 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ssax
Date: 2009-12-21 01:15
I've been a reader of this bulletin board for about a year or so and recently had an experience that I would like to pass along to other members, particularly if they are thinking about using the classified ads to sell equipment.
About 2 weeks ago, I advertised a Ridenour Lyrique clarinet in the classifieds. I was almost immediately contacted by an interested buyer who said he was from England and wanted to purchase the clarinet.
I awaited his check which he FedExed to me. However, the amount was almost 4 times as much as I was asking for the clarinet. This was a scam. The way it works it to have someone deposit the Fedexed check and then ask them to send the difference between the purchase price and the amount on the check via Western Union when the bank will release funds but before the check actually clears.
During this interlude, the purchaser sends pressuring emails about urgently needing the difference sent via Western Union.
However, the check is fraudulent and so, the scam tries to get the money before this becomes evident. While I've read about these scams before, I was astonished that someone would be trolling relatively obscure clarinet classifieds to look for a potential mark.
So, as they say, forearmed is forewarned.
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2009-12-21 13:26
It happened to me, too. I contacted the fraud unit of the London, England police where the letter originated and they wanted me to forward the e-mails to them. Through the internet I found the phone number of the Utah bank and contacted the bank manager. He investigated and found that the owner of the bank account didn't realize his account had been compromised. On advise of the London police I signed the back of the cheque as "Not endorsable" so nobody would sign my name and get me into hot water, and sent it to the bank.
It seems the police are only marginally interested in "petty theft" because it seems like small fish, but because it's left unsolved these people are allowed to "nickel and dime" the public to the tune of very large profits indeed. If it weren't profitable these people would have quit long ago.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-12-21 15:07
This is a common scam, just use common sense before sending anyone money. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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