RanaBanana
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RUN AWAY...
This is a SCAM. She sends the check to you for you to cash, and send the money to her. Your bank trusts it's a good check because it's a cashier's check, and gives you the money BUT in two weeks they discover it's a fake, and guess who is out the money....that's right....you.
Very popular scam being used right now, a lot of people are falling for it. Don't be one of them.
Examples of Scams
1. Someone claims that craigslist will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that craigslist will handle or provide protection for a payment
* These claims are fraudulent, as craigslist does not have any role in any transaction.
* Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from craigslist, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes!
2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check
* you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen.
* cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value.
* value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
* banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
* scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)
3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:
* Scam "bait" items include apartments, laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything
* Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.
* Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere
* Apartment listing may be local, but landlord/owner is "travelling" or "relocating" and needs you to wire money to them abroad
* Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, rent is below market, etc
4. distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:
* this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE
* sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not
* scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check
* deal often seems too good to be true
5. distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.
* most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers
* for more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud"
6. distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods
* he says he trusts you with the partial payment
* he may say he has already shipped the goods
* deal often sounds too good to be true
7. foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds
* foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly
* you are typically offered a percentage of payments received
* this kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email |
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