Most scams involve one or more of the following:

  • Inquiry from someone far away, sometimes in another country
  • Western Union, Money Gram, cashier’s check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a “guarantee”
  • Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consummating transaction

 

Examples of Scams:

1. Company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds / sends you additional funds in error or for “purchases/donations”.

  • This kind of “position” may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email
  • Position titles may include: Personal Assistant, Warehouse Manager, Child/Pet Sitter, Home Health Care, Tutoring, Vehicle Wrap/Advertisement or Secret Shopper positions
  • Check may include your “salary” with additional funds to send for purchasing or sending to vendors/charities
  • Company advises you they sent “too much” and states they trust you to return the funds via money transfer service or wire
  • Company claims it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly & offers a percentage of payments received

2. Distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier’s check

  • You receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen
  • Cashier’s check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for your services
  • Value of cashier’s check often far exceeds your item – scammer offers to “trust” you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
  • Banks will often cash these fake checks from Craigslist AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
  • Scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc)

3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:

  • Popular Craigslist money order scam “bait” items include apartments, laptops, TVs, cell phones, tickets, and other high value items
  • Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money – this is FALSE, once you’ve wired money, it is GONE
  • Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands – but could be anywhere
  • Apartment listing may be local, but landlord/owner is “travelling” or “relocating” and needs you to wire money to them abroad
  • Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, rent is below market, etc

4. Distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:

  • This is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience – the cashier’s check or money order is FAKE
  • Sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not
  • Scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check
  • Deal often seems too good to be true

5. Distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.

  • Most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers
  • For more info, do a google search on “Fake Escrow” or “Escrow Fraud”

6. Distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods

  • He says he trusts you with the partial payment
  • He may say he has already shipped the goods
  • Deal often sounds too good to be true

7. Someone claims that Craigslist will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that Craigslist will handle or provide protection for a payment.

  • These claims are fraudulent, as Craigslist does not have any role in any transaction
  • Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from Craigslist, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services — all such emails are fakes!