from Ebay or paypal, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes!
2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check
* you receive an email offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.
* cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.
* value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
* banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
* scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)
3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:
* Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.
* Scam "bait" items include laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything
* common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, Ukraine, Spain, UK, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere
* deal often seems too good to be true
4. distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:
* this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE
* sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not
* scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check
* deal often seems too good to be true
5. distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.
* most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers
* for more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud"
6. distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods
* he says he trusts you with the partial payment
* he may say he has already shipped the goods
* deal often sounds too good to be true
7. foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds
* foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly
* you are typically offered a percentage of payments received
* this kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email
Well that's it. Have you learned something? If yes, please vote positively on THIS guide and all the others I have here on Ebay, as this gives this guide higher visibility. Thank you for your time and enjoy shopping on Ebay!
Guide created: 08/28/07 (updated 09/21/08)
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