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Is this legit?

H

hikeNM

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 29, 2004
537
0
Somewhere close to a dairy in East Texas
I need some help. I'm trying to sell my PowerMac G5. I live in the Dallas area. I put an add in a local classified site.

This is the first hit I've gotten. It was sent via email.

"Hi,

I am Scott, and i am interested in purchasing your Apple Computer. I would like to know your bottom price for it and if it is still available for sale.

I would appreciate a quick response prior to my mail.

Scott"

So, I responded, with the answer. This was response I got.

"Hi,

Thank you for your prompt response to my mail. I am not located in your country.

I am located in Amsterdam, but i am sending this computer as a birthday gift to a friends daughter in Africa, so i need an estimate of the shipping cost via FEDEX to Lagos-Nigeria where i am sending it. Please send me the total cost immediately with the cost of the computer.

I will be making the payment to you via Western Union Money Transfer. If you agree with my terms, then i will advise you send me your full informations such as your full name and address which will be used for the payment.

Scott"

Can this be legit? This is the first time I've sold a computer like this, and something seems fishy. Anybody with any experience with something like this?

P.S. You can see my computer for sale here.
http://dallas.backpage.com/buyselltrade/classifieds/ViewAd?oid=147074
 
Scam.


/backs up slowly
//backing up 30 feet now.
///makes a run for it!!
\*trips*
\\damn you sandals!!
 
This has happened a couple times with me, and a few times with another friend. Not sure if this is the same thing as yours, but with us the scammer said he was from Greece/Paris/Amsterdam -- somewhere far away, basically. They told us that all they have is a money order for $4,000 (even though the comp I was selling was only $1,000) and if I could send the rest of the money back to them when I deposit the money.

They said I could have a cut of it for "being nice" but I would have to send the item IMMEDIATELY upon receiving the money order. The scam works when you just deposit the money order (which is fake) into your account, then send the computer/whatever to them. Or they just get your bank account number, address and other important information. At least that's what I was told, but I never got passed the "I'm from Greece" part because it's a little odd.

Fishes,
narco.
 
hikeNM said:
That's what I thought. Pardon my ignorance, but how does the scam work?
Click to expand...


I'm not 100% sure, but here goes nothing:

When you send them a money transfer, it gives them your bank account number. Then, they can totally clean you out.

something like that.

Craigslist has a page about it.

/goes to check email
//OMG! The King of Nigeria needs my help!
///I can make $3billion? NO WAY!
\declares bankruptcy
 
Because of the way the US banking system works, money orders and cashiers checks have to make the money avaiable in 1 - 7 days -- but it may take up to 3 weeks for the check to clear.

The money isn't yours until the check clears, so you can basically spend money and end up owing it to the bank when the check bounces.

If the bank thinks it's a bad check, they will hold it until it clears -- up to 3 weeks.

Most of these are fake checks on stolen accounts.

Heck they even started using fake USPO Money Orders...

http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/mofeatur.htm
 
Don't walk...run.

(preferably not whilst wearing sandals );)


If you really want to play along, you can tell him to send the cash via Western Union for you to pick up and that you will send the computer once the cash has been received. As far as I'm aware, there's no need to give your full address, just the city you live in. Obviously excuses will be made to why he can't pay cash.

Then he'll play the cheque game, tell him you will have to wait for the cheque to clear before sending the computer. This is when you'll hear that he needs it straight away for his friends daughters' birthday blah blah. And this is when you run.

Might as well skip all the stages in between and just run.
 
Hi,

I also believe that by using western union, that the person sending the cash can 'Cancel' this, so he just waits till he/she gets the carriers tracking number of your goods, and stops the payment.

Hence the reason why its used to scam alot. The only time i would use western union is to send money to a friend. Which ive done with her backpacking in Oz.

Lee
 
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