Anyone run into this scam?

[CitizenKate]

Last week someone sent me a PM on Etsy, inquiring about the availability of one of my chair seats. Replied, it is available. He replied, I want to pay by check. Can you send me the total with shipping to my email address (which he provided), along with the address I should send the check to. I thought, a little unusual, but I do accept checks (or I did until this happened), so I sent him the information.

Then, he says he wants to use his own shipper, and he will send me money to pay his shipper. I should cash the check as soon as I get it, and he'll send his shipper for the package. Come again??? I think not!

I declined the deal, but he has already sent the check and is still trying to get me to go through with it. I've been checking into this, and this looks to me like the type of scam where a person posing as a buyer, sends a check for way over the amount due for the order, then asks the seller to send him (or in this case, his "shipper") the extra. The check then bounces, the bank takes the money out of my account, and I'm out the money and the item.

Have any of you run into this? I'm not worried about him getting my money, because there's no way I'm going to cash the check. At this point, I'm just trying to find out the best course of action to get them to go away and leave me alone. You guys in law enforcement... any advice?

Kate

[Denster]

Two options Kate. First tell him there is a two week delay on shipping for personal checks to clear that is pretty much standard anyway. If he balks or you don't want to risk the returned check fee if your bank charges one then just send the check back as a return to sender unopened and tell him to get lost.

[Spence]

That's a favorite scam in the dog breeder world. If you get the check, it might be a good idea to take it, along with all of the correspondence to your District Attorney. Also, if they've sent the check and you do not respond, they may try to put pressure on you or threaten you. Again, if this happens, take it to the D.A.

The actual chances of someone coming to your door in the dead of night is extremely low because they are all in Nigeria.

[rcsaddles]

This is an oldie but a goodie. People fall for this one all the time. My old neighbor, who was a Deputy and her husband was a Deputy, had a son who listed a motorcycle for sale. Guy wants to buy it, will send the money to have a couple dents removed, repainted and a shipper pick it up. Wants to send a check to cover all costs and a little extra.

DO NOT fall for it. You might contact local law enforcement to see if they want to set up to arrest the shipper when he comes to pick it up. Of course he will say he has no idea who sent the money. He is only the shipper.

Let us know what happens.

[Art]

Yes, except with credit cards. Card gets through but usually gets charged back 30 or more days later. They always want you to wire money to the shipper. This is a scam that is currently in vogue, and they get their victims from your website. If you bite once, they will generally follow-up with another very quickly, usually for a larger amount. Any time they want you to send any money anywhere, it is a scam. They don't want your merchandise (which can be traced through shipping), they want your money (if it is cash, wire, or western union the trail run cold fast). Always make sure Names, Addresses, and cc numbers match, call the cc company to match names on cc. For big tickets they will use multiple cc, sometimes with consecutive numbers. The bottom line is that if they know you won't play, they cross you off their list.

Art

Last week someone sent me a PM on Etsy, inquiring about the availability of one of my chair seats. Replied, it is available. He replied, I want to pay by check. Can you send me the total with shipping to my email address (which he provided), along with the address I should send the check to. I thought, a little unusual, but I do accept checks (or I did until this happened), so I sent him the information.

Then, he says he wants to use his own shipper, and he will send me money to pay his shipper. I should cash the check as soon as I get it, and he'll send his shipper for the package. Come again??? I think not!

I declined the deal, but he has already sent the check and is still trying to get me to go through with it. I've been checking into this, and this looks to me like the type of scam where a person posing as a buyer, sends a check for way over the amount due for the order, then asks the seller to send him (or in this case, his "shipper") the extra. The check then bounces, the bank takes the money out of my account, and I'm out the money and the item.

Have any of you run into this? I'm not worried about him getting my money, because there's no way I'm going to cash the check. At this point, I'm just trying to find out the best course of action to get them to go away and leave me alone. You guys in law enforcement... any advice?

Kate

[Casey Jordan]

A guy tried this with me on some truck rims he wanted shipped to Ohio. I had heard about the scam before so I was ready.

So for the address I looked up the Phoenix Police address and put ATTN: Phoenix Police Fraud Department.

Never heard from him again, now that's strange! He sure was in a hurry to get them shipped.

[Denster]

From what Kate described this is a personal check not a credit card and no other money is involved outside of product and shipping costs for the customers desired shipper. It may be a little odd but not neccesarily criminal. There is no probable cause for an arrest until the check bounces. As to arresting the shipper. Again no probable cause and in any case what if the shipper is UPS or FedEx with a call tag. Remember the shipper has to be knowingly involved in a criminal scheme to be arrested. I still maintain the original options. The customer, if legit, will not balk at time for the check to clear as that is pretty much accepted business practice. If you cash the check and it bounces then turn it over to LE. In any case do not ship till the money is solidly in your account.

[CitizenKate]

From what Kate described this is a personal check not a credit card and no other money is involved outside of product and shipping costs for the customers desired shipper.

That is yet to be seen. It depends on the amount of the check. If the check is for an amount much more than what I normally charge for the item plus shipping, that will be yet another sign. (Assuming I plan to open the letter, which I don't.)

It may be a little odd but not neccesarily criminal. There is no probable cause for an arrest until the check bounces. As to arresting the shipper. Again no probable cause and in any case what if the shipper is UPS or FedEx with a call tag. Remember the shipper has to be knowingly involved in a criminal scheme to be arrested. I still maintain the original options.

Exactly, law enforcement can't get involved until something criminal actually takes place, and so far, nothing has. But that doesn't mean I have to deal with him. Whether he's trying to scam me, or just create a lot of hassles, this isn't going to be worth the trouble. So the current plan is to follow your earlier suggestion of sending the letter back unopened.

One thing that makes this more than a little odd is that the customer wants me to pay his shipper. Normally when a 3rd-party shipper is involved, the shipper bills the buyer, not the seller. I've done deals like this before with no problems, but it is a hassle.

The customer, if legit, will not balk at time for the check to clear as that is pretty much accepted business practice. If you cash the check and it bounces then turn it over to LE. In any case do not ship till the money is solidly in your account.

That's just it, he's not willing to wait, even though I've told him the item is made to order, and I need two weeks to make it. He doesn't seem to care that he's trying to schedule his shipper to arrive well before there is even anything to be shipped. Yep, you could say that's a little odd, alright.

Kate

[Denster]

Kate

Ahhh! that is an entirely different ball of wax. From what you just stated plan B is the best option followed by a hearty "get lost dude"

[esantoro]

forward one of your Etsy convos with this person to abuse [AT] etsy.com. Etsy admin will immediately cancel this person's account. I would just ignore all future emails/convos of the same nature.

Usually this is done with a cashier's check and not a personal check. In either case, you can contact the issuing bank and have them run the routing number, account number, and check number to confirm that everything is legit.