18.3.4
| Bogus Cashier's Cheque Fraud |
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A fraudulent payment scheme is making the rounds on the Internet. It may affect any item offered for sale on the Internet. The pattern is fairly constant: a buyer makes an offer for the item, but his enquiry shows that he is not really familiar with what he is buying. In the sample bogus offer below, the buyer asks what condition the item is in and for fotos; both were clearly available on the web page. Also note the >> quote marks in the enquiry, indicating that the text had been copied from somewhere else (e.g., another email already sent to some other web site offering something else for sale). Most notable is that the buyer is more concerned about the conditions of payment than the goods he is buying. Following are sample bogus offers made to this web site:
willing to buy your 1998, Model Arrowhead, Datum: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 17:16:26 -0500 (EST) Von: "mark" An: editor@hetchins.org This is MR mark_green,the reason why i mailed you was that i >> saw you advert placed on net that you want to sell the above >> mentioned >> item >> please if is still available kindly tell me? >> 1.the current condition[tell if negotiable] >> 2.your asking price >> 3.the goods picture >> 4 payment through a cheque that can be drwan in any uS bank. >> best regards >> mark My suspicions were aroused, but I replied in good faith. The following response came back: RE: 1998, Model Arrowhead is available Datum: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 05:52:58 -0500 (EST) Von: "mark" An: editor@hetchins.org my colleague is indebted to me.so he will be sending you the cheque. >mind you he will be sending a cheque of the total amount of money he owes >me which is 4000euros.when you get the cheque,go and deposit it in your >account and when it has been transfered to your account you deduct your >750euros and forward the remaining to my shipper in africa through >western union money transfer. >he will be coming for the pickup three days after you have sent him the >funds.the funds will be meant for the shipping and clearing arrangement of >the item >i hope i can count on you for my portion after you have deducted your >750euros and i will give you extra 200euros for the stress you will be >going through. >i will entertain suggestion,comments and opinion from you. >I NEED A GO AHEAD FROM YOU,BEFORE I WILL INSTRUCT MY CLIENT TO MAKE THE >PAYMENT. >I WILL NEED YOUR NAME,ADDRESS AND YOUR PHONE NUMBER FOR THE ADDRESSION OF >THE CHEQUE. >REPLY ASAP. Another offer followed a similar pattern [grammatical errors as original]: Subject: Re: offer for your time trial/road bike Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 18:48:19 +0000 (GMT) From: dapo smith Hello, Thank to you for accepting the offer to sell your time trial/road bike to my client. I am particularly impressed by the prompt attention accorded the matter considering the need for us to conclude the deal in a timely manner,i have spoken just to my client and he accepts to pay $2500 as you have requested.The Check that will be sent to you will include an excess amount which is $7000 for the money for the sales of your time trial/road bike,my commission as an agent and the shippers fees for organising a home pick up service from your base down to london its new origin,so the Check will be in the amount of $9500 you will deduct the bike which is $2500 and send the balance of $7000 to my customer via money gram money transfer or western union money transfer. You need not to worry as our prepaid shipping company will come to pick up the bike . The Check will include the fees i mentioned above because the Check according to my client is a refund been refunded back to him,and the company making out this refund will only make it out in one Check to him, so he is trusting you to handle his funds with care and honesty and UTMOST confidentiality. What i want to clarify is that will you be able to send the shipping charges that i will pay to the shipping company and my commision back to my client through money gram or western union money transfer method as soon as the Check is cashed and you deduct the money for the sales of your bike? Please your answer on this will enable me to issue a directive to my client on the need to contact the companyto get the Check ready and send it to you without any further delay . If you agree to assist in this capacity,Will you please send your contact ADDRESS that is your home or office address where my client should send the Check , your NAME to be on Check and TELEPHONE NUMBER so that i will instruct my client tosend the Check by express priority mail to you. I will like you to mail me to show your further WIllingness tosell the item to my client. Thanks and GOD bless,Dapo. Further example: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 15:18:32 -0500 (EST), From: "Charles", charles_dave@myway.com We are interested in buying your above mentioned products at advertised rate. Goods to be picked up from your location for onward shipping to London. Cost and modalities of shipping to be born by us. Payment for the purchase is by check through a debtor in US. The debtor owes us higher than our purchase. He will therefore be sending you a check for $7,000 to cover the cost of our order, as well as the Shipping costs. On receipt of the check, you will cash and deduct the cost of our order .The balance you will send as we would instruct you to the Agency that will ship the Goods to us. If this arrangement suites you fine, please send us your address where to send the check, as well as the name to be on it. Also send us your phone number for easy communication. Looking forward to hearing from you.... MR CHARLES DAVIDSON. Seller, please beware, and check the following link before accepting any similar terms of payment: Counterfeit cashier's cheque scam [www.scamvictimsunited.com] |