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Craigslist Scam.. What to do??

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by AZtacoma05, Feb 17, 2012.

  1. Feb 17, 2012 at 1:48 AM
    #1
    AZtacoma05

    AZtacoma05 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    So I listed my roof rack on Craigslist the other day and that evening got an email through Craigslist from someone asking if it was still available, I replied that it was. Next day I get another email from "Mrs Elizabeth Benson" talking about how shes looking for a rack for her sons birthday (her son supposedly lives in my area) but that she was out of town so couldn't come to look at it but wanted to buy it. She said she wanted to send me a check and have someone (I assumed her son) come and pick it up. In any case I got this email at work and wanting to sell it I sent her my name and address and told her once the check cleared in two weeks she could have it picked up.

    After thinking about it a bit I thought it all sounded a little too weird so google her name, Liz Benson along with "scams" and found basically duplicate emails ect.from similar Craigslist scams run by someone using the same name (fake I assume).

    So I get another email from her saying shes sent the check via FedEx overnight but her secretary screwed up and sent the moving fees along with the 500 for the rack and that she hopes she can trust me with the extra funds until I can get it back to her.

    So basically there is a fake check in the mail to me right now and I assume shes going to try to get me to wire or money gram her back the extra money.

    I'm hoping she sends me some kind of information about how to get the money back to her then I have her info along with the forged check.. question is what to do with them.. will the cops do anything? I kind of doubt it I found atleast 15 different people online who had the same scam run on them with someone using the same name and email address.

    Sorry that got kinda long.. any ideas?
     
  2. Feb 17, 2012 at 1:52 AM
    #2
    4x4jeep

    4x4jeep Well-Known Member

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    :popcorn:


    Cash the fake check and don't respond to emails :spy:
     
  3. Feb 17, 2012 at 2:02 AM
    #3
    AZtacoma05

    AZtacoma05 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Hahaha well apparently banks frown upon that and hold the check casher responsible for the funds
     
  4. Feb 17, 2012 at 2:22 AM
    #4
    BulletToothTony

    BulletToothTony You’ll have that on these big jobs.

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    I'd call the local pd and ask them, tell them whats happened and maybe someone from cyber crimes can look into it...
     
  5. Feb 17, 2012 at 2:39 AM
    #5
    MQQSE

    MQQSE Bannable Galloot

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    You could try that ... but don't know how far they'd get ... this stuff is so rampant.

    I got sucked into the same type of thing a few years ago...computer generated check on what turned out to be a closed account. We didn't attempt to cash it, but my wife has a friend who just happened to work for a local branch of the same bank the check was generated from; she researched it for us. I think my wife turned it over to our local police, but we never heard anything back. Got a few emails after the fact threatening a bunch of BS ... emailed back that I would do nothing until they called me personnaly and talked to me...numbers they left me always went to a voice mail. After that I put there email address on my junk sender list and forgot about it.

    Honestly, my advice is to shred the check when it arrives and forget about. Set anything from their email address to delete automatically, and block their phone number. If you ignore them, they'll go away and look for an easier target.

    That's my story and advice FWIW. :cool:
     
  6. Feb 17, 2012 at 2:40 AM
    #6
    coffeesnob

    coffeesnob Well-Known Member

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    I have had emails like these too. Just delete and ignore.
     
  7. Feb 17, 2012 at 3:40 AM
    #7
    jofixer

    jofixer Well-Known Member

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    Don't waste yer time. read craigslist list of scams. Your policy to anybody should be cash and carry ONLY. Then if you are smart you have yer buddy with a loaded shotgun (conspicuously in the background) waiting for any shenanigans. These are bad times.....
     
  8. Feb 17, 2012 at 9:15 AM
    #8
    AZtacoma05

    AZtacoma05 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Ya I figured there wasn't much to do.. Just seems crazy that someone is forging checks and no one will do anything about it hah.
     
  9. Feb 17, 2012 at 9:24 AM
    #9
    nomad

    nomad Well-Known Member

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  10. Feb 17, 2012 at 9:25 AM
    #10
    OffRdn916

    OffRdn916 Well-Known Member

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  11. Feb 17, 2012 at 9:30 AM
    #11
    4wd Boss

    4wd Boss Shake and Bake

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    wow DO NOT attempt to cash that check. the bank will immediately recognize this and the fraud unit will have you detained and questioned until authorities sort it out. you are asking for trouble if you don't alert authorities. also, ignoring this situation will not make it go away. contact police and bank over phone to resolve the matter so that your name is not associated with the fraud scheme.

    What you need to do upon receiving the check is alert the bank of a potential scam over the phone and proceed to follow their advice.
     
  12. Feb 17, 2012 at 9:30 AM
    #12
    tacoman15

    tacoman15 Boobies

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    You can go to prison for doing this.

    Correct.

    They aren't gonna do shit unfortunately.

    This is the best solution.

    OP I had the same exact thing happen to me when I was selling some stuff on Craigslist too. I listed the item at $150. Well when I finally got the check it was for $1500. And I was like hell yeah this is amazing. Well then she said to send the remaining balance back to her via Western Union and then I knew it was a scam.

    Did the emails contain a lot of grammatical errors? Mine looked like a 5 year old had written them. After doing a looking research, I found out that people in the middle east (I think) are doing scams like this all the time. What happens is when you send the money back via Western Union they get it immediately and can pick up the money from any Western Union location and when you go to cash the check it won't clear and you will can also wind up in huge legal trouble for trying to cash a fake check.
     
  13. Feb 17, 2012 at 9:38 AM
    #13
    jammdogg

    jammdogg Well-Known Member

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    My wife just got a check to be a "Mystery Shopper" for $1900. They say cash the check, go shop, and send 1400 via Western Union. Funny, the check was from a bank in Detroit, and would have been cashed against Chicago Title. We called the bank. Check is real, but is fraud. They wanted us to save all of the information, and contact Secret Service.

    Am I correct in that if the fraud crosses state lines and is more than once, it is racketeering?

    James
     
  14. Feb 17, 2012 at 10:22 AM
    #14
    AZtacoma05

    AZtacoma05 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    First of all I never said I was going to cash a fraudulent check lol.. Second I found scams listed on fraud alert websites going back to 2008 using the same name AND same email so I'm assuming the cops aren't doing anything. I'm going get her info for the money gram and THINKING about taking it to the cops.. or the secret service (they handle cash and check fraud I believe). Just wondering if it's even worth the hassle because if they aren't going to do anything I'm not going to worry about it..

    How much information do you have to give for a money gram? will they have to use a real name etc?

    I have no problem spending some time filing this with the proper authorities because its f*cking annoying that these people trying to take advantage of others but I don't want to waste my time if they're going to do nothing.
     
  15. Feb 17, 2012 at 10:23 AM
    #15
    jsmarine

    jsmarine Well-Known Member

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    Maybe just screw with the scammer and tell her to put a stop payment on the check she mailed you, and for her to just use western union and send YOU cash for the item. She what she says then...
     
  16. Feb 17, 2012 at 10:25 AM
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    AZtacoma05

    AZtacoma05 [OP] Well-Known Member

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  17. Feb 17, 2012 at 10:26 AM
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    Evil Monkey

    Evil Monkey There's an evil monkey in my truck

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    No. Racketeering is engaging in a false business (or racket). For example, setting up a "protection" service. If you don't pay the protection, you are victimized by the people who offered the service.


    OP, If I accept checks, I attempt to cash them at the issuing bank. That way you're not subject to a returned check fee. In this case though, it's obvious fraud.
     
  18. Feb 17, 2012 at 10:27 AM
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    Fightnfire

    Fightnfire Recklessly tired

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    It's a washed check don't try to cash it. If you do and it goes through you're just screwing some innocent person out of money and causing them a lot of headache.

    Just call the local PD, not 9-1-1, and they'll tell you how to handle it.
     
  19. Feb 17, 2012 at 10:37 AM
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    AZtacoma05

    AZtacoma05 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    We'll see if it even comes.. if it does I'll go from there. She said she sent it FedEx overnight so we shall see.
     
  20. Feb 17, 2012 at 10:39 AM
    #20
    tacoapw

    tacoapw Member

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    Had something just like this happen to me, it smelt too fishy so I just never responded
     

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