Archive for the 'Scams' Category

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New type of car scam hits Overland Park

Published on July 28, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Overland Park police warn of online car-selling scam:

Police in Overland Park, Kansas are warning their residents of type of used car scam that is taking place on craigslist.

How it works is that a person buys a car from a private seller saying they were just in an accident and have an insurance check to pay for the car. The check turns out to be a forgery so the victim is swindled out of their car. Then the scam artists sell the stolen car on craigslist.

I lost a car in a flood once. The check from the insurance company was made out to me and the bank that held the loan on my car. If a buyer approached me with that kind of check or a check in the seller’s name I would not take that deal.

Don’t forget to enter to win your own CCL T-Shirt.

Craigslist crime post #1260
Scam post #187

Real Estate/Identity Theft Scam in Upstate New York

Published on July 28, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist, Real Estate and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Online rental scammers: The Real Deal:

Residents in the Syracuse, New York area are being warned of a real estate scam on craigslist that could steal your identity.

In this scam it starts off with a phony ad being placed on craigslist except the ad is copied from a legitimate realtor. When you contact the person who placed the ad they send you to a website that they say is intended to get your credit report when in reality it’s set up just to steal your information.

My friends at Geebo tell me that the technology exists to remove ads like this before they ever get posted. Take a look at their site: trench.co.

Don’t forget to enter to win your own CCL T-Shirt.

Craigslist crime post #1259
Real Estate post #98
Scam post #186

Beware of fake craigslist checks from Acura of Libertyville

Published on July 27, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Check-cashing scam targets Vero Beach man via Craigslist:

A man in Vero Beach, Florida was trying to sell a doghouse he made on craigslist for $400. He received a check from Acura of Libertyville in Illinois and told to wire the difference to someone in Colorado. Luckily the man knew that he was being scammed and did not cash the check as it was fake.

The Acura dealership, which is also a victim in this, had this to say…

The check is a forgery that has been repeated hundreds of times since late April, said Cheryl Pope, controller for the car dealership, Acura of Libertyville.

“Somebody got hold of a check that we sent to one of our vendors and sent it to people all over the country and told them to cash it,” she said. “This has been a nightmare.”

Pope said the account was closed within days, as soon as the last legitimate check was cashed. But the forgeries continued.

Again be careful for checks that are over the amount, checks that are from a 3rd party, and being asked to wire money. These are all red flags when it comes to scams.

It is possible to screen ads so that things like this are far less likely to happen. Try Geebo.com, where they screen all their ads before they are ever posted on their site.

Don’t forget your chance to win a free CCL t-shirt.

Craigslist crime post #1253
Scam post #185

El Paso parking lot address used in craigslist scam

Published on July 25, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Scam uses El Paso address: Montana parking lot listed on Craigslist site, police say:

A scammer, supposedly from Scotland, is using the address of a parking lot in El Paso, Teaxs to defraud their victims out of money.

The scammer will post a used car for sale on craigslist and then e-mail potential victims a phony eBay document then would have them wire the scammer the money. Of course there is no car and the scammer runs off with the money.

He would use the El Paso address of 314 Montana as a shipping address and claimed that he is overseas and owns the property or that he is overseas with the military.

Again wiring and overseas should be two red flags to let you know that you’re probably being scammed.

Craigslist crime post #1250
Scam post #184

Vt. scammers arrested for not paying

Published on July 25, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Mother, Daughter Charged With Craigslist Fraud:

Police in Vermont have arrested the mother/daughter duo of 61-year-old Louise Townsend and 22-year-old Misty Townsend, of East Haven.

They’re accused of purchasing high end electronic items off of craigslist and not paying for them. Allegedly they would tell the sellers from all over the country that they deposited the money in the seller’s PayPal account.

Who the hell sends out the merchandise before they’ve confirmed that they’ve received the money?

In case you were wondering, don’t do that.

Craigslist crime post #1248
Scam post #183

Update 4/20/2011: They were sentenced to 3 years probation.

RCMP warns of craigslist counterfeiters

Published on July 24, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

RCMP warn B.C. counterfeiters targeting Craigslist online classifieds:

Speaking of Canada, because we were you know, the RCMP are warning residents of British Columbia to be careful when conducting business on craigslist.

They are saying that dozens of transactions have involved counterfeit money.

Craigslist crime post #1247
Scam post #182

Kentucky Craigslist Contractor in the Klink

Published on July 24, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Shepherdsville man scammed people using Craigslist, police say:

33-year-old Jason Douglas Quick of Shepherdsville, Kentucky was arrested in Bullitt County after he allegedly scammed some people out of some money.

Quick is accused of posting an ad on craigslist for his services as a contractor and then accepting money but not doing any work. Not surprisingly he’s not a licensed contractor.

If you’re looking for a contractor I would recommend contacting the Better Business Bureau or using a service like Angie’s List.

Craigslist crime post #1246
Scam post #181

SC woman falls prey to fake check scam

Published on July 24, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Deputies: Craigslist Seller Scammed By Buyer:

A woman from Boiling Springs, South Carolina is out of $1700 after cashing a fake check. She was selling a microwave on craigslist for $670 and received a check from a scammer calling himself Dr. Dreman. The victim cashed the check and wired the difference before finding out the check was a fake.

You know, craigslist does have the capability to block Nigerian IP addresses. I wonder if they’re getting Nigerian kickbacks.

I’m only half kidding about that.

Craigslist crime post #1245
Scam post #180

Man caught selling phony gift cards on craigslist

Published on July 17, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Man Accused Of Craigslist Gift Card Scam:

Why the long face? Anyway that’s 36-year-old Brian Beck of Portland, Oregon. He’s been arrested for allegedly selling $1000 worth of phony gift cards on craigslist.

Police say that he bought the gift cards then reported them stolen. He would then take the cards that have been reported stolen and then sell them on craigslist.

Again, I personally would never buy gift cards on craigslist and I would recommend that you don’t either.

Craigslist post #1233
Scam post #179

The craigslist used car scam in Nebraska

Published on July 15, 2010 by Trench Reynolds in Craigslist and Scams. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Craiglist Scam Targets Used Car Customers:

The Nebraska State Patrol Auto Fraud Division is warning citizens that people in Nebraska have lost large sums of money to the used car scam from ads that are being posted on craigslist.

The scammers pose as out of state sellers and probably offer the car at a ridiculously low price and ask you to wire the money. Of course as you may expect the car doesn’t actually exist.

The Nebraska State Patrol reminds individuals, while there are many good, legitimate deals available via the internet, when it comes to big ticket items such as a motor vehicle, if you can’t see it, touch it, or drive it, you may not want to buy it.

Good advice.