What a check scam might look like

Les Voorhies

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I cannot be positive if this is a scam or not but I feel strongly that it is. i simply told this person to pay by paypal instant payment and we'd have a deal. Here is the e-mail, what do you all think?:

Dear Les
Thanks alot for the swift response,i was planning on coming over to the United states to attend a seminar in Carlifornia and i was hoping to come over to your studio or gallery to see the piece myself and also purchase some for my personal collection. I will not be making it to the states for now because i have alot of work at hand.
.I will be collecting the following piece
Model10 $325 .....2 pieces
4. VPD XL
Specs are:
Overall - 11" long
Blade - 5" x .200 CPM154
Frame - .120" titanium
Scales - 2x2 black/tan G-10
Other - 3/16" pivot with IKBS. Titanium tip down pocket clip
Price - $575
Unnamed flipper
Blade - 3.25" x .093" thick S30V blasted and tumbled
Handle - 4.1, .063" ti liners, blasted and tumbled.
Scales - Carbon fiber bolsters and tan G-10 scales
Pivot - 1/8" barrel w/IKBS
Action - Flipper, zero wrist action needed to open.
Other - Ti pocked clip mounted for tip up carry.
Price - $475
Blade - 2.6", .145 thick CPM154
Closed - 3.5"
Overall - 6.1"
Handle - .080 ti frame with Joel Davis damascus bolsters and CF scales
Pivot - 1/8 barrel pivot w/IKBS
Other - Strong detent and lock up, opens with zero wrist action.
Price - $525 shipped
I will collecting those pieces for my personal use as said before and will be able to pay for those piecethrough United states cheque and the money can be withdraw from my account i will be send $3,250 to cover the cost of the piece and shipping.
I have some materials to be picked up in the US if you dont mind you could let the shippers pick up the piece from you so as to have all my purchase with one shipping company.I will be needing your contact address and phone number to make out the payment for the artwork to you.Hope to read from you soon.
Regards
 
Yes it sorta makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. It sure sounds like the common scam.

Bob
 
LOL...bet there was a doctor or PHD attached to this person's name. Very common with African and Melanesian scammers.

I think your instincts are right on Les. DO NOT give out personal information over the internet!

There is a group of criminals that are based in Europe, started in england that have been doing this kind of schemes and have actually killed several people in the US and England.

Even if you get something that looks like an authentic payment, I might ask to deliver to a neutral site. And I'd do some research on this person either way.

Better safe than DEAD! ;~)
 
He's not asking for anything that he couldn't get himself if he wanted to .As long as you don't give him any merchandise without getting paid, what do you have to lose.
 
Is paypal even a safe way to do business with someone your not sure about ?
Could they make the paypal payment by credit card then have it reversed a few weeks later ? I am not sure if this can happen, this is just the first thing that I thought of reading this.

I think to be safe, tell them you only take bank or certified checks and will not ship until all the funds have cleared your bank
 
What are ya gonna do? :)

I e-mailed him back saying that two of the knives he mentioned aren't even available and that I don't take any kind of check from overseas customers. I told him the only payment I would take is instant payment through paypal. I'm 99% sure this is an attempt at a scam and even if he sent paypal I would call paypal and ask them to confirm the payment was good before I did anything, that's not going to happen though because I'll never hear from the guy again :)

I think paypal is safe if it's an instant payment, there is always the possibility of the customer disputing the transaction but if you keep shipping records and correspondences then paypal is not likely to rule against you. I have insurance that pays incase of loss, theft or fraud but I have no intention of deliberately testing the quality of that insurance :)

This guy shows an address in England. The trip to Cali and then to my place is a red flag alone, like while he's in Cali he'd just drop in to Minnesota to see me huh1
 
Been there done that, (scam) its nice to sell your wares and get a little back, but not nice to give them away.
If it was me i would not no mater what he says sell to this guy.
vern mo moneycry me a river 1
 
HI ,

I got almost the exact same message when I had my litter of German Shorthair pups almost to the word so I would be very suspect!! In my case turned into a total scam with the guy actually calling....So be very careful!!

Jay Weaver
 
Was the amount of check exact amount of the cost of the knives? I think I would treat it as an order and have him wire you funds Western Union.
 
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The safest payment method is Western Union Wire Xfer where you go pick up the cash. It can't be pulled back once it's in your hot little hands. Paypal can sieze funds from your bank account and will if the scammer's payment turns out to be bogus.

If you are ever unsure of a payment insist on Western Union. They are every where. If they complain about the fee, offer to split it. If they don't do it, walk away.
 
It sounds like a lot of the scams pulled on craigslist. They usually follow this pattern:

I really want to buy your item.

I can't pick it up because of (enter some lame excuse here).

I can have my shipper pick up the item.

I'll wire you the money, plus extra that you'll have to use to pay the shipper for me, plus a little extra for your trouble, yada yada.

Paypal, which is owned by ebay, is not knife or gun friendly. They do not have to honor/cover the payments if they feel the item is on their "prohibited" lists.
 
Was the amount of check exact amount of the cost of the knives?

Well there actually was no deal or check, I suspect if it had gone further he probably would have offered a check that was over the amount of the knives but would want me to send part of it to him somehow...... yeah it's the same old thing.

I need to contact paypal and ask them about fraud protection.
 
Well there actually was no deal or check, I suspect if it had gone further he probably would have offered a check that was over the amount of the knives but would want me to send part of it to him somehow...... yeah it's the same old thing.

I need to contact paypal and ask them about fraud protection.

It seems like a Nigerian check scheme. He send you check want you to deposit it and then something will happen and he will need you to wire the shipper say a 400.00 right after you deposit the check.

We got a 3500.00 check in mail drawn on Sun Trust Bank. They said they had complaint about a Western Union Wanted her to help to review and help them catch a thieve at a Questionable Western Union.
She was to deposit it in the bank take 150.00 dollars and wire to the questionable Western Union.

Duh!
 
Hi Les,

Have him send you the check and let him know that it has to clear your bank before you can ship.

If he is in a hurry suggest a Western Union Money Order. Make sure to cash the Western Union MO where you pick it up at.

I have had had numerous clients over the years who have asked me to combine shipments to save on shipping.

The scam is when they want to send you a $5,000 check to cover $3,200 worth of knives and you send them the difference.

You could even ask him for a wire Transfer (it will cost you about $20...you can cover that by letting him know there will be a handling charge fo $20 for the other items).
 
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