SCAM ALERT / FRAUD ALERT Please read

Paulpt · #1 06-28-2005, 01:02 PM

Guys, I am sure this is not new, but I posted my bike for sale in this forum as well as others and of course first thing I get are e-mails from jerks trying to ripp you off with offers to buy your bike by doing a number of complicated maneuvers as they claim to be working for a client, etc. etc. I am sure many of you have experienced the same. Anyway, I have reported this to agencies in question but just in case I wanted to alert any of you trying to sell anything on line and don't get caught in an unfortunate scam. I need to make clear that this is not the fault of any of these sites (like this forum), where I have placed my ad. Unfortunately there are a number of wise guys checking them and looking for their next victim.

Best of luck and be safe.

I am pasting below the "great offer" from this jerk that claims to be called Felics from Canada

//////////////////////////////

HELLO PAUL,
IT IS QUITE INTERESTING THAT MY CLIENT HAS ACCEPTED MAKING PAYMENT
FOR THE BIKE AFTER CONSIDERING THE PRICE. HE WORKS WITH INTER TRUST
FINANCIAL IN CANADA BUT HE IS PRESENTLY ON A TWO WEEK VACATION IN
SAUDI ARABIA. AS HE EXPLAINED TODAY,HE HAS CASHIER'S CHECK OF USD$16,000
MADE OUT FOR THIS TRANSACTION, THIS IS AS A RESULT OF A LOAN GRANTED
TO HIM FOR THE PURCHASE OF A CAR BUT HE LATER RESORTED TO BUYING A
BIKE AND THAT IS WHAT LED TO THIS TRANSACTION. SO THE CASHIER'S CHECK IS IN
EXCESS OF USD$6,500 SINCE WE HAVE AGREED ON USD$9,500 FOR THE PRICE OF
THE BIKE. HE ADVICE ME TO DISCUSS WITH YOU SO THAT HE CAN MAIL THE CASHIER'S
CHECK TO YOU FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE BIKE BUT YOU HAVE TO REFUND THE
EXCESS TO THE AGENT THAT WILL COME FOR THE PICK-UP SO THAT HE CAN BE
ABLE TO OFFSET SHIPPING CHARGES. THEREFORE,I URGE YOU TO PROV IDE YOUR
COMPLETE MAILING INFORMATION WHICH ARE YOUR NAME, HOME ADDRESS AND
PHONE NUMBER SO THAT HE CAN MAIL THE CASHIER'S CHECK TO YOU VIA COURIER
SERVICE.
THANKS AS I WAIT TO RECIEVE YOUR CONSENT ON THIS TRANSACTION SOON.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS
FELICS........

pseto · #2 06-28-2005, 01:30 PM

Yeah, that scam has been around for a while. I got quite a few of them when I was selling my 99 328i last year on carsdirect.com

SILENTx5 · #3 06-28-2005, 01:34 PM

definitely a scam. anything with "my client" or "on vacation" or "saudi arabia" is pretty much a scam.

Paulpt · #4 06-28-2005, 02:03 PM

What's sad is that some people probably fall for that, otherwise they would not even try. You should see the response I sent him.

Stay safe.

DrewX5 · #5 06-28-2005, 04:49 PM

I got about 10 responses like this ...all while trying to sell my mountain bike for $400. I just copied everyone's email and forwarded their address to the approriate authorities. I guess this scam has now trickled down from cars to regular household items.
The other way to handle this is play along. Give them the address and phone number to your local police station.

kirkX5m · #6 06-28-2005, 05:08 PM

SCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!
i think you should give him the local police department address in lieu of yours and hope they show up and bust their ass!

Quicksilver · #7 06-30-2005, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrewX5

I got about 10 responses like this ...all while trying to sell my mountain bike for $400. I just copied everyone's email and forwarded their address to the approriate authorities. I guess this scam has now trickled down from cars to regular household items.
The other way to handle this is play along. Give them the address and phone number to your local police station.

Ah ha someone thinks like I do. I did the same thing. But I played along also asking for the following information.
Drivers lic.
Passport
Birth Certificate
Green Card
Telephone number
Address

I got no further response.

carlos3679 · #8 06-30-2005, 08:31 PM

I would tell him that I agree with his terms and ask him to meet me; I would ask a couple friends to hide near by; then when we meet I place a fake call to the supposed bank to verify the check, when they supposedly tell me it's fake I have a reason to kick his ass

I bet he'll learn his lesson...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulpt

What's sad is that some people probably fall for that, otherwise they would not even try. You should see the response I sent him.

Stay safe.

Paulpt · #9 06-30-2005, 08:59 PM

Chris F. That link is so good, I could not stop laughing at this idiot posing with the fish, the bread and the wine in a bottle of mineral water. Too good man,

This is the response I sent to "Felics", no wonder why he did not write back to me.

My response:

Dear Mr. Asshole Felics.

Sure your offer seems reasonable and also trustable. That if you are an asshole like you. I have an idea, why don't you send me the check for twice the amount, I cash it (if there are any funds, which I doubt), I spend all the excess with my friends in Vegas and I return it to you(interest free) to any address in Saudi Arabia at a rate of $0.50 a month for the next 200 years.?

That will be fair, if interested write me back to:

666 Inferno Lane
Lake Felics is an Asshole
County of Jail (your future address).

Thanks Jackass, it's been a pleasure doing business with you.

PS> Can you tell you client to bring me back from Saudi Arabia one of those funny turbants? I need a costume for Halloween. Ah, I forgot I am attaching a picture of the bike, so your client can start dreaming about riding it.

Paulpt · #10 06-30-2005, 10:57 PM

I would tell him that I agree with his terms and ask him to meet me; I would ask a couple friends to hide near by; then when we meet I place a fake call to the supposed bank to verify the check, when they supposedly tell me it's fake I have a reason to kick his ass I bet he'll learn his lesson...

Carlos, you are so right, and believe me I was so tempted to do this, there are plenty of woods here in Ny to take the guy in and beat the hell out of him, but you know, I will probably end in jail with a lawsuit on my head and this jackass free and laughing. I saw today on NBC world report or one of those shows that there are legitimate (if you can call them legitimate) Nigerian companies that have sent money to Al-Qaeda, this ring of scams probably supports things like this. They should be drowned in boiling used car oil