CLASSIFIED FRAUD BEWARE

Post by **Northerner** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 2:40 pm

Just a reminder guys! There are many individuls out there trying to scam us out of our property. People who inquire about your ad may not be who they say they are. I have had offers to pay for my boat and then rebate the buyer back cash. I had an offers to buy the boat sight unseen for asking price on the condition the buyer do a lien check. I have no problem with that, but they wanted my birth date sin# full name etc. (identy theft). Turns out once I said I would do the lien check and supply it upon payment in full by certified check or bank draft. Never heard from him again. Further investigation I find out the potential buyer was posing as someone else. If it seem to good to be true or too easy, be suspicious. Alway ask for ID ( photo copy if you can) don't be afraid to phone the bank the check is drawn on and confirrm it has not be alterd or stolen. There is lots of this going on. They hunt these sites for potential victims. Be smart. I have be approached no less thatn 8 ties now. But I still have my boat and better not to be sold than rush into something and get ripped off.

Post by **orrsey** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:58 pm

Good advice northerner, thanks for the heads up

Post by **MichaelVandenberg** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 4:33 pm

Saw a fraud report on Global Defenders this past week. It goes like this...Remember true story

Someone was selling a 2000 Saturn via a very popular used car web site. A buyer sent an email stating there were from somewhere in Europe and they would buy the car at the listed price and pay shipping. A check was received, cashed and money deposited in the account. The seller than paid the shipping company. After which, the bank called and said the buyer's bank had retracted the funds as the cheque cashed for the car had already been cashed for a much smaller amount (ie: cheque was valid but had already been used. The amount was simply changed). The seller than needed to give back the money. The problem is, they had already paid the shipping company and therefore that money they stilled owed. In the end, the seller owed the shipping cost but still had the car.

Apparently, cheques usually clear in 1-3 business days. This is however the bank at which you cash the cheque. The bank for which the cheque is for has 60-90 days to release/retracted the funds.

Story reference is here

Cheers,

Mike

Post by **Northerner** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:59 pm

That is one of the senarios that was presented to me. Best to call the issuing bank and get photo copy of ID. Always go with your gut on these things.