Beware West African Scam

[Ryce Stallings]

I've been selling my 914 and a buyer from West Africa asked to buy it. Another Pelicanite made me aware of a scam...this is how it goes:

The buyer offers to pay with a cashiers check via FedEx on a US bank, often for more than the asking price. You will receive instructions as to what to do with the extra money, either send it to Nigeria or in my case give it to the shipper. The cashiers check is a very high quality forgery that will clear your account at first only to find out later that it was bogus. By that time the shipper has arrived, your car is gone, the extra money is gone and the bank is asking you to return the money or face forgery charges.

I've contacted the Secret Service but have yet to receive a response. Perhaps someone out there can think of a good way to "play" this out.

Beware ! For more info surf WWW.MRPinball.com for the scoop.

By the way the scam artist are reading this also..they shop this site so expect them to adapt the pitch.

[pwd72s]

You really hadn't heard of this one before now????

[Ryce Stallings]

I guess were a little slow here in Miami!

[pwd72s]

Yep! Here in Lebanon, Orygun, a teeming metropolis of 13,ooo or so, we're well aware of counterfeit cashier's checks.

[HawgRyder]

Simple method of finding fraud on the internet....if the word "nigeria" appears in the text....90% bet...it's FRAUD!!!
Bob

[kcope]

That scam is widespread. Its not confined to africa. I'd never sell outside the country.

[azasadny]

Do many people in West Africa buy Porsches? That would have been clue #1 for me. "Nigerian" scams and fraud are well-known and continue to thrive. I received three emails on Friday from Sierra Leone asking me to "help them steal" money. I especially like the one that is supposedly from US soldiers in Iraq who need my help to steal gold bars!!! So laughable it's hard to believe anyone in their right mind would fall for them, but we all have been taken advantage of in some way, I guess...

[HarryD]

www.frudster.com

[kellzey]

Ummm... I don't think the Secret Service should be involved (the protect our President and V.P.).

[real550A]

This site describes exactly how it played out, in my case.www.carbuyingtips.com/nigerian-scams.htm
So far, no law enforcement agency has expressed any interest. Guess I'll just frame the check.

[azasadny]

Here are two sites that chronicle the efforts of some people to "get back" at the scam artists. Pretty funny stuff, but the language/subject matter gets pretty rude (fair warning).

http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com
http://www.scamorama.com

[Ryce Stallings]

I guess I'm the only one who hasn't heard of this yet. Buy the way, luckily I didn't get burned, yet. I hear that the shipper and a thug or two arrive soon after the check insisting on taking the car. If you call the cops at that point, will they arrest the shipper?

Why don't the banks take responsibility for giving you the money before the cashiers check actually clears. They should know better or also be responsible.

[dynamical-duck]

Originally posted by kellzey
Ummm... I don't think the Secret Service should be involved (they protect our President and V.P.).

The Secret Service aren't just bodyguards, they deal with counterfeiting and other operations. http://www.secretservice.gov/counterfeit.shtml