Posted on 03/06/2015 7:30:56 AM PST by george76
An old scam is popping up in a new place. This time it's targeting people who make a living taking care of children and seniors.
Arielle Wohlberg put a post on Care.com offering to be a baby sitter. She is a college student at CNM looking for some extra income.
She says she got an email from a man claiming his wife had breast cancer and they needed a sitter for their daughter. He even sent her pictures that he said were of his family. Then, he mailed her a $3,000 check and told her to cash it and wire back $2,500 to him.
The scam stopped at the bank. The teller immediately knew it was a fake check.
(Excerpt) Read more at kob.com ...
It’s quite simple, really.
If the deal involves sending money back to the person who mails you a check then it is a scam.
There is no legitimate reason why anyone would ever ask you to do that.
LOL
I’m sorry, but if college students are this effin’ stupid, we are doomed.
“There is no legitimate reason why anyone would ever ask you to do that.”
It’s disturbing how often this scam works, it’s also used constantly on people selling used items. It relies on the fact that banks make funds available immediately after checks are deposited without confirming that they are legit. (Somehow my credit card payments can be instantly deducted from my account but cashiers checks take a week to be verified.) The scammers will even tell their marks to “wait until the check clears the next day so you know it’s good” knowing full well that the funds will be available regardless.
I was exchanging emails about this problem with the Nigerian barrister who is helping me obtain funds abandoned by a deceased cocoa plantation owner.
When I owe the power company $300.00, I send them a check for $1300.00 and ask them to send me back a check for $1000.00.
OMG!
He DIED?????!!!! I was told he was ‘ill’...
/s
There are a number of “secret shopper” scams that operate the same way. They basically convert worthless paper, usually checks drawn on phony accounts, to cash then remit the money via money order to some foreign address.
Scammers are everywhere. I tried to sell a motorcycle on ebay and someone in a foreign country hit the buy it now button and then offered to send me a check for more than the purchase price if I would just send him the difference via Western Union.
I’m glad you did the necessary research to make sure this Nigerian barrister is on the up-and-up.
There are a lot of con men out there. You can’t be too careful, and you certainly don’t want to get ripped off...
It is fun to force them to spend the money and then tell them that you are turning the documents over to law enforcement for evidence.
I'm tempted to demand that they send you $50 in cash not to do so, but that would probably get you on the wrong side of the law.
She is just young and trusting and lucky the bank teller stopped her. She’ll go about her life a little more wiser and a lot more cynical.
“You can’t be too careful, and you certainly don’t want to get ripped off...”
You’re not kidding there are a lot of con men! Apparently the staff of this Nigerian bank was all set to abscond with this dead cocoa farmer’s money. It was just blind luck that I have the same last name as him and could pose as next-of-kin. Once all the fees I’ve sent by Western Union are processed I’ll be sitting pretty!
It is fun to waste scammer’s time but I would caution against ever giving out your real address or any other legit information. These are criminals, and it’s not like our government has been keeping unsavory foreigners out lately.
We have Yorkies. We had some pups for sale. Got a call from someone,supposedly in Missouri, that wanted to send me a check and have someone from Anchorage pick up the dog and the change. I told them to send me instructions and a check in the MAIL. When they asked why, I told them I needed it for the FBI, they got really nasty all of a sudden. I asked them how many people were that stupid. If they use the US Mail, it becomes FBI turf. Mail Fraud.
Somehow I don't think she will be overly successful, unless she manages a sudden rise in IQ.
Any time I put an item on Craigslist for more than $1000, I get an immediate offer using this scam (like within 5 minutes).
Why yes, makes perfect sense that someone would want to buy a $4000 item sight unseen and then massively overpay with a certified check, to have me take care of shipping for them and mail them back the remaining balance.
Sometimes I have some fun with them, and aske for $500 in USPS money order, with the remainder in their certified check, which I will be happy to send back most of ;-) Haven’t had any takers yet.
These are the nit wits that convert to Islam for feminist reasons.
Isn’t your address:
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: (202)456-1111
“Isn’t your address:
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW?”
None of the scammers will have anything to do with that address! It’s a matter of professionally courtesy.
Wait ‘til the check clears. It won’t, of course...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.