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So i got scammed...

kammron

kammron

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 2, 2005
259
0
Calgary Alberta
so on september 20 i payed for an ibook, totally trusting my seller.
emails were legit, he sent pictures and a very detailed description...
its been almost a month and no ibook.
it was for my sister, she payed 650$ out of her pocket, and we have no way to get it back.
this guy was a proffesional... his ad said he was in my city, but had been relocated recently. the police tell us the email is located is from the us...
this peice of **** probably makes a livin scamming people from his parents basement.
my sister out a lot of money, and were not the type of people who got money layin around. were not rich folk, and im just really mad something like this happened.
i guess he'll get his in the end, but i guess these days you really have to watch your back and how you pay for things.:cool:
 
if you did this through paypal, maybe you can start a ticket to get your money back?

Sorry, dude. :(
If he DID send it (big IF, it looks like), maybe it's just stuck at the border and customs?

But, I'd open a paypal refund/abuse ticket.
 
like i said, he was a professional.
me and paypal dont get along.
so i was set to send a money order/bank draft...
he reccommended sending a money order over email from my bank...
which i did, because its the easiest way to transfer funds, IF you trust the other person...
because the only insurance involved is the secret question you provide.
i jumped the gun on this one..
i bought it at usedmac.ca, where ive purchased 3 other macs.
 
kammron said:
like i said, he was a professional...
...i bought it at usedmac.ca, where ive purchased 3 other macs.
Click to expand...
Well, the good news is that if it actually was from usedmac.ca, you can probably get an organization like the BBB to work for you. If it was from a "professional" not associated with any company, then you're going to have a lot more trouble.

Either way, it doesn't really sound like this guy/company was a professional at all. How have they responded, if at all?
 
Define professional.

This is the thing with buying used things online--ALWAYS check references. What were his references? Did he have heatware/beerology/(other online trading history)? Actual online references at a BBS like this one? Did he have an actual phone # and address? Did you call them to make sure it was him?
 
Money Orders are almost ALWAYS a sign of fraud.

PayPal is the way to go...I'm sure your issues with them aren't worth 650 bucks..
 
MacFan25863 said:
Money Orders are almost ALWAYS a sign of fraud.

PayPal is the way to go...I'm sure your issues with them aren't worth 650 bucks..
Click to expand...

Right. I wouldn't ever do a transaction online w/o PayPal. If the seller doesn't like it, then I won't buy.:)
 
Professional confidence men/women have invaded the Internet. They are very good. it has taken them awhile to get accustomed to scamming people 'online'. Usually, one of their greatest weapons is their engaging personalities. They have a harder time promoting this when not dealing one-on-one.

Always remember, deals too god to be true are usually traps. They play to the greed on most of us. The best defense is to understand the environment you are dealing in, take adequate protection measures and make sure you have a clean path of retreat from every situation.
 
SMM said:
Professional confidence men/women have invaded the Internet. They are very good. it has taken them awhile to get accustomed to scamming people 'online'. Usually, one of their greatest weapons is their engaging personalities. They have a harder time promoting this when not dealing one-on-one.

Always remember, deals too god to be true are usually traps. They play to the greed on most of us. The best defense is to understand the environment you are dealing in, take adequate protection measures and make sure you have a clean path of retreat from every situation.
Click to expand...


Good Tips. Some More:

Ask if they have an eBay account. If yes, have them give you the name so you can "check the feedback". Without telling the seller, message the account name he gave you and ask "Is this _____ that I am buying the _____ from on ______?"

See if they are PayPal verified.

Ask for any other references.

Tons of pictures, all from different angles.

Also, ask for a specific picture that may be very hard to get online.
 
I almost was a victim of an eBay scam. I ordered a hand held off of e-bay a few years ago from a seemingly legit company who only wanted to deal through their credit card processor. Okay, fair enough.

Anyways, things were charged as normal, but they "ran out" and promptly issued a refund. I thought, "this sucks. At least I get my money back." and it would be end of story.

A week later, I get a phone call from my credit card company. Someone from South Carolina (the company's location - I live in Nebraska) tried to charge $4000 worth of stuff. Thanks to the fraud department I was able to have my CC company reissue me a card.

Needless to say that if it's not PayPal I don't ever bid on eBay.
 
schaef2493 said:
Good Tips. Some More:

Ask if they have an eBay account. If yes, have them give you the name so you can "check the feedback". Without telling the seller, message the account name he gave you and ask "Is this _____ that I am buying the _____ from on ______?"

See if they are PayPal verified.

Ask for any other references.

Tons of pictures, all from different angles.

Also, ask for a specific picture that may be very hard to get online.
Click to expand...

GEEEZE!
i wish i wouldve read someting like that before, because thats a life saver.
you think about doing it but dont, because i tend to trust people i guess.
thanks though, i dont think ill ever get scammed agan.
it makes me to angry, and you wouldnt like me when im angry:mad:
 
Usedmac.ca runs a bulletin board pretty much like the Marketplace here. There is no comeback on usedmac.ca.

Another tip:

Do not trust anyone using a Hotmail or Yahoo or any other free Webmail address without getting independent verification of who and where they are. These mail accounts can be set up by anyone, without ID and accessed by a Web browser so there is no ISP that you can go back on to check their real address.

You can also do some looking up on the email headers, to backtrack where the email came from. I had an order placed on Friday for delivery to Calgary AB. The originating IP address however was in Nigeria. Blaaaat. Thanks for playing, scammer. If you see an ad placed in a local Craigslist or website, and the IP address or telephone number is from out of area, or the email address is from a non-local ISP (for example, a person in Canada would never have a Comcast or Roadrunner or Bellsouth ISP account) then just completely ignore the ad.
 
CanadaRAM said:
I had an order placed on Friday for delivery to Calgary AB. The originating IP address however was in Nigeria. Blaaaat. Thanks for playing, scammer.
Click to expand...


How does that scam work out? You don't ship until you receive payment, right? If so, the scammer would pay you, and you would ship to Calgary AB..how does the scammer benefit from this?
 
PT Barnum said it: There's a sucker born every minute.

Another bit of wisdom: if it's too good to be true, then it probably isn't.

If you are spending money that you can't afford to lose, you need to have assurances that the deal is legitimate. If you can't afford to pay... then don't play. My guess is that you saw a good deal and easily traded in your sensiblity to save a few bucks. I realize that it's too late for you, but maybe your life lesson will help someone else in the future.
 
MacFan25863 said:
How does that scam work out? You don't ship until you receive payment, right? If so, the scammer would pay you, and you would ship to Calgary AB..how does the scammer benefit from this?
Click to expand...

It all depends on how they pay. If it's a hacked account from someone, they might initially approve the transfer, but in 2 weeks come back looking to recover the money. There's a million ways...
 
did you use your credit card at all?

i know here in the uk you can dispute the payment with your card issuer and they will claw the money back.
 
MacFan25863 said:
How does that scam work out? You don't ship until you receive payment, right? If so, the scammer would pay you, and you would ship to Calgary AB..how does the scammer benefit from this?
Click to expand...
That's exactly what they are looking for, someone who believes that a cheque, money order or charge card payment can't bounce some time after it has been deposited.

It could be an outright forgery of a draft or certified cheque,
or a stolen charge card number (which the charge card company can reach right into your account and snatch back anytime within 6 months),
or a real but altered cheque on a reputable company (example: well known electrical utility issues a refund cheque for $4.85 to someone. This cheque is stolen, and altered to read $1564.85, and tendered as payment. It usually takes 4 - 8 weeks for the owner of the account to report the forgery to their bank, who then charges back your bank, who then disappears the money from your account)

As far as the shipping address goes, one of three things:
1) The address is actually a rented mail box in a UPS store or a local shop. 1235 Fifth St. Unit #102 really means "Mailbox #102 at Bernie's MailboxesRUs".

2) they will contact the seller at the last minute and change the delivery address "Oh my brother I am buying it for had to leave the country because Mom got sick, please ship to him at our mother's house in Indonesia, I'll pay the shipping by Fedex" --- They often want fast shipping to rush you so you don't think through the risks, and often offer to ship on their account. Which means of course that you have no control over the shipment, they can change addressee, etc.

3) they have a stooge at a rented address in Calgary for two months who takes all of the deliveries and immediately fences them or ships out of country, and then disappears. When the police go there, it's an empty apartment
 
Sorry to hear that. i listed my 30 gig video pod on ebay and people tried to take me about 6 times. sucks too cause i kept on having to pay relist fee's then finally i just craigllisted it and sold it locally
 
MacFan25863 said:
Money Orders are almost ALWAYS a sign of fraud.

PayPal is the way to go...I'm sure your issues with them aren't worth 650 bucks..
Click to expand...


I disagree with the above statement. It is a blanket statement, but not accurate. I quit using PayPal when I got burned for $2,000 from fraudulent buyers. I now accept only USPS Money Orders. I can identify them, and cash them immediately at the post office. If they are fraudulent money orders, then it becomes a federal crime, since they tried to imitate a USPS Money Order and do it through the mail.

When paying, you are protected also.

PayPal defends the seller all the time. Money Orders can be a life saver, and wallet saver.
 
CanadaRAM said:
they have a stooge at a rented address in Calgary for two months who takes all of the deliveries and immediately fences them or ships out of country, and then disappears. When the police go there, it's an empty apartment
Click to expand...

Sounds like an awful lot of trouble to scam you for RAM ;)
 
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