Need Help trying to figure out how this is a FRAUD ?

J

jaypeezee

Gawd
Joined
Jun 11, 2003
Messages
1,000
Here's the deal. I am selling a laptop on a different forum (howardforums.com) its a cellular phone website for those who arent familiar. I listed this laptop, located Here , I received an offer from one specific person. The first email reads like this (copy and paste)

1st email:

Hello,
I am a dealer in all kinds of computer currently based in
West Africa. I am highly interested in buying HEWLETT Packard 2.4Ghz P4, 15'' SXGA+,512MB DDR, 60GB HD, with Photos attached please let me know if it is still available and present condition and also I will want you to send me your final asking prize.email asap.
Regards

2nd email:

Hey,
Everything sounds well and am okay with the prize $975.l will offer you $1000 to key all the buyer away. I have a friend who is ready to issue you a certified cashiers check since I don't have the funds in your currency. For convinient and easy shipping, I have a liable shipping agent who'd be responsible for the shipping as soon as you receive payment . I will therefore need the following information of yours to forward to my client before he sends the check......
NAME IN FULL........
ADDRESS IN FULL
COUNTRY..........
ZIPCODE........
CELL/OFFICE/HOME PHONE NUMBER.......
Waiting to hear from you
Regards.

3rd email:

Greetings,
Thanks for the reply and the information you sent.Concerning
payment I have just called my friend now and he has said he'd be
sending a check of $3950 to your contact address in which you will
remove the asking price $1045 after cashing it in a local check
cashing point or in any western union outlet and an extra $100 for
your running around and then wire the balance $2805 to the shipper
via western union money transfer that he will use for all his flight
charges and for the insurance of the shippment when being shipped. I
hope I can trust you on this?So you will be getting the check this
week,The information of the shipper will probably be sent alongside
the check. I will notify you if he has sent it. Looking forward to
completing this transaction w/ you.Get back to me asap.

This is where my RED FLAGS start going off. I am almost certain this is a scam. I am NOT going to ship first. What I'm trying to figure out is how is this possible. If HE really DOES send me a Cashiers Check for $3950. How or where is this coming from ? I'm assuming this money he'd be sending is some how fraudulent and he can not cash in his country. Therefore needing me to do so. and using the laptop as a cover up item. But where exactly is this money coming from ? I am afraid of cashing this check (if it does come) and then getting in trouble by the FBI or someone in fear of being fraudulent money. Any ideas. Input ? suggestions ?
 
Sounds like money laundering.
Also reminded me of all those dodgy african emails that went around claiming to have 10 million USD in an offshore account but not able to claim it. You get the idea.
 
i dont think hes asking you to send the mobo first. Reread it carefully and i think you'll see what i mean.

That being said...stay far away, many internet fraud schemes come right out of west africa (tanzania is a good example)
 
Run, don't walk, away from the deal. It sounds like a shady way to get money to someone in this country who shouldn't be here. Perhaps you should share this information with your local constabulary? At any rate, I hope that you didn't send all of your information to this guy. I don't know how much information crooks need for identity theft, but I am always very paranoid.

Good luck.
 
RUN AWAY! This is the classic Nigirian scam. The cashiers check is a fake and will bounce AFTER you pull the 2805 out and send it and the PC. You'll then lose the PC and the 3950 you deposited in the bank. So you'll have been taken for 1 used PC + $2805.00.
 
I figured it was a scam... and There is no way I am sending my laptop over sea's to someone who settles a deal in less than 10 min. Mind you all these e-mails were sent and replied to within 10 total minutes. I sent my information to him that is a P.O. Box. I guess we'll wait and see what happends... No disrespect meant but how dumb do these people over seas really think we are ?
 
Hupp2it said:
RUN AWAY! This is the classic Nigirian scam. The cashiers check is a fake and will bounce AFTER you pull the 2805 out and send it and the PC. You'll then lose the PC and the 3950 you deposited in the bank. So you'll have been taken for 1 used PC + $2805.00.
Click to expand...

Yep, this is fraud plain and simple. A lot of people get taken by this on cars on ebay too. :mad:
 
Yep, no doubt it's a scam. I know a guy personally who got taken with this method when he was selling his classic car on a forum. The car was around $15,000, and the guy offered a cashiers check for $30,000 because it was his "client" and needed the rest sent back in cash. He did the deal knowing none the wiser and two weeks later the bank called him and told him that cashiers check was fake and he was then out of $15,000 in cash and a $15,000 car :(

I really dont see how people fall for this myself, why would someone send you a check for more than the items worth after all?
 
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