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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2005-10-25          118410


Has anyone else attempted to sell something and gotten a blatent scam email? I'm selling my old Oliver 550 tractor. I was somewhat glad to see an email inquiring about it. But once I read the initial email, I was highly suspicious as the guy never mentioned it was a tractor and didn't ask the type of questions tractor buyers ask.

So for giggles I sent a reply with my rock-bottom price which wasn't rock bottom. By golly, I got a response saying he would send me a cashier's check for $7500 to cover the cost of the "bike" and shipping. Could I just pay the shipper directly? Notice how the tractor is now a bike? It was badly obvious that I don't know how some people fall for these.

I'm at work and the email is at home. I'll post it tonight so everyone else can get a laugh. I guess it's cheap to send emails from Nigeria and use bad english.




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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2005-10-25          118414


A young and it seems naive woman at our institution put an ad out for a roommate on the internet (first mistake). The potential roommate gave her a story she accepted about how she needed to send Nigerian cash. Of course the woman could keep whatever was left over after she wired money back to Nigeria. In the end it worked out OK because the bank caught the counterfit money when the woman tried to deposit it into her account. This happened within the last two weeks.
Dave ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2005-10-25          118416


Another all too common slant on that one is the email from an alleged crooked bank or 'security firm* (see below)' employee who knows of a pile of cash on deposit in the name of a deceased person with the same surname as yours.

If you will pay the storage fees up front to the bank or security firm they will wire the money to you.

If you fall for this line the next is an email saying you have to pay a lawyer for a notarised document holding you out as the next of kin.

If you fall for that one too, then comes a note saying the central bank or some such group needs money for clearance or conversion to US dollars.

It goes on & on..........

Just as the old adage goes ... "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.".

Best of luck.



* In Europe and many other places it is fairly common to see independant company's that really do nothing but rent out private safety deposit boxes, or keep your valuables in their safe for a fee. ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2005-10-25          118421


The internet is amazingly rife with these scams. There is a free internet for sale list for pinball machine collectors. Pretty obscure in the scheme of things. You can't post an ad there without getting a half dozen scams from Nigeria or the UK. I read that one Nigerian scammer was getting 7 hits for every 500 emails he sent. Not sure if that is 7 successful scams or 7 responses, but if even one out of 500 falls for it the scammer makes good money. ....


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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2005-10-26          118499


Here's the actual email I received. It's pretty bad... Like I care if the buyer of my old tractor is 38, caring and honest. this might work on a 70 year old widow, but this sarcastic middle-aged guy.

Hello ,
Thanks for the fast reply,i appreciate your desire in selling your( bike) to me,as regards Having made me to know the asking price for your (bike),i will be glad if we can go ahead with the transaction right away.This is a little more about me... I am 38 years of age.i am very nice ,caring, honest, responsible, hardworking, reliable and social.i like watching movies swimming and running and reading too. I don't go to late parties , do not smoke nor drink. i am very passionate, i like to share ideas with others.All this attributes i guess you will finally see for your self if i get in. But less i forget, sometimes aggressive when provoked to an extent. ..However,i will have to issue you with a money order from U.S bank in the amount of $7,500 as this will also cover the expenses of my shipper who will be coming over to your address to pick the (bike)and other goods that i am purchasing in the states for en-shipment..I ought to have paid you separatel! !! ! ! ! y,but due to the policy of the company paying me off,they would only issue one check on the amount..,all you need do is to forward the outstanding amount of the funds to my shipper on receipt of receiving the payment,you will send the funds to my shipper immediately for him to come over and pick the (bike) for en-shipment to me here in (CANADA)....If this sounds alright! with you,please,provide me with your .....RECIPIENT'S FULL NAME (NAME ON WHICH THE CHEC K SHOU LD BE PAID UNTO)MAILING ADDRESS (YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER UNTO WHICH THE CHECK-PAYMENT SHOULD BE SENT TO)
Best Regards....
brian.............
....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2005-11-25          119824


The lastest variation on the theme seems to be the company that is having trouble moving funds as they are taxed overseas. Place the money in the bank, send on 95% and receive a 5% commission (or a 100% loss in this case). ....


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2005-11-25          119825


This is not a scam, in some states mine being one, the Secretary of State has a list of monies that belongs to it citizens that the payer can not located due to moving or such. It is wise to check these in each state you have lived in if you had any kind of accounts or income in that state. If you do not claim the monies it does go to the state. There are web sites that will do this for pay but it is easy normally to find your state's site. ....


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