talkmagic.co.uk

Good to hear he's already aware but it never hurts to make sure and tell him anyway!

Tomo wrote:Over the past decade, I've written a lot for the computer press about online scams and have advised in a number of Watchdog investigations.

Cashing stolen cheques for overpayments and sending the residue back is a simple method of cashing stolen cheques.

NEVER leave PayPal if your transaction is via eBay.
NEVER accept or send money using a wire service.
NEVER pay in a cheque for too much and send the rest back.

If you receive any dodgy requests, PUBLICISE THEM. Don't just move on.

Oh wire transfers my fav subject. Don't use them unless you know exactly what you are doing. Most don't. You go to the bank and set one up, poof your money leaves your account and doesn't arrive on the other side. What do you do? It is a nasty, nasty business. Certain goverments can put a hold on any wire transfer coming into or leaving the country. And they don't have to notify any of the parties involved. It is my understanding that they cannot hold it indefinetly but at least a few months. The amount has nothing to do with it. India is a prime example. I once set up a wire transfer for a student, he was leaving Penn State University for the summer and wanted to wire his money home rather than carry it. 3 months later he starts his next term finds me in the bank and starts yelling at me that he never got his money. It took me, my manager and back office and two other financial clearing houses to track the funds down. Yes the government of India put a freeze on the transfer and they were holding the money and would not release it. Our, (the bank I worked at) legal department was able to provide him with a written statement of how we were not responsible once it cleared our system. He had to write a letter to his government to request the release of funds. It was 3 pages long. He got a letter back telling him his case was under review and could take up to 4 months to reach a decision. I later learned that India was not the only government that had this policy. I know there is a 'magic' number and if you move that much money it becomes 'suspicious behaviour' and here in the USA it is reported to homeland security. But that number is not only for wire transfers.

and now back to your regular scheduled programming.

This is an excellent thread, full of advice, tips and warnings, thanks everyone!

Is there anything I can do or send the email onto anyone? I received another from him today. How about I ask him for his mother's maiden name & last 3 digits on the back of his debit card? Or we can all email him some spam? I really fancy reporting it but don't know if there's an electronic way of getting to these people.:

"I will forwarded your information to the secretary. And she confirm
to me that payment will be sent to you as soon as possible. Anyway, I
will assume the product has been sold to me. Also i will appreciate it
if you can get the advert off the website, so you don't get contacted
by another buyer. Anyway, payment will be sent to your Address soon.

Note: The secretary will issue an excess money on the payment which
would cover both the payment and shipment alongside with shipments of
my other goods i bought down from other locations.

All you need to do, Once you cash the payment, you are to deduct your
payment, afterward send the remaining funds to my shipping agent who
will be coming down to your location for the pick up....the rest of my
funds is meant for the shipment of all my consignment including yours
I will send the shipping agent details when the payment delivers.

I will entertain any comment or suggestion. And if not okay by you
kindly get back to me so as to stop the secretary to stop the payment.

Thanks and Get back with your name,address and your phone number so
that the cheque can be issue out fast."

russpie wrote:Is there anything I can do or send the email onto anyone? I received another from him today. How about I ask him for his mother's maiden name & last 3 digits on the back of his debit card? Or we can all email him some spam? I really fancy reporting it but don't know if there's an electronic way of getting to these people.:

Just reply telling him you know he is trying to use you to launder stolen cheques and that you have passed on his details to the police.

Tomo wrote:

russpie wrote:Is there anything I can do or send the email onto anyone? I received another from him today. How about I ask him for his mother's maiden name & last 3 digits on the back of his debit card? Or we can all email him some spam? I really fancy reporting it but don't know if there's an electronic way of getting to these people.:

Just reply telling him you know he is trying to use you to launder stolen cheques and that you have passed on his details to the police.

^this
The email is going to be a disposable address anyway.

Personally I'd ignore his mesages completely from now on.

maybe add him to your blocked senders list...

Alternatively, you may wish to have a look at http://www.thescambaiter.com/ (NOT safe for work!!).

Even if you can't get your own back on this scammer, at least you can see that these idiots do get their comeuppances from time-to-time...

I have also been contacted by this man, I replied saying that I only accepted Paypal, guess what, I never heard another word from him. I also told Duncam Trillo, he is aware of him. I know that Paypal charge a fee but you have some comeback if it all goes wrong. I suspected this bloke as soon as he didn't ask any spercific questions about what I was selling. I am a retired Police Officer of 30 years service and my 'Coppers nose' started sniffing the minute he contacted me!!!

What are the your bank's charges for processing this foreign cheque ?
Make sure the cheque would be £ sterling and not an equivalent amount in Euros.