I think I'm getting scammed....

[AaronWhitt82]

I listed my waverunner on Craigslist and received this E-mail.
I'm pretty sure the guy is trying to scam me, but I'm just going to play along with it.
What do you guys think??
The first e-mail I got starts at the bottom and goes up.




Hello,

Thanks for the fast response.
Send me the name and the address the check will bear and be mailed to so that I have it sent to you as soon as possible. You dont have to worry about the shipping, I will include some funds that will be given to the shipper on the check as soon as you get it, Once you get the check you have the funds sent to him via moneygram wire transfer and then you both schedule a pick up time. Let me know



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From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: The 2003 SEA DOO RXDI 157 HRS. - $4600
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 12:01:55 -0500

Mike -

Thanks for the reply.
As far as shipping goes I don't know anything about that or how much it would cost. You would need to contact a reputatble shipping company and get an estimate on how much it would cost you. As far as the payment goes a cashier's check or bank check would be fine with me; however I will not release the waverunner until the check clears.
Let me know about shipping and the payment when you find out and we can move on from there.

Thanks,
Aaron




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From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: The 2003 SEA DOO RXDI 157 HRS. - $4600
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 16:29:22 +0000

Hello,
Sorry for getting back to you late, I have been busy and tight with work schedule, had to travel some miles to get somethings very important done. Anyway what have you been up to on this sale, figured out anything about the shipping and payment at all. I am really willing to buy this from you and will post your payment as soon as each others term as been agreed to, the payment will be in full and someone will come and have it picked up as soon as payment has gone through, however as much as I like to handle the shipment myself, I have contacted a shipper to ask how much it will cost to have it thugged down here and they should get back to me before monday.
On the payment aspect, how about If I have a certified cashiers/bank check check mailed out to you as soon as I get the shipping quote so that I will include the shipping fee to be paid to the shipper on it and we can get everything rounded up before the end of next week. Let me know If this works for you and then we can move on from there.
Have a wonderful weekend
Michael
206-888-6572




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From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 2003 SEA DOO RXDI 157 HRS. - $4600
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 14:35:03 -0500

Mike,
As of right now it is still up for sale. I have a few people interested in it as well.
Let me know.

Thanks,
Aaron




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 2003 SEA DOO RXDI 157 HRS. - $4600
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 00:03:18 +0000

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html


Hey,
Just browsed through your SEA DOO posted on craigslist. I have interest in it and will like to know If you still have it up for sale, I live in Seattle, willing to pay all the shipping expenses If you still have it up for sale. Please get back to me as soon as possible If still available. Thanks

Michael
206-888-6572

[jmvotto]

aaron,

Sounds like a scam, just don't send anything until you have cleared funds in your bank for about a week on this one.

I had a familar transaction on ebay a while back, after a few e-mails the buyer disappeared.

[tazz3069]

Be very careful with craig's list. I tried selling a boat there. I had it listed for $9000.00 The buyer sent me a $18,000 cashiers check. I called the bank. The funds were good, the account was good, but the check was fake. The bank did nit have a record of that check. I reported the check to the fraud department with the police. After am investigation and several emails and phone calls, they were caught. Justice was served. Every time I try to sell something on Craig's list I get sopeople that just left the country on business but are very interested. I reply," You should of bought it before you left." To add to that, I tell them to Scam someone else and forward the email to Fraud department at our local police.

[spyder]

yeah, the poor english is a strong indication it is a scam.

[GeauxTigers]

I think the "poor english" is part of the scam to appear as a helpless foreign person who would never do something bad. I get spammed at least once a week offering me the multi-milliion dollar inheritance of some or other wealthy person who died in combat somewhere in Africa.... you guys ever get those emails?

[JesseC]

Sounds sketchy to me. I used a reverse phone lookup and this is what it turned up:

(206) 888-6572Type: Land Line
Provider: International Telcom, Ltd
Location: Seattle, WA

Where did the guy say he was located?

Here is the website, I use it frequently to check ebay users addresses to phone numbers: http://www.whitepages.com/reverse_phone


.

[tprkolbas]

just a quick opinion from a cop - sounds very scam like. i would wait at least 10 business days for the check to clear if you proceed.

[morewaves]

I think this is a scam. This is one of those scams where the check will arrive for more than the amount you're asking for and then they will ask you to wire transfer the difference to someone/somewhere. The problem is that the check will eventually bounce and you can't recover the amount that was wire transfered.

For more information, check out this article on snopes.com:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/cashier.asp

[tazz3069]

Sounds sketchy to me. I used a reverse phone lookup and this is what it turned up:

(206) 888-6572Type: Land Line
Provider: International Telcom, Ltd
Location: Seattle, WA

Where did the guy say he was located?

Here is the website, I use it frequently to check ebay users addresses to phone numbers: http://www.whitepages.com/reverse_phone


.

Jesse That web sight is awesome. I will definitely use that web sight in the future

[AaronWhitt82]

UPDATE: I'm still messing with this guy. He did say that he was located in Seattle.
I work for a Police department myself so I know how these things work.
The guy just e-mailed me back earlier and this is what he said....

Hello,

Thanks for the fast response.
Send me the name and the address the check will bear and be mailed to so that I have it sent to you as soon as possible. You dont have to worry about the shipping, I will include some funds that will be given to the shipper on the check as soon as you get it, Once you get the check you have the funds sent to him via moneygram wire transfer and then you both schedule a pick up time. Let me know

Here is the reply I sent back:

Hey Mike that sounds great. Glad to have heard back from you.
The name is Aaron Washkowiak and address is 210 S. Woodland Avenue Oglesby, Illinois 61348.
I'm looking forward to receiving the check.
Also, did we come to an agreement on the price you will be paying for the item?
I also need the name, phone number and address of the shipping company so I can get in contact with them.

Regards,
Aaron





I gave him my first name, but a fake last name and I gave him the address of the Police Department where I work.
I'm going to see if I actually get a check.

I also received another e-mail that was very similar and I told the guy I turned him into the Fraud Dept., Local Police and FBI and of course never heard back......