Fake checks crop up in Craven County
If you sell items using online classifieds, beware, this could happen to you too. Two separate incidents from Craven County should alert you to a particular risk involved while selling online by this means.
These events happened to two sellers at Craig’s List who were almost scammed by fraudsters trying to pay for goods using counterfeit checks. This is one of the most common scam that a seller is exposed to online. But the two individuals on whom the scam was targeted proved to be smarter than their scammers. In fact, they could not have done better.
The more interesting affair of the two relates to a woman (name withheld by local authorities) who was trying to sell items for $200/- at the site. These items were reportedly picked up by a buyer who sent a check for $3,250/- for them. This check was followed by an email explaining that the check was a mistake as it was posted to the wrong person by the buyer’s accountant.
By the email, the fraudster could have been the very embodiment of politeness and virtue. Could you accept the check as payment, the mail continued, and send back the balance as a return check? Furthermore, he apologized for the trouble and even urged her to help herself to a tip of $50/- from the balance for all the hardships.
It is creditable that she still did not fall for the scam. In fact she did not even bother depositing the check. She was able to make out by the looks of the check that it was taken out with the help of a computer printer. She promptly reported the matter to the office of the Coven County Sheriff.
Hats off to both of you for not only NOT falling for these scams but also for going one step further and instantly bringing it to the notice of local authorities. If all net users get as wily, then we will have a happy consequence where the online community could dispense with the services of blogs and forums like ours!!!
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