Some of the facts behind the scams
or, "The Lies Faceless People Tell"
There are at least three variations to this scam:
1. The check is phony, but the bank does not notify you until after you shipped the item.
2. The check is written for more than the asking amount. You are instructed to send a MoneyGram or other untraceable fund for the difference. In this variation, the scammer does not care about the item. All they want is to get the MoneyGram before you learn the check bounced.
3. The scammer sends additional money "to pay the shipper that will arrive". Soon thereafter, the seller is contacted by the shipper, who wants payment to pick up and deliver the item. The seller gives the shipper a payment, but later learns the "shipper" was part of the scam, because the seller paid good money, but the buyer's payment was phony.
Here is info on what can happen to you after cashing fake checks
So, instead of cashing the check, file a Mail Fraud Complaint!
Read the info at this Craigslist link, for helpful advice:
Short warning from the Craigslist site:
DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON!
follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts.
These operations often charge cash-strapped consumers a large up-front fee, but then fail to help them settle or lower their debts if they provide any service at all. Some debt relief scams even tout their services using automated "robocalls" to consumers on the Do-Not-Call List.
Visit this FTC site for more information.
The caller tells you they will disinfect your computer and remove any warning popups. After (or, sometimes, before) you send the money, they tell you to click on some buttons and links, so they can disinfect your computer. However, if you do that, you give the scammer full access to your computer, and they will do nasty things, such as steal your card or bank data (if you had it on your computer), steal your contact list, and send your friends phony emails supposedly from you.
Visit this FTC site for more information.
Needless to say, if you sent money, it is gone. If you gave them your card number, consider contacting your card issuer!
This is a scam frequently sent from a hijacked or temporary email account, with a request to send money via Western Union, MoneyGram, or similar method. If you send money, it will soon disappear.
This is another "hurry up and pay me or something nasty will happen" scam. They try to get you so shook up that you believe their story. The scammer identifies themself as a representative of a utility company, tells you your last payment was not processed, and they will shut off the utility if you do not give them your credit card number RIGHT NOW. If you give them your card number, they might call back, and tell you the card did not go through, so you must send them money via Green Dot or Western Union or whatever. They take the money and disappear.
If you do get a call similar to this, hang up, and call the number on your utility bill ... do NOT call the number the scammer gives you!
This scam is also known as one of the variations of the "Advance Payment" or "Advance Fee" scams. The caller tries to convince you that you can easily get a loan from their company, even if you have poor credit, if you send them some money first. Be aware that requiring payment for a loan BEFORE you get it is illegal! Read all about it, here, at the FTC site
You will be disturbed, after you agree to the "deal", when you learn the offer has a LOT of strings attached! Somehow, all those strings involve you paying money. The FTC explains this scam, in more detail, HERE
This is a quick scam (sometimes, one of the several "grandparent scams") where the scammer tries to get you so worried about the incident, that you do not check the claim. You send money via some quick, online method, and the money disappears.
The scammer claims a legal suit was filed, and you need to send money RIGHT NOW, via Western Union, Green Dot, or other online method, because a process server with a summons or an arrest warrant is on the way to you. Warning: That is not the way things are really done. In reality, a process server will NOT call you before they deliver the legal documents. They do NOT take money to not serve the papers. In fact, the scammer's threat may have absolutely no basis in truth ... the scammer tries to get you so worried that you immediately use an online method to send money, even if you suspect there is no reason for legal action against you. The money disappears.
What a welcome surprise! The government is going to send YOU money, with no need to pay it back! All you need do is pay a small percentage as a tax or transfer fee via MoneyGram or similar method. However, you should not be surprised that this is a scam ... your "tax" disappears, as does the "grant". Read more about it at the FTC site
The scammer threatens you with deportation, loss of driver's license, loss of job, or other nasty things if you do not send money via some untraceable online means. The IRS is attempting to warn people about this scam, at this site
The caller congratulates you on your job application - the one you posted in Craigslist or some other job application site - being accepted. Sometimes they ask for a training or other fee. Sometimes they will send you a check as an "advance payment". All you have to do is reply, and send them a lot of personal information. Now the bad part: the scammer can use that personal information to steal your identity. Any "fee" you send will soon disappear. The check they might have sent will bounce. There are several variations to this scam. Read more about them at this site. Here is info on cashing fake checks
Another "dream deal" ... an offer of a free trip to a choice of locations. All you have to do is give the caller some information, and maybe attend a meeting at a nearby hotel. The catch: the OFFER might be free, but the trip itself is not! And, if you give them your card number, you may find some large, unexpected charges even if you do not take the trip!
Another version of this scam: The meeting is really a high-pressure effort to make you buy into a timeshare "opportunity", and a shill gets the "free trip".
UPDATE:
In some cases, the mark actually gets tickets by mail ... but the tickets come from a 3rd party, and require an ADDITIONAL "activation fee".
If you received such a phone call, visit this site for more information
Just about everybody knows of a "bad" business or opportunity. In this scam, the scammer claims you filed a class action suit (perhaps for some medical problem), and won the suit! All you have to do is send them some money via the Internet, and they will quickly process your settlement. However, there is no settlement, except that of your money in the scammer's account. Visit this site for more information
The caller tels you that you just won a sweepstakes or lottery or free prize or award. If you tell them you do not remember entering that contest, they might tell you that your name was selected at random. Alternately, the "award" is because you are a "preferred customer" (or something similar). All you have to do is send them some money to pay processing or transfer fees. You guessed it by now ... there was no prize. Your money will disappear. Visit this site for more information
Scammers like to harvest online sites to see if anybody wants something. They then phone or email those posters with offers that are difficult to refuse. In this scam, the scammer tells you that they have your dream home or apartment ready for you to rent or lease. All you have to do is send them some up-front money via Green Dot or Western Union (or similar) to lock in the deal, before somebody else gets it. If you send money, you will have to wait a LONG time for the deal, because the scammer has taken your money and run. If you sent any critical ID information, your ID may be compromised.
The scammer offers an eBay / Craigslist / other auction site seller a wonderful deal. The scammer will use "PayPal" to send the money, so the deal will "be protected by PayPal". Here are some of the variations on the scam:
The scammer may speak Spanish, and may target Hispanics in the USA. He attempts to convince the called person that he is a relative, and will be visiting for a few days. If the called party expresses any interest, the scammer promises to call back. When the scammer calls back, he tells the called party that something happened - he ran out of gas, or was stopped by the police, or is being held at the airport, or needs money for some other reason -- he wants you to wire the money to him immediately.
If you send money, it will disappear, along with the "relative".
Lots of folks have packages being delivered. Sometimes the calls are legitimate. However. there are scammers making similar calls.
1) "We have the package, but you must give us some money before it is delivered". This scam recognizes that people may think the delivery service needs money from the recipient. However, if you ordered something, you already paid shipping and handling didn't you?
2) The caller asks you to call back, but the area code is not a local one. In this case, it might be the "Caribbean Callback Scam", where the return call will cost you a LOT of money!
3) This ploy is also used by some skip tracers, to try and locate people.
Google the package service's name or look at 800notes.com for that phone number, or visit the shipper's REAL site to get more information.
Who would not want to lower their interest rate, if they owe money to their credit card company? Lots of scammers rely on that desire, and make phony offers to people they call Visit the FTC's Credit Card Interest Rate Reduction Scams page.
WARNING! NEVER wire money to a stranger! That specific scam is well-known. You have absolutely no eBay protection! NEVER wire money to a stranger, even if they sound convincing!.
Wow, discounts on your phone bill? Just log into the website they gave you, give them your card number, and ... and ... oops, you just gave the scammer your ID info, and you may soon see some expensive calls or bills on your card or phone! You see, those companies are NOT offering discounts - at least not at those web sites!
This scammer pretends to be Western Union (or, maybe some other company), and pretends to be delivering (or refunding) some money. They want your card number so they can deposit to ... err ... take everything from the card. Alternately, they might ask for your bank account number and other info so they can make an electronic withdrawal.
Do not call that number, or log into any website they might have mentioned! If you do, you will be asked your card number "just for verification". Then, stand by for identity theft. If you suspect your card really was deactivated, call the number on the back of the card -- NOT the number some stranger gives you on the phone!
The scammer might have some of your personal information - maybe even part of your SSAN. They may call you and/or your family and/or your employer. They tell you that you owe money (or are a co-signer on a debt), and you must pay right NOW, or go to court because they will have a warrant sworn for your arrest, take away your driver's license, and do other nasty things. They might give you a "case number" and the name of the "investigator". They also tell you, if you call back, and give them lots of information, including your card number or bank authorization, they will significantly reduce the debt.
Warning: Loans do not work that way. If you send money via Western Union, gift card, bank wire transfer or other electronic means, the money will disappear. The threats (so far) are meaningless. Loan companies cannot garnish your wages or do other things without a court order, and, communications MUST be in writing, rather than via email or SMS. See the Complaint Sites Page at this site, for more info on debts, fake debt collectors, and the Fair Debt Collection Act.
The DEA (Drug Enforcement Control people) or other government agencies do not take bribes. For more information about this particular scam see the DEA Extortion Warning about Special Agent impersonators, or the FTC page on Immigrant Scams
This is a ploy to scam elderly folks or diabetics who want a device to notify the medics in case of emergency. The scammers advertise a "free" device, but conveniently forget to tell the mark that the monthly costs will be excessive. Also, the scammer wants the mark's card numbers, so they can make some unanticipated charges. There are several warnings about this scam, including these:
Seniors get a warning on medical alert scam
'Free' Medical Alert Device Offers Harm, Not Help
A caller or emailer invites your to join a "Mystery Shopper" or "Secret Shopper" program. They promise you that you will be rewarded after filling out a survey form on the quality of service from some retailer. The caller asks you to send them some personal ID info.
If you agree, you are told to purchase certain items, and you will receive a company check for those purchases. You are also told to return any excess amount to the company, via Green Dot or Western Union (or something similar).
If you still agree, you will receive a check, along with a reminder to quickly return the excess. Unfortunately, their check will bounce AFTER you returned the excess, and you will be out both the cost of the items and the money you returned to the supposed company. Your ID info may also be used in further scams.
As you might have guessed, the "Free Gift Card" is not really Free. The only gift will be to the scammer, as they keep both your few dollar "shipping fee", AND your card numbers! If you fell for this scam, contact your credit / debit card issuer NOW, by calling the phone number on the back of the credit / debit card. If you sent the "fee" via Green dot or other untraceable means, it is gone.
UPDATE:
Some of these scammers also tell you you will also be automatically enrolled in their "savings club" for even more discounts. (This program costs something like $14.95 per month, and the money will be automatically withdrawn from your card). It is nearly impossible to disenroll from this "club".
There are several warnings about Third Party auto warranties. The FTC says "Beware", and Edmunds (the vehicle info site) also has a warning page.
Both suggest using the manufacturer\'s warranty. But, if you think you really need an extended warranty from a third party, be VERY careful! Some of the scam warranty places go out of business VERY quickly, and some may even play games with your credit card payments
Are you in trouble if you answer "yes" to a scam question, like "Can you hear me?"
The claim: People are being victimized by scammers who call and ask "Can you hear me?" and record the "yes" response in order to use it to authorize fake charges.
Snopes says that is unproven. Although there seem to be a lot of calls with that question, nobody (as yet) has claimed they lost money simply due to the "yes" answer. HOWEVER, Be Careful, do not reveal precious ID or financial information to a stranger!
One poster on 800notes.com wonders why so many posters seem to be unaware of the often repeated news about dangerous phony IRS calls and dangerous phony Microsoft calls, but lots of posters are worried about the possibly innocuous "Can you hear me" calls, and think they are dangerous.
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