mattzajac Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Hi, I just found someone intereseted in the bike I'm trying to sell. I remember reading about some scam similair to this, and I searched the forums and couldn't find it. Just wondering if this is it, I'm pretty sure it is... "Hello, Thanks for your quick response towards my interest in your Bike ,i really appreciate it, i thank you for that, i will handling the shipment and pick-up myself, as a matter of fact i have already contacted my shipping agent for the transcation,all that remain is your go ahead.well i am ready to buy your Bike which is $5,200 USD. i will be glad i you could act on my request fast, so that we may proceed. i will also want you to know that i am serious about this purchase. Well first, i hope i can trust you enough,i have a client in the States who is owing me a sum of $9,500 , i will Instruct my client to issue you a Certified America cashiers cheque of $9,500 ,so that the remaining balance of my money could be sent to my shipping agent through Western Union Transfer as soon as the check is been cashed.Then my shipping agent will be coming to pick the Bike up in your place.i will like you to send me your Home Address, phone number,and the Name that will be on the cheque,in order for me to foward it to my client who will issue the cheque as soon as possible. Please i want you to know that the Bike is been needed urgently,so i will want you to be fast about your decision.i will also be very glad if you could do me the favour of selling the Bike to me,because i have been searching for used Bike for a long time,so i will appreciate it, if you give me the opportunity of buying the Bike from you. Hope to hear from you soon...... Thanks. Regards. " Could someone please explain how it works, mayhaps there's some way to get out of it... Thanks, -Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-shock 250 Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Just ignore any e-mails like this one, I had a similar one sent to me a week ago, and i don't even have a bike for sale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin j Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Several variations: 1. By getting you to give him (9500 - 5200) the 'balance', the driver goes away with the bike, and 4400, and a week later you find out the certified check was either on a non existant company, or it is a forgery of a legitimate company. You are out not only a stolen bike, but 4400 more than that! 2. sometimes they ask for info about bank accounts. 3. Often the 'check' is for say 5500, small enough that you pay out in cash, not another certfied check. You still lose bike and 300. 4. sometimes just a simple bounced forged check for 5200. They get the bike. 5. I will get my client to send you the check for 9500. Upon receipt, you wire me say 3500, retaining 900 until shipping is arranged. I will trust you to hold that until my shipping company contacts you. This may take about 3 weeks or so. Pay the shipping company, estimated at 700, and send me the rest back. Here, the shipping company never shows up, seller keeps the bike, but takes 3 weeks until he realizes the check bounced, but his account wired out 3500. I had read about these on snopes, or scambusters or somewhere. shortly thereafter, I had a TY350 (in parts) somewhere advertised for $500 or so. I got 3 emails from themost obscure African countries about that it was such a collectible find, he had been searching for a year to find one, etc. etc. The line was so thick to appeal to a sellers GREED! BTW, never once did anyone ask for a picture, or ask for any info on condition, etc. This one was version 5 above. I just can't imagine any high government official on a ratty old TY350 in Africa. But, now my Nigerian oil buddy. . . . . . How do we get on these lists? kcj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 I had a similar email from another user recently questionining the legitimacy of an enquiry. Unfortunately, by providing a free service, I am powerless to stop this kind of thing - if I could, I would. It's very much a case of "seller beware". My advice is, if in any kind of doubt, don't even respond. Or - if you must reply, say you are a police officer and need to check some details first. Odds on you'll never hear another word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattzajac Posted June 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 (edited) Or - if you must reply, say you are a police officer and need to check some details first. Odds on you'll never hear another word Lets just say I responded with a little business proposition on my own. As luck would have it I just happen to be on vacation in Kenya, but my friend is in Canada and he can get the bike, but that friend owes me $12,300 and if it's not trouble I'd get him to send you a check, then you can wire me the money but keep a little something for yourself... Thanks guys, -Matt Edited June 9, 2004 by MattZajac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pa. Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 There must be a thriving Trials club somewhere in Africa These are the emails from a person trying to buy a bike from a local person here. I received the same email as the first one for a Sherco 200 that I had for sale at the same time. Dear, I am interested in your 1975 Montesa Cota 247. I want to purchase it. If this is still available for sale kindly get back to me with your final selling price. Let me hear from you.David.-- Dear, I am very sorry not replying earlier. Thankz for your email, I really appreciate. I am still interested in your Montesa Cota 247. The price is okay by me. I have a client who is owing me, i will instruct him to issue you the payment of the Montesa Cota 247 on my behalf. I spoke with him this morning and he promise to send you a cashier check on my behalf. So you do me a favour, when the check clear in your bank you have to send the balance to my shipper. They will take care of the shipping of the Montesa Cota 247 to me.If this is okay by you please get back to me with your contact information where my client will send the payment and also your address where my shipper will collect the Montesa Cota 247 for shipping. Infact, what is very vital in this transaction is that will whole hearted trust each other, thus enabling a smooth business. You know i don't know you facial.So get back to me with the information required from you. best regards,Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wobbly1 Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 I had similar from a bike I had for sale on a web site. The guy was supposedly going to ship a bike worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesster Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 (edited) I had the same thing, selling an 86 TY 350. The bike was priced at $1200 cdn, and he said after shipping it was costing him $5500 cdn!! You could buy a 2001 or even newer for that price!! I then told him I had sold the bike locally (which was partly true) and he acted rather distressed because his "client" now owed him the money because he had not billed the client for some product sales. He asked me to cash the cheque and wire him the money when I got it, and he said he would send a little something our way as thanks. He never asked for any pictures, or even about the condition of the bike!! I definitely clued into this as even buyers from across town ask for pictures, or at least the condition of the bie, spares, etc. So basically, he's not getting the bike or any help. And I've kind of noticed that its always older bikes. Any thoughts why? My potential buyer didn't disclose his location, but i had assumed northern Europe due to his grammar, however an African country would make sense as well. Edited June 9, 2004 by jesster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesster Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Just got another email from the guy saying that the cheque is going to be here any day. Then he's going to want me to cash it and advance him the money, so i think i'll just void the cheque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuessenhigh Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 Wish I could think of a way to meet these people, and let my knee have a quiet word with their groin! They really are scumbags!!.....so that in itself proves they CAN'T be trials riders!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliechitlins Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 I've been tempted to meet a few of these fellows, too. If I do, it won't be at my house. It'll be somewhere isolated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 I had a quick look yesterday at disabling the display of email addresses within the Classifieds system so that they are replaced with a dialog box to contact sender (at present users have the choice). I'll be making the necessary changes over the weekend at some point and this will stop any harvesting of email addresses by web bots. I'll also put some kind of warning in the system. I hope nobody would ever be daft enough to be taken in by these losers, but when you hear how many folk were taken in by 419 scammers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabnabit Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 (edited) charliechitlins, Posted on Jun 11 2004, 06:16 PM I've been tempted to meet a few of these fellows, too.If I do, it won't be at my house. It'll be somewhere isolated Tony Soprano takes'em up to Rhinebeck! Edited June 15, 2004 by Dabnabit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 The sad thing is that some people fall for this. It happens with boats too. A local man here was selling his boat. They sent him a $10000.00 "Cashiers Check" and had him wire the "shipping charges" which were included in the check from his account to them. Needless to say the " Cashiers Check" didn't clear the bank and he had already wired off the $4000.00 shipping charges to these scamers! The FBI traced everything to someplace in Africa where nothing could be done about it. He still has the boat but is only taking cash offers now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliechitlins Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 charliechitlins, Posted on Jun 11 2004, 06:16 PM I've been tempted to meet a few of these fellows, too.If I do, it won't be at my house. It'll be somewhere isolated Tony Soprano takes'em up to Rhinebeck! Good idea. A sleepy little hamlet. I'd use Saugerties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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