If you are internet savvy, you are less likely to fall victim of the thousands of scams that fly around cyber space on a daily basis. If you’re not, you may fall victim. This scam can easily trick even the most savvy internet users. I recently listed a car on eBay for a non-internet savvy friend, who would have lost $2500.00 in the process, I listed a used car and my eBay feedback is a 100% rating with over 425+ items having been purchased and sold since 2004.
My item sold to a user that had 0% feedback and had only joined less than a month ago. The used car started at 100.00 and had a buy it now price on it for $500.00. A day after the listing was placed, I got an item has sold message, I sent an email to the buyer that said, please contact the owner with a phone number included, to arrange pickup of this vehicle.
This is the buyers response
Thank you so much for your fast reply. I would be sending you a certified check through USPS. I would inform my husband to do that asap because I am a busy type, Our pick up company would get to your home address to move the Merchandise after the check clears, ok? I would need your correct full Name and address so that my husband can get your check sent to you asap, I would also want to inform you that the check would include the shipping fee, you would deduct your money and send the remaining balance to my shipping agent so that they can schedule pick up for the Merchandise.
Thank you so much, I hope to read from you seller.
Again, I replied,
We will take a certified check for the amount of the item – $500.00 – it is your responsibility to pay the shipping company and verify with them the cost and pickup schedule once your check clears. Do not send us any amount other than the $500.00 for the item and once the check clears you can pick up the car.
These emails continued back and forth – stating, I would not be responsible for shipping, the buyer must do that on their own, and please send only the amount for the car, and again, contact the owner of the vehicle to arrange pickup.
The scam works because the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) requires banks to make money from cashiers, certified, or teller’s checks available in one to five days. Consequently, funds from checks that might not be good are often released into payees’ accounts long before the checks have been honored by their issuing banks. High quality forgeries can be bounced back and forth between banks for weeks before anyone catches on to their being worthless, by which time victims have long since wired the “overpayments” to the con artists who have just taken them for a ride.
I followed the spoof@ebay.com suggestions about reporting this, and I called eBay, but they couldn’t help me, because they needed to follow protocol. Following that said protocol in my eyes, only allows this buyer to continue to scam as many as they can before getting caught.
After more research, I found the following articles and have in my hand a “fake” certified check from a Bridge Bank in San Jose California or County of Santa Clara, which came in Friday’s mail, in an envelope with no return address. The owner of the car would have cashed this in an instant.
I again, contacted eBay, stating that this is CLEARLY a scam, and again, this person could be doing this to others that are in desperate need of money and would end up in an even worse situation.
Does EBay not have a security department, a department that would welcome the eyes and knowledge of experienced users?
My favorite email from this buyer follows:
Hello, how are you doing, I’m sorry for the late response,
I’m Glad to let you aware that the payment as been sent to you today via USPS 1-3 days delivery and the amount on the check is $2,500, Once you receive the payment take the check to your bank and cash it, deduct your money with the extra $20 I promised you for the running around and send the rest of the funds to my mover via Money Gram money transfer for their shipment fee, I’m sending that much money to them because I still have some other goods to be ship by them along with yours so I am using this opportunity to ship them together, After you’ve cashed the check at your bank don’t do the Money Gram transfer at your bank because of bank transfer delay, take the cash to any Money Gram outlet to send the rest of the funds to my mover because I have alert them that they will receive their payment asap.
I am absolutely amazed that eBay refuses to listen to this and stop it before it gets someone who doesn’t have the knowledge.
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/cashier.asp
http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/stolenchecks.htm
EBAY BUYERS NAME
cathirnethoma34e (cathrinethomas223145@gmail.com)
Catrine Thomas
1685 Mullan Trl
Missoula, MT 59808 United States
Guest blogger Susie Kleiner shared this article with us to warn others about this eBay buyer scam.
Thanks for the info. There are so many things to watch out for on the net. It is great to have a site like this who keeps us informed.
Bunny,
It’s what keeps the security industry employed. Thanks for the kind words!
The more I think about this, the angrier I get. Took the “fake” check to the bank today, and they were so thrilled that we brought it in. The banker looked at it, and said it felt like computer paper. They are faxing it to all the area branches in Chicago as well as their other contacts. They told me one of their customers got duped in a similar scam for $20,000 – and now, my point.
IF Ebay would listen and not follow said “protocol” when they have the facts smack in front of them. It saddens me that someone who is truly desperate for the money is now going to go into the new year, even further in the hole.
Sit on….
Susie,
Great catch on this scam. It’s very frustrating when you tell a site such as eBay about a scam and it seems to fall on deaf ears.
Good catch!
I am amazed and saddened at how many people fall for such crap on the internet. Companies like ebay should do more to prevent fraudsters from doing this because it destroys buyer confidence in wanting to buy anything online at all. Stuff like this hurts everyone including ebay
Unfortunately, scams like this will be reinvented. It is what keeps the security industry healthy.
‘This is certainly a form of scam, Why ebay themselves as trusted resources can’t even monitor this behavior. The involved amount is huge, so I think there will be strong security specially in check method of payments,.