Visit our Popular Forums

53flyingcloud · 07-09-2003, 12:12 AM

rluhr

This scam methodology is very much like what was reported in the newspapers~!
It seems that a couple here in the states had a "vintage car" listed for sale, they were contacted by email, and the buyer was from Nigeria. As I recall the article, he agrees to their asking price but further stated that, he had someone in the states that "owed" him some money. This stateside person would send to them his cashier check and, would they deposit it in their bank. Then, he asked them to send to his account in Africa the excess money after they took out what he owed them for the car. Well, the cashier check cleared the bank and, they then wired his account the excess. Later, the bank came back to them and said the cashier check was NO GOOD! The bank attempted to recover the money from their savings account~ the couple obtained the service of a lawyer and fought the bank. Ended up that the bank and the couple settled out of court. (Terms undisclosed)
Story ending: The couple still have their car, the bank was out of the money and, the crook in Nigeria continues to run his SCAM.
ciao

85MH325 · 07-09-2003, 03:42 AM

These Nigerian scams are very common. A friend of mine who imports and sells Land Rovers was contacted recently with the same scam. He didn't fall for it, and contacted the Feds. I've received similar "someone died, left no heirs, and if you pose as family, we'll split the estate" email scam letters recently as a result of listing my 325 for sale.

There are fake titles, fake cashier's checks, counterfeit cash, you name it and someone has or is doing it. There are SO many ways to run a scam, you probably can't avoid them all if someone is bent on taking you for a ride.

There are ways to better your odds though. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Do your homework on your buyer. Run the best background check you can. Get information from them and check it out with their financial institution, their "hometown" police department, and any other resources you can think of. Verify their home and work addresses. There are lots of small things you can do to assure yourself that your buyer is on the up-and-up. If something doesn't add up, then either run it down until you're satisfied, or don't do business with that prospective buyer.

The successful buying and selling of commodities in this world involves some amount of trust and some risk. You can diminish your risk, though, by doing your homework. Be up-front with your buyer and tell him what you're doing. A legitimate buyer shouldn't mind at all.

Roger

Coloradobus · 07-09-2003, 08:02 AM

qqq, I don't think we qualified for Irs.
The Globetrotter was only a couple grand for basically an intact shell. It wasn't liveable as advertized when we picked it up. Now it will be tho, soon. Lots of boxes will be arriving from Inland RV shortly.

Ken J · 07-09-2003, 08:05 AM

The person I heard from was Marvin, Melvin or something similar from United Emricks. Said he represented a buyer.

Ken J.

drboyd · 07-09-2003, 10:40 PM

...but I'm going to be able to retire and be a full-timer real soon now. I have a very, very, very honest person from Nigeria who was related to the late Mobutu Seisi Seiko who wants me to help them smuggle $50 million in gold out of the country, and they're going to give me 30% just for helping!!!

I just hope those gold bars aren't too heavy!

Maybe I should buy a forklift....

85MH325 · 07-10-2003, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by drboyd
...but I'm going to be able to retire and be a full-timer real soon now. I have a very, very, very honest person from Nigeria who was related to the late Mobutu Seisi Seiko who wants me to help them smuggle $50 million in gold out of the country, and they're going to give me 30% just for helping!!!

I just hope those gold bars aren't too heavy! Maybe I should buy a forklift....

If you leave the tanks empty, most Airstreams can carry a little over 1,000 lbs of gold bars per load...

For just half of your share, you can use my coach!

Roger

Silvertwinkie · 07-10-2003, 05:24 AM

For just a few bars each we could bring an armada of Chicagoland folks to help.

Cottage has a hot tub in his Airstream. Plenty of space there for a few bars!

Eric

53flyingcloud · 07-10-2003, 05:29 AM

drboyd
Could it be THAT, I misunderstood you??

If you're serious, I should warn you of "sting" operations to catch people who fall for these type of emails.

On the other hand, if you're able to pull it off and, need help spending it..lol I can think of several thousand A/S'er who'll be glad to help you~!

Good Luck on getting across the border...
ciao

drboyd · 07-10-2003, 08:11 AM

Actually, the new internet sport is "scam baiting." For some really good chuckles, see pages like http://www.scamorama.com/

Oceancontainer · 07-29-2003, 03:34 PM

If this topic does not belong in this forum moderators please move to proper forum.

I've been communicating via e-mail with a Sean Kester who claims he hails ? from the UK and is based in the US. From his first e-mail on 06/22/03 he claimed he would like to purchase my 31' Airstream Sovereign. On 07/17/03 he contacts me saying his secretary is prepared to make a wire transfer to my account for payment etc.. On 07/23/03 he contacts me and claims his serretary made a mistake on the check, bla, bla, bla, the check has been written for $ 27,000.00 more than the amount we had originally discussed and he trust's me that I will do the right thing and bla, bla, bla....
I didnt fall off the turnip truck yesterday folks, I am experienced in scams like this and others.
On 07/24 & 07/26 he e-mails me and tells me to go to my Bank and verify confirmation that payment has been made into my account. I called my wire transfer services and no transfer has been made.
Today 07/29/03 I get a call from my Bank that they have received a rather large Certified Check made out to me from an account on First Third Bank Kentucky Inc. for $ 67,000.29 purchased by Ritz Trade Inc.
I had my Bank call Michelle Dillon, the individual who signed off on that check at First Third Bank in Kentucky and she says the check is a counterfeit. Michelle says this is the Nigerian Mob who has done several checks like this over the internet to folks who are selling their Airstream travel trailers, she goes on to say they have the seller reimburse the buyers with a Certified check for the overage amount, they come take your trailer and check and skip town.
I dont know when they come to fetch the trailer but I'm going to play this game to the end.
I'll keep my friends here at Airstream Forums updated as to what happens in the comming days.

rluhr · 07-29-2003, 04:44 PM

There was another thread covering this topic just a few weeks ago. Regardless of what name they use ("Sean Kester" is undoubtedly an alias), any member selling anything should be suspicious of this certified check/overpayment scam. It's old news but people keep falling for it, and so the Nigerians keep running it.

-- RL

drboyd · 07-29-2003, 08:59 PM

...I'm guessing they couldn't care less about the trailer - they just want the cash. Trailers are big and relatively hard to ship, but cash has a nasty way of disappearing.

I'd string him along about how you're getting the trailer all sealed up for the trip, and dipping the whole thing in a huge tank of cosmolene, and the cashier's check for the balance will be sent to him Real Soon Now.

I dunno - would your friendly local FBI office be interested in helping you deliver the check?

qqq · 07-29-2003, 10:29 PM

I hope this crook doesn't lurk on this Forum, because if he does, you just lost an opportunity to get him nailed

Hart

53flyingcloud · 07-29-2003, 10:37 PM

qqq

Excellent point but~!

So far, we've never had anyone from Nigeria to visit this site~

ciao

qqq · 07-29-2003, 10:51 PM

53

Who knows who are the "guests" & if they are not from Nigeria or France?

Hart

53flyingcloud · 07-29-2003, 11:01 PM

qqq

If you go to AIRSTREAMFORUMS site's home page under "Quick links" then click on 'Forum Statistics' and, look up countries visited by...

It shows all of the countries from where a person has 'logged' on from..

I grant you that, what you say could be right, but..it's not easy to hid your portal of origin..

Just a thought..

qqq · 07-29-2003, 11:03 PM

53

I think most of those Nigerian gangs are in the New York area

Hart

drboyd · 07-30-2003, 11:13 AM

...are way out of touch with much of American culture. If you want to laugh till you're rolling on the floor, read some of the exchanges at www.scamorama.com.

thenewkid64 · 07-30-2003, 01:21 PM

Why did you post that link!

I just spent over an hour ROTFLMAO.

I really like his theme baiting. The Skipper and Gilligan was the best. Now I don't feel so bad when I misspell a word

Thanks for the link, I think

ChrisAich · 12-19-2004, 01:58 PM

That's amazing. I didn't think it was possible to stop payment on cashier's checks or money orders. Jeez.
I've been reading all the scams just to make sure I was justified in not writing back to my 2 scammers. They were both the "cashier check for more than the amount" and then you send the difference on. One of them was in France. At least it was a French Yahoo address.

Having someone "trust" you with so much money above and beyond the original cost is impossible. You know *you* wouldn't ever do it.
But, a legitimate cashier's check and stopping payment! What were you supposed to have done? Those are supposed to be as good as cash. Hmph, guess not!

So, what finally happened? Was that guy arrested for theft?

Quote:

Originally Posted by piratesrus

I sold a man from Vt. a beautiful airstream. He gave me a legit. cashiers check. I gave him the title and the airstream. Before I got back home, (I met him half way) he had stopped payment. I found out anyone can stop payment on a Postal Money Order or a cashiers check. I agree with the other guy, "when you are the seller, cash is KING"