Internet Classified
Scams
JSA of
LIS classified posters have become the target of internet classified scams in
recent years. Two examples of typical
scams are listed below. One fraud
originated for J/24 sailors, but it has been used to target JSA of LIS
classified sellers as well. Typically,
the spelling and grammar are poor. In
addition, the scams provide very little information about the buyer (no phone
number or name) and ask for personal information. Finally, the arrangements are odd, involving
odd payment methods and boats being shipped to foreign countries. As an example, the Optimist is available
worldwide: why would someone want to
have a boat shipped from the
Scam Example 1
Hello
Seller,
In
respect of the advert you placed, I have intrest
in buying the boat for $2,200. i will like to know some neccessary
information about the boat for me i can proceed with the transaction. And the question are as follow,
* The condition
of the boat right now?
* The
state where is located?
* Is the
boat available for sale right now?
* the shipment cost ( note I have a shipping company that can
pickup the boat but I still want to here from You)
* your payment option ( I can only pay you with cashier
check.)
Your anwser
to these question will guide me in buying the boat.
Therefore don't hesitate to reply me back cause your reply is very importanat
and urgent.
Your's Truly,
PAUL
Scam Example 2
Fraud
Alert
For
Sellers of J/24s and J/24 Merchandise
Don't Get
Ripped Off By This Scam!
Posted
August 2004
Attention
J/24 Enthusiasts,
Although
the J/24 Used Boat List and Classified Ads have been great resources for
sailors, there are scam artists targeting these pages and they want your money.
They typically pose as foreign buyer's agents and are offering to pay MORE than
the asking price for your boat. They always pay with very real looking
cashier's checks. In return for paying more than your asking price, you are
asked to send the buyer or a shipping agent the amount of the overpayment after
you have deposited the cashier's check in your bank.
WARNING!
These cashier's checks are forgeries! Federal banking law requires that
cashier's checks be credited to your account within 5 days of deposit. However, the check is not made good until it
has cleared at the issuing bank. Your local bank will likely not catch the
forgery until the check is returned to them, and this can take as many as 3 to
4 weeks after you deposit the funds. By that time you (having access to the
funds and thinking the check was good) will have already sent the money to the
buyer. When your bank discovers that the check was a forgery, you will be
liable for returning the total amount of the forged check to your bank. Basically,
the scum bags have stolen your money.
In an
additional twist, if they scam artist scum are successful in getting your money
with the original overpayment scam, they will target you again. Usually they will try to get the rest of the
money back by claiming that the buyer has recently died and is unable to
complete the purchase. They will ask for an entire refund on the money that
does not exist because the original check was a forgery.
How does
this work? Read the following links carefully.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/carsale.asp
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=364
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/11403NigerianWarning.pdf
If you
have been ripped off by this or a similar scam, please report this to the FBI's
Thanks
for your attention to this serious matter.
Regards,
Eric
Faust
Executive
Director