Bike Buying Scam

[sokitset]

I have been contacted by a person claiming to be interested in a classified ad placed on this site.  The communication is similar to a scam that I've heard about.  Exceprt follows:

"i will like to inform you that am having an associate in the state and that associate of mine that is owing me $6,000 and is willing to issue out a Cashier's Check drawn in American Funds on my  behalf  i will have to instruct him to issue out the check to you then you deduct the said amount and send the balance to my shipping agent that will handle the shipping, if this is okay by you i will like to have the following information in respect of receiving the check,to whom to address the check to,"

I have no intention of continuing with the transaction, but I'm wondering if there's a legal entitiy I should be reporting this to.  

Anyone have advice?

[Jeff]

Yeah, tell him to have the party in the local area contact you, bring over cash and you'll give him the bike.

and don't plan on getting a reply after that...

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

That smells funny.  For something as big as a bike, I want cash or a cashiers check. Furthermore, the check must clear, or the cash must pass the counterfiet pen check.  Counterfiet cashiers checks have been getting some use lately in the midwest  He might very well be after your address, so he can come by and inspect (STEAL) the bike when you're not around.  That, or he wants financial info so he can rob your account or steal your identity.
On the other hand, maybe it's legit.  I mean, he's giving you a cashiers check and asking you to ship the bike, right?  You get the check and it clears, then you give the bike and shipping fees to a shipping agent.  If that happens to be at Fed Ex, then this doesn't sound so fishy.  I'd be a bit more leery if he wanted it delivered to Ahabs flaffel, shipping and ammunition company down by the docks....  If you had a P.O. box or other secure address, you could have a cashier's check sent there.  ONCE THE CHECK CLEARS,The rest of the money could pay for shipping, and the difference would then be yours for crating the bike and delivering it to the shipping point.  But I sure wouldn't give the guy my address.

In a similar sounding situation, (but between two Americans) I bought a motor off this board from a guy in California.  I sent him the cashiers check, plus the shipping fee.  Once it cleared, he crated the motor and shipped it LAX to O Hare, where I picked it up.  Everything went smoothly, and upon disassembly, the motor even turned out to be damn near as good as he'd claimed.  He'd told me out front that he'd purchased the motor assembled, and wasn't sure what was actually inside.  He priced it accordingly, so while slightly dissappointed, I didn't get hurt at all in the deal.

[cstem]

My Mother came up with the best way to dismiss these scammers.  It was for a Xerox copier scam where she would give them the proper extension to call.  In actuality, she would give them the local State Attorney Generals office number!  They usually never called again :o

[CCSRacer114]

Wire fraud and interstate financial scams are investigated by the feds... best bet is to contact the U.S. Attorney's Office for your area... he/she will pass you to the federal agency they like best for doing investigations of this type (sometimes  the best agency for a crime is not the one you think - has to do with budgets and experience).

find the office here: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/

[251am]

   These scammers keep their profit levels low, less than $20k or $25k the feds won't touch it. However, if you got a phone # or address, DEFINITELY report it to local and feds. The cashier's checks these people are issuing are real enough in appearance that MY BANK, FIRST FEDERAL had no clue. Until about 10 days later when they discovered there was no such bank in W Va. It was rather comical. The bank calls me and asks," Did you know that cashier's check for $9200 you deposited was a forgery?" A bank, professionals in the money business who are supposed to be schooled on ALL the angles, asking me. I asked, " Didn't the routing numbers not correlating with a financial institution run a red flag in YOUR BANK'S COMPUTER system?!!?" What in the world do we pay these bankers all this money for?!  OK, I'm off the soap-box.        

[dylanfan53]

1.  Unless I'm missing something, he hasn't commited a crime yet.  I don't think any law enforcement agency would give you the time of day.

2. Cashiers checks are easy to print with today's printers.  Some are very convincing, even without a watermark or hologram.  Forgeries are rampant.  Be careful out there.

[davegsxrold929r]

i have 3 of these fake checks at home., i collect them., string them along and have fun with it.,

there is nothing the feds have been able to do to get them,.   gone through all that .,


just have fun with them or ignore it..

 ;)