Potential Fraud Case

[Hibbing]

FYI!

My son recently listed his Arctic Cat for sale on another web site. In a matter of days he received an e-mail from a man named Frank Berry stating that he was a "broker" for used sleds and that he had a buyer for his sled. This person informed my kid that he would receive a cashiers check in the mail in a few days for the full amount PLUS Franks commission! He was then to forward Franks commision to him at a P.O. Box out east and he would arrange for the sled to be picked up in a few weeks.

Turns out the whole thing is a scam!!! Ol Franks check is bogus and he had no intention of picking up the sled but would have made off witht the "commission" tha my kid almost sent him.

Apparently this type of fraud is wide spread on the internet, especially in the ATV and snowmobile sites.

Forutunately, we caught on before any transactions took place. As I told my kid "If it sounds too good to be true............

[iffwalleyes]

This type of fraud has been going around the last couple years. Thanks to people here on FM I avoided falling for one of those scams last year. I had some things posted for sale and had a similar email come to me. But people were talking about these scams here on FM earlier in the year so I didn't fall for it.

[hamrej23]

Its the same thing in the car business boys, they will send a fake cashiers check, take the car, and then sell it....

It has worked for a while till they get caught, but they are still doing this.. I just had an email at work telling me that they were gonna send a check in the mail for over 20 grand. Its out there, so watch out.!

[Sonicrunch]

Yep. It's called phishing.

They are trying to get your personal info.

[Dave]

It's called the Nigerian Scam. After you receive the "cashiers check" (some really do look real)by the time it's dtected that it's fake, you have already sent them YOUR money (the EXTRA funds they asked you to forward). Happens a ton in the "for sale" internet industry.

[The Grebe]

They will do it on the phone also, once they get your phone number! I had some pecker neck call me up and tell me that I owed a $16.00 late fee on an outstanding balance of $37.00 to a company I have'nt done business with in 5 years!

Of course, I was a real gentleman about it and only used the f word a couple of times and in no uncertain terms, told him what he could do with his little scam...can't get a number off the ID, cause it's unavailable. I'm sure some people fall for it..."Late fee? Well of course we don't want that, and I'll take care of that outstanding balance also!" Bingo!

[fivebucks]

The safest way to protect yourself is to call the issuing bank and verify that they issued that particular check and and for the correct dollar amount. In Canada you can go to any office supply store and buy blank cashier checks that are the exact same paper that banks use. Don't reley on your bank telling you the check is good.

[FOOT]

Here's another scam a fellow at work fell for.

A brand new Honda 4 wheeler was for sale at 1/2 price. Someone in Italy had access to buying them at below 1/2 price, would mark them up a little for sale and claimed they had to do this in order to keep their ability to purchase new ones, once a quarter.

THe trick was you sent via Western Union a certified check or money to a name you picked. Thereby giving you the feeling everything was safe as they could not get the money unless you relaesed it. You wouldn't release the money until you received the 4 wheeler.

Well he sent a check for $2100 to cover the cost of the 4 wheeler and shipping to Western Union and used his wife's madien name. Three weeks went by no 4 wheeler. He e-mailed the person he "bought" the 4Wh from but the address was closed. He then called Western Union and found out the money had been picked up the day after he sent it. The person had the proper id so there wasn't a question.

Heck of a way to learn.