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| Hints to Help Avoid And Recognize Scams and Fraud | |
-Try to deal with people that you can meet in person. This step alone will greatly reduce your chances of being the victim of a scam or fraud. -Do not accept payment for more than your asking price - with or without the option to send the remainder back to the buyer. -Don't assume a check is valid just because it looks legitimate. Banks will cash them but if a fake is found the bank will hold you responsible. -Beware of people claiming to be agents or representatives for others. -Never give out personal or financial information about yourself. -Avoid dealing with people that have prearranged shipping companies or escrow services. -Watch out for people saying they will guarantee your transaction. -Inquiries from people far away, often in another country without the ability to meet in person or is unwilling to meet, or from individuals with broken English or little knowledge of proper spelling and grammar are often scams or fraud attempts. -If the deal appears too good to be true, it often is. -Seller offers to ship the item for partial payment first. -Above all, use common sense. Who to notify about a fraud or scam attempt: 1) Attorney General's office 2) Internet provider indicated in the individual's email address 3) Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hotline: 877-382-4357 4) FTC online complaint form (www.ftc.gov) 5) The Internet Fraud Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) 6) Contact Uncle Henry's with the original email address from the buyer or seller involved. Actual scam emails sent to sellers on Uncle Henry's: This is an actual scam received by our customer and it is unfortunately very common. Please note the broken English: Hello Seller, I am Mr Larry Cole. ,am interested in purchasing your (16'' Alden Ocean Shell 0 single, slide seat, w/composite competition oars) i want you to send me some pics and let me know your last price for it. Also i will like to know if the shipping is the responsibility of the buyer or the seller . Moreso i will want you to know that my method of payment will be by check . Get back to me asap today. Hope to read from you soon. Thanks. Mr Larry Cole. The buyer then responded to the initial contact and received the following: Hello seller, Thanks for the mail, I am very sorry for the late response due to i was discussing how the payment will be issue to you with my client and i am very happy to hear from you.so the price is okay by me,and i am ready to purchase from you immediately, i will offer you $ 1,550 . for it,and i want you to delete the ad from the website.I have a reputable shipper that will take care of shipping from your end,and i have inform my shipper and he said that the term is okey by him... I want to let you know that i have an associate that is owning me a sum of $4,000 i will instruct him to issue you a Bank cashier check on my behalf and as soon as Bank cashier check arrives,you hold out your amount which is $1,550 and send the difference of $2,450. to my shipper for the pick up in your place.I hope i can trust you with my balance. if this terms are okay by you,do get back to me with the following details: 1.Name to be issue to... 2.Contact Address(City,State,Zip code,Country): 3.Con tact telephone number: Do get back to me asap with this details for payment to be made out to you immediately. Your prompt responce is awaited. Another scam example: (Note the Parentheses that contain the item for sale, this indicates a form letter is being used.) HELLO SELLER I SAW THIS YOUR ADS {Motor } FOR
SALE AND I WANT YOU TO TELL ME THE LAST OFFER PRICE AND THE CONDITION,
PAYMENT WILL BE THROUGH A CERTIFIED OR CASHIER CHECK AND SHIPMENT WILL
BE HANDLED BY MY RELIABLE SHIPPING AGENT SO I WANT YOU TO GET BACK TO
ME ASAP TODAY Customer responds to the interest in the ad and then receives the following: Thanks for the response.I have abount five client who are intrested in
your item posted for sale,Three of them are getting back to me
positively and they are ready to issue to you U.S. postal money order
or check AS PAYMENT AFTER YOU GET BACK WITH YOUR INFROMATION. FULL NAME
-------------- ADDRESS --------------- STATE------------------ POST
CODE------------- COUNTRY--------------- PHONE NUMBER -------- This
Cheque or bank draft is for you to deduct your as offer But any other
excess on the check or bank draft will be my COMMISSION,COMPANT PROFIT
ON TRANSACTION AND SHIPPING FROM YOUR DESTINATION. So you dont need to
involve with any shipping arangement i will handly that one my self. So
you are to deduct your money when the check clear in your bank and send
the remain money to me so that i can arange for the shipping company.
So get back to me fast. So that you can receive the payment in time.
Waining to read from you soon. Thanks. And here are two other scams that we have seen: We have also seen an overseas scam where the scammer places an ad on the site, usually a puppy or an exotic animal. These ads contain gorgeous realistic pictures of animals (bulldogs, monkeys, yorkie terriers, hyacinth macaws). They create a rapport with the customer, even so far as to instant message back and forth. They are looking for the victim to wire money overseas - their claim is that they live in Maine but are away on a church mission in Africa or some other country and that they will ship the dog to you. Another scam went so far as to create an elaborate representation of the sale of a motorcycle and represented the transaction through a well known international courier service. Stating that this courier service's "TRUST AND SAFETY DEPT" is guaranteeing the transaction and that all wired monies were refundable should anything happen. The scam document was 5 printed pages in length and contained very convincing contractual content. The courier service was contacted and responded that there is no such "Trust and Safety" department. This customer was scammed out of $2900. Always verify the party you are dealing with through other means to be sure of their legitimacy. | |
