My Girlfriend Li-Ping Was Targeted for a Scam -- She Just Escaped

[On the Road]

She was renting out a room in her house and advertised on Craigslist. She got an email reply from someone in Wales who said he was moving to the US for a job and needed to set up housing first. Li-Ping said this was fine, and that she needed a $400 deposit first.

She received an envelope over the weekend with $3700 in money orders with instructions to take whatever amount she needed and send the rest to her agent via Western Union. She called me this morning and asked me what to do. I had no idea -- something didn't sound right about it. I recommended that she make sure she actually had the cash from the money orders before sending any money via Western Union.

Since it was a US Postal Order, she decided to go to a Post Office, which turned out to be a good move. The post office clerk disappeared with the money orders and came back with two policemen. Turned out the money orders were counterfeit. She had brought a copy of the email and was able to show that she was a victim, not a perpetrator of the crime.

There are all kinds of scams. This one was a new one on me. Just thought I'd share. The people behind this obviously expected her to deposit the money orders and wire the money, then find out later that the money orders were worthless.

[trotsky]

1. Snopes did a writeup on this kind of scam.

Good thing she had them checked out.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/carsale.asp

[On the Road]

3. That is Scary --

Three days later, the check appears to clear, and any freeze the bank had placed on these funds is removed.

Satisfied that the check was good (the bank had released the funds, after all), the seller wires the overage to the person it's owed to and waits for someone to come pick up the vehicle.

Two weeks later, the seller is informed by his bank the check was a forgery.

I mean, if a check clears, I would have assumed it was good. I never heard of funds being taken back after they're released into your account. I mean, what are those lengthy holding periods for, anyway?

So why does Snopes label this story False?

[trotsky]

6. It's false because of the way they worded the claim.

Claim: Vehicle sellers advertising online should trust buyers who pay with cashier checks made out for amounts in excess of the agreed-upon purchase price and ask the balances be sent to third parties.

The scam is real (true), so the claim above is false.

[On the Road]

8. OK, I Understand Now

I always thought cashier's checks were pretty much considered as good as cash. Last month, I found my credit union had a five-day holding period. I could not understand this until today.

[sui generis]

2. this is an old scam

accidentally send a check for "too much" and then immediately ask for a refund of the difference.

Very common - now she knows at least one variation!

[On the Road]

4. I Learned Something, Too

I might have been contacted by a similar person who wanted to purchase a bunk bed I had put on Craigslist. The holdup was he wanted it to be shipped to him, which was out of the question. But it sounded funny in the same sort of way.

At exactly what point can you be sure that a check is legitimate?

[MissB]

7. Go with "cash only"

It is a helluva lot easier.

I list my stuff as "cash only, pick up only, first come first serve".

[sui generis]

9. after it clears the bank

don't compromise yourself by being too trusting - there are scam artists everywhere and they tend to flock to places where they can run them most effectively and anonymously.

If they're legit, they can wait a day or two until the check clears.

[On the Road]

10. That's What I Would Have Thought

but the Snopes article specified that the victim doesn't find out about the forgery for two weeks. That's what troubles me.

[warrens]

11. When in doubt, bring the check to your bank and explain the circumstances

They will put a hold on it for at least a couple of days. But they will tell you when it actually clears.

In reality, though, no check can ever be safely called cleared. If someone makes a copy of one of your checks and cashes it and you don't notice it, the victim thinks the money has arrived safely. Then you notice the money is missing and file a complaint. They can then come after the victim who cashed it in good faith for the money.

Don't accept any checks for more than the amount of the goods you are selling. Tell them that you'll return the other checks and they can worry about it.

[MissB]

5. Freaky.

Reason #567 why I list items on Craigslist as "cash only".

[warrens]

12. Please tell me that your nickname for Li-Ping

Is not "Lizards."

[On the Road]

13. No! (Took Me a Minute, Though)

:D

She did start an LLC with her son called "Leaping Sun, LLC."