gary schattl - Posted - 04/18/2011:  10:57:07

Same messages new name.Now he is sending spam emails and regular email acct.They are trying first and last names.Also false bidding on my ebay items.Ebay is a joke,can't even contact them with a phone call

Edited by - jazzylynne on 04/18/2011 14:46:28

jimmyprince - Posted - 04/18/2011:  11:03:05

Got this one this morning: whoever they are they are not very bright.:

Hello,

I'm quite interested in purchasing this your item and am ready for immediate purchase. Payment will be made to you via Paypal, do you accept Paypal as mode of payment? I will like to ask you the following questions.Are you the real owner?What is the present condtion?How much is the final asking price?Do you have paypal ID which payment can be make?Where is the exact location for the pick up? I will be glad to hear back from you. I have a shipper that will come over for the pick up, so you don't needs to bother of the shipment, just let me know the pick up location so that I can make and inquiry with the pick up agent to know how much it will cost me for the pick up....Get back with any respond to my private email direct: brianjones001@yahoo.com , cause i check this email often, or send me your email to contact you direct. I will be looking forward to read from you.



Reply back to: brianjones001@yahoo.com

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  11:12:18

How can anyone turn down an offer like that.  I always turn down paypal..

snakeherd - Posted - 04/18/2011:  11:21:19

I wonder if that's Brian Jones - the dead Rolling Stone?

I didn't know he played banjo.

rminke - Posted - 04/18/2011:  11:43:24

Vapor, Why do you turn down PayPal & what is your preferred method of payment? I am getting ready to put my "94" RB3 up for sale & am trying to learn how to sell without getting scammed or cheated. Thanks, REM

Jim D - Posted - 04/18/2011:  12:04:28

While there's no doubt that's a scammer... how the heck does he proceed with his scam?

Paypal "pay to" addresses are email addresses, not bank account numbers.  Obviously, no one is going to come to pick anything up.  What am I missing here? Where does his payoff come from?

Jim

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  12:48:22

I was joking about turning down paypal, it is my preference as well.

The way a scam works is to get your confidence and then a check is sent.  Usually double, and they ask you to send them back the amount in excess of the purchase.  By the time the check clears, they have your money, usually sent by wire method.

I cannot tell you how many people actually do this.  No matter how many times people are warned to be cautious, someone trusts a little too much.  Not every one is a scammer, but one must be vigilant, and only use secure money transaction venues.

For me it is simple, cash is best, after a currency pen check.

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  12:53:56

A few things here.

If someone needs to ask you questions about the instrument, this is fine, and questions about your account, password, ID information, or any other personal and private information is not.  Bank account number, etc are bad options.  Paypal is nice, you are sending the exact amount through paypal to  registered user.  Accepting paypal is just as simple when done correctly.  You do not ship until paypal has cleared the money through.

There is great information at the FBI.org site on computer/internet fraud that is great to read.  I suggest everyone check it out for Do's and Don'ts.

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  13:07:40

Rem,

Follow the guidelines on classified postings, exchange e-mails using the BHO, they can click on your name and send you  PM with questions.  Do not post your e-mail in the posting, there is no need with the BHO PM function.  This will cut down on the scammers, because they usually will not do the PM thing.

Charlie

dobroman - Posted - 04/18/2011:  13:53:30

I got the same one as jimmyprince on two different adds at the same time within minutes. How do you stop this kind of thing? What a bunch of crap.

championofnorthhuron - Posted - 04/18/2011:  14:15:05

So... Jim D's question is still valid. I mean... based on the language used by the scammer in the inquires I quite clearly see this as some sort of scam and I would ignore based on that alone, but like Jim D I still don't see where the scammer gets the payoff. If the scammer is offering to pay some amount whether the asking price or some value exceeding that, and payment is actually received and cleared through PayPal, and nobody is really going to show up and pick something up; where/how does the scammer score? Sorry if I'm just being dense. 

Edited by - championofnorthhuron on 04/18/2011 14:15:51

Jim D - Posted - 04/18/2011:  14:24:11

That's the question, Champ!

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  14:28:28

The scammer does not actually pay through pay pal.  He will convince you to use another venue and this is where he collects his pay day.

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  14:32:07

This is a double edge sword.  He may not want to actually get you to pay.  He may ask you enough questions to get you to answer the items he needs to access your account and then he cleans it out.  These guys are very, very good at it.  They are just as good as Earl on the banjo.

It is not always as it seems when you talk to them.  This is why I advised to ONLY answer questions about the banjo.  Financials personal questions, bank info, pay pal account info relating to your account should never be  answered.

championofnorthhuron - Posted - 04/18/2011:  14:57:27

"The scammer does not actually pay through pay pal.  He will convince you to use another venue and this is where he collects his pay day"

"He may ask you enough questions to get you to answer the items he needs to access your account and then he cleans it out"

Got it. So the initial offer to do PayPal is just a way to get a foot in the door and initiate further communication. Then if the scammer senses you're a sucker he gains your trust and works you over little by little, using various ploys to get you to either send money or disclose account information in your eagerness to close a deal.  

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  15:13:09

That is correct.  Each has a different method, but in the end it is always the same,  Get your money

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  15:16:08

The best advice, is do not open any e-mail you do not trust.  They can also embed worms and trojans in attachments, to gain access to your computer and get information that way, or they can direct you to another website to deliver malicious code.  Keep your anti-virus software up to date and turned on, and again, do not put your e-mail in your postings, use the BHO private message service for people to contact you, then you can filter these out and not reply.

Sarge1201 - Posted - 04/18/2011:  15:18:53

Dear Brian Jones

I trust you complete.  Please send to me a copy of your driving lisense so I can know to be trust you.  Or you may calling me at (INSERT NUMBER OF LOCAL FBI OFFICE HERE) and we can speak as friend.

Thanks you my very good friend

Mortimer.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 04/18/2011:  15:34:55

Needless  to say, Mr. Jones has been locked out.   I got a couple of PMs  today asking if it was a scam and responded that it definitely was.

Watch for people who are brand new (not always  a scammer, but a chance they might be) trying to buy something from you.

Watch what questions are asked (as stated above):  are  they asking about the item you are selling or do othey just say "interested in purchasing the "item" you have for sale -- that's a dead giveaway.

Watch for poor  grammer -- if they can't write a good sentence, there's a chance they may be a scammer (again, not always, as there  are people who are very honest and still can't  parse a sentence).

Watch for people asking for any personal information:  bank account, Paypal account, anything where they could get money from you.

I'm  sure  there's other things to watch  for, the above is just what I thought of right now.  I'm sure others may have more and better ideas than mine.

ELWOOD - Posted - 04/18/2011:  15:35:39

Iam a Foriegn crook , Me likes Yankee dollars. Illwebe sending Mucho Deneiro towards you Dummy boy. please enclose First Born and social smammer # to friendly Canadian Crooker guy  by Western Union Asap to crooked alienn creeper asap. also see photo of Loose sister,  your fiend,   Crooked Guy..................Give me a lil credit Crooked guy. They must be Kidding........Peggy

Edited by - ELWOOD on 04/18/2011 15:38:41

chickenpickin - Posted - 04/18/2011:  16:12:04

quote:

---

Originally posted by ELWOOD

Iam a Foriegn crook , Me likes Yankee dollars. Illwebe sending Mucho Deneiro towards you Dummy boy. please enclose First Born and social smammer # to friendly Canadian Crooker guy  by Western Union Asap to crooked alienn creeper asap. also see photo of Loose sister,  your fiend,   Crooked Guy..................Give me a lil credit Crooked guy. They must be Kidding........Peggy

---

LOL!!!!!!!! That's funny right thar..........I don't care who ya are....

Tim

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  16:14:59

I cannot begin to tell you how many people I have dealt with over the years, who did fall for these things.  I have seen people lose thousands of dollars.  I cannot begin to tell you how bad I felt that here is nothing that can be done, as the money literally disappears.

Vigilance is the best defense.  There are many good honest people out there, and then the scammers made us suspicious of everyone, but this is the way it is.

It goes with the mailings, The contest you won, just send us 650.00 and we will tell you the prize you have.

I could go on, but I hope you see the message.  If it is too good to believe, it probably is a bad thing.

ELWOOD - Posted - 04/18/2011:  16:30:55

We  98  per cent good guys can and do look out for each other, see a scammer report it immediately......................   The western union/ Canadian thing is the current biggy , But it will change ........ Lets kick this in the nether regions by all watching and protecting our thing,     Up in arms brothers , we got this ,,     Steve

Edited by - ELWOOD on 04/18/2011 16:32:13

Vapor - Posted - 04/18/2011:  18:09:18

Well put Steve.

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 04/18/2011:  21:17:38

I would be so honoured to sell an instrument to a Dead Rolling Stone that I would give him free shipping (within the greater metro-planet)

Gymbal31 - Posted - 04/19/2011:  06:27:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by Texasbanjo

Watch for poor  grammer -- if they can't write a good sentence, there's a chance they may be a scammer

---

Hmmm.  That makes for a lot of scammers on the Hangout. 

wrangler - Posted - 04/19/2011:  11:20:20

The scammers usually appeal to greed.  If a respondent thinks he can make more money, his/her greed clouds the vision of reality.  My grand father couldn't read or write but he did say " If something seems too good to be true, it probably is."  That's "down home" (Kentucky) wisdom.

steve j. - Posted - 04/19/2011:  11:42:11

quote:

---

Originally posted by ELWOOD

Iam a Foriegn crook , Me likes Yankee dollars. Illwebe sending Mucho Deneiro towards you Dummy boy. please enclose First Born and social smammer # to friendly Canadian Crooker guy  by Western Union Asap to crooked alienn creeper asap. also see photo of Loose sister,  your fiend,   Crooked Guy..................Give me a lil credit Crooked guy. They must be Kidding........Peggy

---