Wheel scammer?

[RTB]

I put a set of libres I put on for sale here on the classifieds and on Craigslist. I got a text from someone who was interested but needed them shipped. Now it gets weird. Instead of using PayPal the guy says he's just sending me a check. When I try to call the guy the voice mail responds "the Google subscriber is currently unavailable". I have yet to ever hear a voice mail box like that. When I text back that I feel uncomfortable the guy calls me from a restricted number and tells me that the check is coming in a heavy accent. Am I just being paranoid or what?

[datzenmike]

No you're not.

 

If the cheque clears, send the parts.

[darrel]

I only use postal money orders. Now you have no idea when a check clears. Your bank will only say the funds are available, then when the check doesn't clear, you're on the hook if you spent the money already.

[RTB]

More notably he says he is sending a Cashiers check, not a personal check. I feel like this is an attempt to totally hustle me

[Rollover_Red]

read the help/scammers post on craigslist. it will help alot.

[erichwaslike]

the google thing is a phone service google offers, "nimb" <<<<(sn) on here uses or used to use it....

[Tristin]

More notably he says he is sending a Cashiers check, not a personal check. I feel like this is an attempt to totally hustle me

 

If hes using a cashiers check and not a personal check, thats even better... means he already gave money to the bank and youre receiving money from them... not the random dude. If the bank cashes your check, send your wheels. 

[Eagle_Adam]

The google VM box is normal for someone using a VOIP phone, the check is low risk. Just tell em they don't ship till the check clears and who cares!

[RTB]

If hes using a cashiers check and not a personal check, thats even better... means he already gave money to the bank and youre receiving money from them... not the random dude. If the bank cashes your check, send your wheels. 

Well thats not quite right. If I put a cashiers check into my account, they have to make the money available to me in a certain amount of time (1 day) but that doesn't mean the money has cleared. And why all the secrecy? Dude is calling me from a restricted number? Telling me to let him know as soon as the money clears so he can have some mover pick them up from me. Why? So I dont know who he is or where he is? Alarm bells are ringing in my ears

[darrel]

scam

[Tristin]

Well thats not quite right. If I put a cashiers check into my account, they have to make the money available to me in a certain amount of time (1 day) but that doesn't mean the money has cleared. And why all the secrecy? Dude is calling me from a restricted number? Telling me to let him know as soon as the money clears so he can have some mover pick them up from me. Why? So I dont know who he is or where he is? Alarm bells are ringing in my ears

 

I cant speak about the movers, but I hang out a Google Voice number all the time. Unless they are people I know, I give out a GV number so random Joes dont have my number. I use it for CL and the such... I wouldnt call it secrecy, but rather protection. Just a thought. 

 

The rest of it could be anything. 

[72240z]

The google VM box is normal for someone using a VOIP phone, the check is low risk. Just tell em they don't ship till the check clears and who cares!

Its normal if the person uses google voice too. All my calls/texts/messages etc... come and go through GV. Best free phone+ service out there lol. 

 

Like everyone is saying a legit cashiers check is pretty safe so long as the bank accepts it. 

[SandyMush620]

If you decide to proceed, let us know how it works out a couple weeks after you deposit the check.  It can take that long for the bank to figure out the check was a quality fake and deduct the funds from your account.  I'm pretty sure you're about to be taken.

 

http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

[yellowdatsun]

Lots of people use restricted numbers, either for home or work. Doesn't mean they are trying to deceive you, but I don't like it either.

 

I've bought and sold parts with people from Craigslist who have "funny" foreign accents, usually eastern european or middle east. Although we've always met in person, they've all been ok people.

 

If it is indeed a cashiers check, and it clears, then the money is yours. Send the wheels

[RTB]

Yea I texted the guy and told him that I will only accept paypal. I think he suddenly doesn't want them anymore. :frantics:

[B210GX]

I'd still be leery of the cashiers check. There are bad ones.. Hell I could probably print you one up now.  I got burned a couple of times early on when I was selling on fleebay.

 

BE Careful and good luck

 

 

Mike 

[hobbes_the_cat]

If it smells like a scam it usually is. Especially on Craigslist. You set the rules to make you comfortable. If they don't want to play by the rules, they can walk.

[MikeRL411]

I'm betting a Nigerian accent.  Run away as fast as you can and send a copy of any e-mails to "reportphishing.com" .

[koback68]

Im pretty shur just because the bank cashes a cashiers check it could still bite you.Maybe same with money order its all in the fine print

[crackerjack69]

Agreed with above comment, make buyer play by your rules or make him take a walk. I'm sure there will be other buyers.

[72240z]

"A cashier's cheque (cashier's cheque, banker's cheque, bank cheque, official cheque, demand draft, teller's cheque, banker's draft or treasurer's cheque) is a check guaranteed by a bank, drawn on the bank's own funds and signed by a cashier.^[1] Cashier's checks are treated as guaranteed funds because the bank, rather than the purchaser, is responsible for paying the amount. They are commonly required for real estate and brokerage transactions.

When a customer asks a bank for a cashier's check, the bank debits the amount from the customer's account immediately, and then the bank assumes the responsibility for covering the cashier's check. This is in contrast with a personal check, where the bank does not debit the amount from the customer's account until the check is deposited or cashed by the recipient"

Some people dont trust and or like PayPal, is it that unreasonable?
How much are these wheels worth that the evil Nigerians are trying to scam them so hard?  

I agree though to only buy and sell as your comfortable doing so, goes both ways. 

[RTB]

Yea but if its a scam, not only will I have lost my wheels, but if I spent any of the money that was given to me I would have to return it. There are loopholes in everything.

[hobbes_the_cat]

I bet the check shows up for more than the price of the wheels and he will want you to forward the extra cash to him with the wheels. Classic scam with a fake check. It will take a few days for the bank to realize its fake but by then he has the goods AND some cash and you're up a creek.

[Tristin]

Yea but if its a scam, not only will I have lost my wheels, but if I spent any of the money that was given to me I would have to return it. There are loopholes in everything.

 

Ive never seen anyone have to return Cashiers check money before. There was a news article where a guy deposited one of those fake "Youve Won $10,000" checks and was awarded the money. He tried to return it multiple times and they wouldnt take it back... legal tender. Ended up being able to keep it. 

[darrel]

 

"A cashier's cheque (cashier's cheque, banker's cheque, bank cheque, official cheque, demand draft, teller's cheque, banker's draft or treasurer's cheque) is a check guaranteed by a bank, drawn on the bank's own funds and signed by a cashier.^[1] Cashier's checks are treated as guaranteed funds because the bank, rather than the purchaser, is responsible for paying the amount. They are commonly required for real estate and brokerage transactions.

When a customer asks a bank for a cashier's check, the bank debits the amount from the customer's account immediately, and then the bank assumes the responsibility for covering the cashier's check. This is in contrast with a personal check, where the bank does not debit the amount from the customer's account until the check is deposited or cashed by the recipient"

 

Some people dont trust and or like PayPal, is it that unreasonable?

How much are these wheels worth that the evil Nigerians are trying to scam them so hard?  

 

I agree though to only buy and sell as your comfortable doing so, goes both ways. 

 

 

 

Ive never seen anyone have to return Cashiers check money before. There was a news article where a guy deposited one of those fake "Youve Won $10,000" checks and was awarded the money. He tried to return it multiple times and they wouldnt take it back... legal tender. Ended up being able to keep it. 

 

 

Under normal circumstances these are correct. Cashiers checks are good. BUT ONLY IF THEY ARE NOT FORGED OR FAKED! To you or I they might look like good cashiers checks. Until your bank tries to collect. There is no way the bank would take a hit on a forged/fake cashiers check, it's all on you.

 

This was an obvious scam and anyone who has been on the internet the past 15 yrs knows about the nigerian like scams.

 

Never let the buyer dictate terms. If I say postal money order that is what I want. You have to pay cash for a postal money order, no check, no credit card and if the amount is small enough you can get it cashed the same time to send out the item, provided it's small enough to use the postal service.