bluehdmc - 1/14/2012 5:19 PM ... then gave my postal address. I also told him all moneies in US Postal Money Orders. (my bank can check them for fraud with a phone call). ..
I'm curious as to who your bank calls. I've had the Post Office tell me it can take up to 90 days to verify that a Postal Money Order is genuine. On the advice of my bank and the local Postmaster, I won't take money orders, cashier's checks, or certified checks.
It's important to remember that a check is only a promise to pay. I would never take a check for a large transaction, especially from someone I didn't know. While there are many honest buyers and sellers on eBay, it's really an open invitation for scammers.
Western Union is noted for problems with money. I just stay away.
Thats why I like cash.
That being said, I was given counterfit $20's as change in a restuarant recently. (There is always someone trying to scam other people!)
MoJoMoto - 1/14/2012 8:19 PM Thats why I like cash. That being said, I was given counterfit $20's as change in a restuarant recently. (There is always someone trying to scam other people!)
My kid got caught a couple years ago for passing a $100 that he got from our bank! Fortunately, he had just left the bank and still had the rest of his paycheck in the bank envelope. He got busted in a restaurant next door.
The cop walked him back to the bank, where they insisted it couldn't happen. The cop insisted that the clerk check her drawer where she found more of them. Otherwise he would have been in a world of hurt.
I also accept only cash or Paypal. I've been with Paypal since before they were called Paypal. I know some folks have trouble, but I haven't had a problem with them yet.
I had a very similar experience to bluehdmc's, received a check for $3000 more than asking price and was instructed to give the overage to the shipper. This check came via USPS. I took everything to the post office to make a postal inspector report, never heard anything back. I also contacted the bank the check was drawn on with no response. Guess all are too busy with too many frauds. We all just have to be on guard all the time and DON'T BITE on these things.
SidecarMike - 1/14/2012 7:48 PM
bluehdmc - 1/14/2012 5:19 PM ... then gave my postal address. I also told him all moneies in US Postal Money Orders. (my bank can check them for fraud with a phone call). ..
I'm curious as to who your bank calls. I've had the Post Office tell me it can take up to 90 days to verify that a Postal Money Order is genuine. On the advice of my bank and the local Postmaster, I won't take money orders, cashier's checks, or certified checks.
Actually I bank with a credit union, went in to cash a USPS money order once, girl disappeared, came back said it was legitimate and gave me the money. Not sure who they called, they did say that was the only ones they could check, not Amex or any others. I know you can't put a claim in for a money order for 60 days after it's issued.
The common hallmark of a scammer is that he sends you a check for more than the required amount, asks you to cash it and then send him the extra. This is a no-no.
I used to be on the GWRRA forum when I had a Goldwing. I heard a tale of woe once about ten years ago . One poor Canadian fellow sold a four cylinder Goldwing on eBay for $3,000 plus "shipping to Europe" in the amount of $700, total of the alleged cashier's check that he received in the mail was $3,700. The buyer said that his "representative" would come and collect the motorcycle and the $700 for shipping along with the title.
He deposited the check and took back the $700 in cash. When the man came, he signed the title, gave him the motorcycle and the cash and even helped him load it into a truck. Over the next 60 days, he managed to spend the entire $3,000. Alas, he received a notice soon thereafter that the check was a fraud and that he should imediately refund the entire amount to the bank, forthwith. (That's legal tallk for really, really fast, LOL).
So there he was. No motorcycle. No title. Out $3,700. The bank sued him several weeks later and obtained a judgment against him. As an act of kindness, they agreed to take monthly payments, with interest, of course.
Believe it or not, this actually happened. The entire story was related on the GWRRA site some ten years ago over a period of several weeks. Pretty sad, huh?
🙁
