WARNING!!! Beware of scam.......This is a long story

[mottybri]

Hi guys, I wanted to let you know about this, so you would not get taken and lose lots of money. This happened to me, and started back in November.
I had several items listed in the classified section on this site, one which was a motorhome cover. I received an e-mail from someone stating they were interested in buying the cover. I asked for their zip so I could figure the shipping and they could send payment. They responded with a zip from Iowa. I sent them total plus shipping. They wanted my address, and since I was not sure who I was talking to, I sent my P.O.Box address. The first thing I noticed about this was that the e-mail sounded as though it was written by someone from a foreign descent. That is one of the 1st signs of a fishing or scam e-mail. I waited for several days and heard nothing, so I assumed they changed their mind. Then after a week or so, I received another e-mail stating the check should be in my mailbox today. Sure enough it was in my P.O.Box. I could tell from the envelope it was not from the USA. It looked like it was from Mexico as the writing looked like Spanish. Inside were 3 international money orders(from Canada) with a total of $2500.00. They only owed me $165.00. Now I am really getting suspicious. I e-mailed them and let them know of the mistake, and they responded asking that I cash them, deduct what they owed me, and send the balance by Western Union to an address in SPAIN. Ok this is really weird....I am still giving them another chance, so I ask where to ship the cover, once the money orders cleared, and they did not want me to ship it, they said they would send someone to pick it up, they refused to let me ship it, and I refused to give them my home address. So I took the money orders to the bank and told them the story and they said that happens a lot and people lose their money because they cash them and then send the money by Western Union, then when the money orders come back, the person who cashed or deposited them are responsible for the money orders. They said not to deposit or cash them, that would make me liable, so they sent them off to see if they were in fact good. They told me it would take a couple of weeks to find out. I checked back, they said wait another week, I waited. Meanwhile I kept getting e-mails from this person, wanting the "item" as they called it. I told them once the money orders cleared I would send it. They kept saying they should have cleared by now, but I told them to wait. This went on for over a month, then the money shows up in my checking account. I went to the bank and talked to the girl in charge on international money orders and she said they had received the money for them. I was really surprised, but still not convinced. I asked to speak with the head person at the bank, she listened to my story. I asked her if she would still hold me liable for those money orders. She said yes. She told me to wait and not send the money, it sounded like a scam to her, and she could not believe the money orders had cleared. She said wait at least 2 more weeks. Today the money was taken out of my account as counterfeit. I have blocked that e-mail, so I would not have to deal with the theives anymore. I do not want any of you to have go through what I did, so this is the only way I know to inform you. Please let all your friends and family know, do not do any business with this person. Just in case, the e-mail I blocked, was from missnursepract@yahoo.com. The money orders had the name Susan Cox on them, which of course was not a real person.
I am in no way, stating this site is responsible for what happened, and I will continue to list items for sale in the classifieds here. This is just a heads up for you, about the type of people out there that will take your money. This one just happened to use this site and me for bait. It could happen on any site anywhere, anytime to anyone. It is the new crime of the century, identity theft, and internet scams. So watch for them. I get approached at least 5 times a week by phishing e-mails.

[mottybri]

Hi guys, I wanted to let you know about this, so you would not get taken and lose lots of money. This happened to me, and started back in November.
I had several items listed in the classified section on this site, one which was a motorhome cover. I received an e-mail from someone stating they were interested in buying the cover. I asked for their zip so I could figure the shipping and they could send payment. They responded with a zip from Iowa. I sent them total plus shipping. They wanted my address, and since I was not sure who I was talking to, I sent my P.O.Box address. The first thing I noticed about this was that the e-mail sounded as though it was written by someone from a foreign descent. That is one of the 1st signs of a fishing or scam e-mail. I waited for several days and heard nothing, so I assumed they changed their mind. Then after a week or so, I received another e-mail stating the check should be in my mailbox today. Sure enough it was in my P.O.Box. I could tell from the envelope it was not from the USA. It looked like it was from Mexico as the writing looked like Spanish. Inside were 3 international money orders(from Canada) with a total of $2500.00. They only owed me $165.00. Now I am really getting suspicious. I e-mailed them and let them know of the mistake, and they responded asking that I cash them, deduct what they owed me, and send the balance by Western Union to an address in SPAIN. Ok this is really weird....I am still giving them another chance, so I ask where to ship the cover, once the money orders cleared, and they did not want me to ship it, they said they would send someone to pick it up, they refused to let me ship it, and I refused to give them my home address. So I took the money orders to the bank and told them the story and they said that happens a lot and people lose their money because they cash them and then send the money by Western Union, then when the money orders come back, the person who cashed or deposited them are responsible for the money orders. They said not to deposit or cash them, that would make me liable, so they sent them off to see if they were in fact good. They told me it would take a couple of weeks to find out. I checked back, they said wait another week, I waited. Meanwhile I kept getting e-mails from this person, wanting the "item" as they called it. I told them once the money orders cleared I would send it. They kept saying they should have cleared by now, but I told them to wait. This went on for over a month, then the money shows up in my checking account. I went to the bank and talked to the girl in charge on international money orders and she said they had received the money for them. I was really surprised, but still not convinced. I asked to speak with the head person at the bank, she listened to my story. I asked her if she would still hold me liable for those money orders. She said yes. She told me to wait and not send the money, it sounded like a scam to her, and she could not believe the money orders had cleared. She said wait at least 2 more weeks. Today the money was taken out of my account as counterfeit. I have blocked that e-mail, so I would not have to deal with the theives anymore. I do not want any of you to have go through what I did, so this is the only way I know to inform you. Please let all your friends and family know, do not do any business with this person. Just in case, the e-mail I blocked, was from missnursepract@yahoo.com. The money orders had the name Susan Cox on them, which of course was not a real person.
I am in no way, stating this site is responsible for what happened, and I will continue to list items for sale in the classifieds here. This is just a heads up for you, about the type of people out there that will take your money. This one just happened to use this site and me for bait. It could happen on any site anywhere, anytime to anyone. It is the new crime of the century, identity theft, and internet scams. So watch for them. I get approached at least 5 times a week by phishing e-mails.

[RotorWing]

Thank you so much for your post. These scams are going on every site that sells something. I personally will only except cashiers checks, pay pal or cold hard cash, even then I would do exactly what you did to try and protect myself as much as possible.

I am glad things worked out for you. As for everyone else, BE AWARE.

Chris

[Route 66]

Thanks for sharing your story, and you were very wise to be suspicious.

Thanks to folks like you passing on your story, others will be alert to this scam.

This scam usually involves higher priced items like vehicles.

Anytime a buyer like this comes along, it's a scam.

[Frankie]

These scams have been going on for years.Its sad to see that some people are still getting suckered with it.An older women in my hometown got taken for $3800 by this . They did a little write up about it in the local paper. Good that you guys are getting the word out.It was tried on me.I asked for an address and it was for a storage warehouse in London.If it sounds to good to be true,it is.

[TXiceman]

A like scam is running for folks that post a resume on a job board. They want to send you a money order/cashier checks to your address. Supposedly they are an out of country company and need to cash the cehcks in the US. All you have to do is cash them to your account and send him a certified bank draft less a 10% handing fee for your efforts.

They must think we all just fell off the turnip truck.

Ken

[Sandman]

We have a good public service ad on TV in the DC area.. a young woman is sitting on a city bus when a very unkept older man sits next to her, the man pulls a wrinkled check out of his shirt pocket and gives her the same general, cash it for me & keep a fee schpeel.. the young woman does not speak, she just gets up and changes seats..

The announcer then says, If you wouldn't believe them in person, why do you in writing??

[Ray,IN]

Virtually every one of these scams has one commonality, sentence construction is terrible.

["007"]

Seth, Ray IN is talking about ANY SCAMS sentence construction is terrible, which should indicate to someone with that E-MAIL to be alert.
The post has nothing to do with your informative posts, keep it cool.

[RonNBama]

Well done moderator.

[rebelsbeach]

The intent of the original poster has been accomplished and the news is out there...

Seeing no need to beat this to death I am closing it.

THANKS for your responses....