# Internet Scams



## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

I've been in the financial industry for well over 20 years now and have seen a myriad of internet scams out there that prey on unsuspecting (albeit slightly gullable ) citizens. I'm gonna run down a few here for you just so you all can be aware.

1. Nigeria Scam: boils down to "I'm a rich african prince who is being persecuted, please send me money and it will unlock my ability to get to my millions in which I will share boat loads of money with you! (if it looks to good to be true IT IS! 

2. Overseas business proposition: Boy these can be rather complicated and intricate but still, it's a "send me money and you'll get money situation".

3. Secret Shopper: This entails a check (which is counterfeit) mailed to you with the request that you cash it, then you must shop at various places of business, rate their service, AND THEN SEND MONEY BACK TO THE SCAMMERS! The unsuspecting individual that was able to cash the counterfeit check either through a grocery store, check cashing place or their bank is now liable for that counterfeit check. The amounts of these checks are usually $1500.00 or better.

4. Ebay/Craigslist Scam: This one a scammer will find something you are selling online, whether its Ebay, Craigslist, you name it and contact you about the item through an email requesting you take the item off the auction site so they can purchase it outright. Once again a counterfeit check is sent to you that is way over the amount of the item. The scammer will request that you be an honest person and to send them the difference back through Western Union usually. After you send the money back, you are responsible for cashing that counterfeit check.

I've also seen Ebay/Craigslist scams where a person will be selling a vehicle like a car or motorcycle online which is usually an awesome deal. Like a 2008 Ford Focus with 30,000 miles on it for like $2,500.00. The car is in the UK though but they'll pay shipping to get it to you, they just need to sell it quick for an emergency. SCAM! The shipping from overseas alone would probably exceed that $2500 you just Western Unioned them and will never get back.

5. Euro Lottery: This one says "To recieve the millions of dollars you just won in a European/Canadian lottery (you never entered), you first have to send them money to pay the federal taxes to release your winnings". It usually begins with you cashing a counterfeit check they send you and then request monies to be sent back to them out of it, usually in the thousands.


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

6. Payment of Services: So you need a roomate, or provide any kind of service....These scammers want you!  Once again you'll be contacted by someone that is in desperate need of your services. Once again a check will be mailed to you that exceeds the amount of the service you provide. The check is counterfeit.

For instance, I had a customer that placed an add on a rental web site requesting a roomate. A women claiming to be a supermodel from Nigeria sent this fella thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit postal money orders to pay for 6 months rent. She requested he send the difference back to her which was about $1500.00.

Another customer who ran a horse ranch was contacted by a woman, claiming to be dying of cancer and wanted her horse boarded at the horse facility the customer runs. The scammer's only caveat was to be able to send my customer a check for $5000.00 with the request that she Western Union a man in the UK $2500.00 of that check, to ship the horse to Nebraska. The check was a counterfeit. And the reciever of the western union was part of said scam.


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

If you ever recieve a Business check, Cashiers Bank Check, Money Orders, or Travelers checks for something you won, something a customer is purchasing from you (like a product or service) with the attached request to send them a portion of it back, it is most likely a scam.

A lot of the checks are legitimate accounts but the account holders aren't the ones producing them. I saw a secret shopper check once where the maker of the check was a sheep shearing service. Ya have to stop and think..what the hell would a sheep shearing service have to do with a secret shopper service or a European lottery?!?! Now that I think of it, a lot of the checks seem to come from unsuspecting car dealerships, oddly enough.

To protect yourselves there are a few steps you can take to verify the legitimacy of a check you recieved but are unsure of. 

1. Do not Trust any numbers printed on the check. Those numbers usually foward you to a scammer's unregistered throw away cell phone where he'll tell ya whatever he thinks you need to hear to cash the check. Even 1 (800) numbers folks...don't trust them!

2. Use Whitepages.com: The first thing I do is look up the company's name (on the top left of the check) either in google or whitepages and find a number for them there. Once you call it you'd be surprised how many of these places accountants will be like "oh god, not another one "

3. Then if you are still unsure, Google or Whitepage the bank's phone number the item is drawn off of. Once again DO NOT TRUST the numbers on the check. Some banks will help you, others may not due to their private policies. They may atleast tell you if the account is legitimate or not but thats about it. Worth a try though, all banks are different in the way they handle these types of situations. Be sure to explain your situation and skepticism of the check you have.

I know this ain't exactly the topic you'd expect to see on this type of forum but I thought it would be helpful for those who are not experienced in these situations. I hate to see these Scammers prosper! Recently, my daugher's friend got involved in the secret shopper scam. He cashed a $2500.00 check and has already mailed 3 of the scammers some of the money in the form of money orders. I worry about him cause it is a felony and he is in the military, about to deploy to Afghanistan on Monday. I could see the grocery store he cashed the check at reporting it, and a warrrant being issued for his arrest by the police Department . Whether or not they will recall him back here to face the charges remains to be seen.


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

Two others I forgot to mention:

1. Facebook Love Interest: This person sets up a fake facebook account, befriends someone who plays games such as Farmville, usually lil old lonely ladies. He begins an online romance and tells the unsuspecting person everything he thinks she needs to hear to gain her trust. Then he professes that he wants to marry her but needs $$$ to get to the states to see her. Or they fake terminal illnesses and request money to help with medical expenses...you name it.

2. Grandson Bail Money: With this one, a person contacts an elderly person/couple and says they are from a county prison and informs the couple that their grandson/daughter is in custody. They tell the victim that the boy is too embarrassed to tell his folks about his predicament. The fake Officer then requests bail money to be Western Unioned to them to bail out the child.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

You mean the bail money I sent to morbidmike wasn't really for BAIL!!?? Is THAT how he got all that luan, paint & pvc pipe!??


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

debbie5 said:


> You mean the bail money I sent to morbidmike wasn't really for BAIL!!?? Is THAT how he got all that luan, paint & pvc pipe!??


I'm afraid so Debbie5, I'm afraid so......It's like you cant trust anyone with Morbid in their names anymore...What's this world coming too????


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Thanks for the info Gryphen, Everyone can use that kind of information even haunters. We need our money for the important stuff like duct tape and opps paint.
By the way Deb, my cat needs an operation and I am short of cash. Could you send me $2500 right away. He is a very cute and loving animal and I know you would help so he could go run and play once again. meow meow, ahhhhhhh he says thank you.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

(writing check....) Do I mail it to the Poor Poor Pathetic Pussy Fund??


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

No cause then you'd have to address it to me


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## randomr8 (Oct 24, 2009)

Next we can talk about how ppl have to realize that once it's on the Internet there is no control.


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

randomr8 said:


> Next we can talk about how ppl have to realize that once it's on the Internet there is no control.


note to self: remind my 19yr old daughter...............AGAIN!


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## randomr8 (Oct 24, 2009)

Glyphen2010 said:


> note to self: remind my 19yr old daughter...............AGAIN!


Yeah. Not trying to hijack but 14 & 18 do the same. I cringe when I see their FB pages.


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

randomr8 said:


> Yeah. Not trying to hijack but 14 & 18 do the same. I cringe when I see their FB pages.


We should start a support group! lol


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