Help!!---Opinions on This--Just Too Weird
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
August 10, 2007 2:29pm CST
Okay bear with me in this as this might be a long post, but I really could stand some input and opinions about this.
As some of you may know, I decided to take the plunge and sell two of my craft items on e-Bay--nothing much was happening with them, in other words no bidders/buyers. Then I get this message in my e-Bay from an e-Bay buyer interested in one of my items but would I be able to ship to Russia! Now originally I was going to just ship to the continental US, but this buyer indicated that she would pay the extra shipping charges. So I e-mailed back saying that maybe special arrangements could be made. I thought that was all that was needed..that this buyer would simply pay for the extra mailing expenses.
Later on, late last night I get a private e-mail from this person as I had provided my private e-mail address--The only way I can tell you all about this is to copy here this person's e-mails to me:
Here's the first e=mail back to me:
"....Hi, thank you very much for your response! Let me tell you what I need exactly.
My cousin is having a birthday soon and I would like to make a present for him.
I want it to be something special. For example your item packed in gift wrap with a card inside for his wife.
Please let me know what you can offer. Also I want to send $500 via Western Union wire transfer as an additional money present for my cousin. The only problem is I want to make them surprised and don't want them to know that the present is from me to let it remain a surprise.
I am looking for a seller who could help me with that.
I will pay for item, packaging, express shipping and WU fees of course.
As I said they live in Russia.
Please let me know if you could help me with that!
I will send the money for everything via PAYPAL upfront ofcourse.
I could even pay you for a trouble let's say $200 - please understand it's very
important for me!
I hope to hear from you soon! GOD bless you!
Have a nice day!!!...."
Well as you can imagine my jaw dropped...I mean this person was willing to pay me $200 for my trouble to send this "surprise" present of my craft item to Russia? So I e-mailed back and made a joke like holy moly, you're willing to pay that much for all my trouble?? I said if I did this I would need all the particulars --like naturally the address of the person, how she wanted it gift wrapped, etc, and that I would want her address so I could send proof of this transaction...
Then not much later I get another e-mail, shown here and it gets more bizarre:
...."Ok, I want you to send item set gift via your local post to my cousin's wife
in Russia. Also I need you to send $500 via Western Union wire transfer
to my cousin. I can't sent it myself 'cause my local WU office said it
should be sent from my name! It won't be a surprise anymore if it is sent
from my name right? So I'm looking for a seller who could process both
parts of my present: item set and a money transfer. Also I`ll cover all your fees!..."
So in other words, this person not only is willing to send me $200 for my trouble in mailing this "surprise" present, but will send me an additional $500 for that Western Union transfer of $500 to send also...and all this anonymously,...in other words, she doesn't want her cousin to know either came from her.
This just too weird...the little red flags stood up tall--I might be making a mountain out of a molehill, and this could be a legitimate deal, BUT how do I know I'm not sending this to a known criminal there? The only traceable name would be mine, on both the Western Union wire and the package. I mean sure, I could sure use that extra $200 for all this trouble if it is for real and legitimate ...but it sounds just too weird and bizarre to me...I need to give some kind of answer back later today or tomorrow...I wanted to have time to mull this over.
What do you think??
21 people like this
42 responses
@scarywhitegirl (2766)
• United States
10 Aug 07
This is actually a pretty well known scam. Do an internet search for Western Union wire transfer and foreign countries, or somethink like that, and you'll likely find pages that talk about it. Basically, you would end up out the $500 and possibly the $200 that she is offering you--plus, you might end up with overdraft fees from your bank.
Short version, don't do it.
5 people like this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
14 Aug 07
It is so wonderful to be positive and innocent. This is only one of the biggest scam on the Internet. This person should be reported to eBay and PayPal.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
The person said she's put the money in my paypal...but you're right, with all the fees and everything I'd probably wind up with next to nothing for all this "effort"
4 people like this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I wouldn't do it. It all just sounds too weird. Who is willing to spend that kind of money just to surprise someone. It all sounds good...too good. You are a perfect stranger...why..why would he be willing to send you all of this money and trust that you will do what he asks? would you yourself be this trusting? I mean really...he is surprising a "cousin" not his mom, sis, dad. Would you go to these extremes? In a way it sounds like it could be all legit but then so do all scams. Something about the fact that he doesn't know you at all and is so willing to put up large sums of money just doesn't sit right with me. who'd do that unless they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by you going along with it? It makes no sense at all that he doesn't h ave people that he knows personally to help him pull off a big surprise to his cousin! obviously you too question this or you would not be writing for our thoughts.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
Nope..I wouldn't be so trusting if it were the other way around and I was the one asking a total stranger to do this for me--and you're right...unless she's a reclusive hermit, she should have others who could do this for her.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
10 Aug 07
Please do not make this deal. Do not wire any money. Years ago I was having orders form Russia and it end up with stolen cards, huge trouble. They are using stolen credit cards and you can loose more than you gain.
They are masters in fraud....
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
11 Aug 07
You don't need to have credit card. You can just have paypal, they pay you with stolen credit cards by paypal, or by wire from stolen account number.
I am certified for fraud prevention. Russia is the last country you would like to deal with.
Transdisc, thank you..:)
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
Even though I don't have credit cards anymore, I could still be a victim of some kind of identity theft--thanks polachicago
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
How does one get certified for fraud prevention/protection??
3 people like this
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
10 Aug 07
Ooooo RED FLAG! Classic rip-off scam. I'm a very firm believer in "if it looks to good to be true, it is".
This needs to be reported to Ebay immediately. They have probably hacked into someone's account and stolen their ID. You won't be the only seller they've hit with this.
5 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
Thanks...I'm planning to alert e-Bay about this person....Yes definitely a red flag
3 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
10 Aug 07
I don't know, pyewacket, but it sounds a little woo...woo...to me too. I always keep in mind what Judge Judy says, "If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is." This is positively strange. Who would go to such extremes only to remain anonymous? And, better still, why would they wish to remain anonymous-especially since it is a (supposed) relative? Sorry, but I just can't call this one.
5 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
I know....that's the worse part of it all,...that this person wants to remain so anonymous to a supposed relative
3 people like this
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
11 Aug 07
Hun, I hate to be the bubble burster but this is a well known online scam. Nearly 100% of online scams will ask you to use Western Union. In fact a week or two ago the president of Ebay was on Oprah talking about almost this exact situation and never giving your personal email or conducting transactions or using Western Union for a sale ever because once you leave the actual site, they can't protect you or your assets. You'd end up losing your money. Either this person has fauded other people and ebay can't report it on their site as negative because it in fact happens off site or this person's account got hacked into. I would advise you to contact ebay and foward the emails to them and then block this person.
5 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I did report this person to e-Bay and did a copy/paste of her e-mails to me, including the full header so they can do a track of her. I also attached her profile page as well...Too bad I missed that one particular episode of Oprah as I normally do watch her..I would have loved to hear what the president of e-Bay said
3 people like this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
11 Aug 07
Are you sure she is understanding the money, maybe she is talking Russian money nut say $...so long as she pays you first then you sed the item anyway she want, so long as she pays you first, your craft work must be really something....
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
11 Aug 07
So long as you keep all emails from her and you are not selling anything illegal and get paid first there can't be a problem, but just make sure you keep everything in a folder on your computer that comes from her....
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
The real weird thing is all this anonymous thing, that she doesn't want the "cousin" to know that the gift and money is from her...the only one who would be traceable to this business would be me...sounds an awful lot like a illegal scam to me
4 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
10 Aug 07
I have to admit it sounds really strange to me to so just be very careful and it might be worth your While to get this Member checked out by Ebay send all of this to them and see what they come back with
I do not believe somehow that this is all genuine
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I e-mailed a report on the person....first of all doing this kind of thing is against e-bay guidelines...she probably targeted me since I'm a new seller, though been buying there for quite awhile so thought I might be easy prey
4 people like this
@sigma77 (5383)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I would be highly skeptical of this offer. Not to scare you, but the Russian mafia has invented all kinds of scams that appear over here in the US. I know from first hand experience. If you get the money in your paypal account up front, that might be one thing. Many scams are run through Western Union. I am not saying that all Russians are not to be trusted. It might be legit as long as you do not risk losing any money from your end of things. My softer nature wants to say this is real, but with so many Internet scams being created everyday, I am not sure about this.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I'm not sure about this whole deal myself since it sounds to good to be true..I reported the person to e-Bay
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
I looked up the person's profile at e-Bay and she's from America--so yes the money would be in US dollars. And from what I understand this kind of deal might be considered against e-bay guidelines
4 people like this
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
10 Aug 07
NO NO NO! I just saw this exact scam on "Dateline" a few weeks ago and you will be dragged into a Federal Investigation. Don't fall for this my friend.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
Yikes...with all I've been through I don't want to become America's most wanted..LOL
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
No doubt she's trying to do something wacky with my PayPal account...don't worry, not going to fall for this obvious scam
1 person likes this
@sandwedge (1339)
• Malaysia
11 Aug 07
get the money "up front" first. do not do anything until cash is in hand no matter how much is promised. partial payment is not acceptable. any sign they start to say they are having problems and require you to do it first, quit.
usually con jobs rely on greed. they'd promise the moon once they think they got you.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I'm just plain not going to fall for this scam period...the person could put money in my account, then withdraw from the deal, still leaving me in a big hole
1 person likes this
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
10 Aug 07
Wow I don't know what you should do. But If It was me i don't think i'll do it. I don't really trust me that i don't know because you know you never know who your talking with. It might be a scam or something I don't know.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
You're right it could be some kind of scam
3 people like this
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
10 Aug 07
Yeah I think it is I mean $200, who would pay that much money. I definitely think it's a scam.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I sure could use the money...hehe...but no, I made several reports about this person...took me awhile to figure out just how...e-bay wanted the full header of the e-mails she sent to me, and it's all goobledegook HTML and path info..had no idea how to do that at first as I never needed before...accidently discovered how to do...they need that info to trace the person
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
Don't worry I'm not going for it and I did report this person to e-Bay
1 person likes this
@randyequal (439)
• China
11 Aug 07
Be careful! dont be scammed. You donnot know who he is, whether he is really in this business. maybe he is just a cheater. I donnot trust anyone that I have never seen before. Nowadays, there are so many traps in the internet, so be careful when you make your final decision.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
Don't worry I'm not falling for it...like the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I don't really know what to tell you. I have always found if something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't! There are so many ways to scam these days, especially on the internet. It seems to me that this person could find someone local to help out rather than going through all this. I think I would decline. It sounds too fishy.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I know it sounds all too fishy to me...I mean for this person to go through all this trouble and to be so anonymous about it? Only my name would be on record of this scam...and probably the name she's providing for herself is an "alias" anyway
3 people like this
@brendakaya (2332)
• United States
11 Aug 07
Sounds too fishy, to me. I think it would also be against Ebay's policies. Buyers are not supposed to contact you in private with deals like that. Besides, there are so many different scams from Russia and regarding money orders and Western Union and stuff. It's better to be safe than sorry, even though the money is tempting. I'd report them to Ebay.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I did report this person....even cited her Profile page to them so they can make a real check on this person..who knows? She may have done the same to someone else
3 people like this
@MrAahz (35)
• United States
11 Aug 07
While most of the responses have agreed this is a scam, I thought I'd take the time to share exactly how this works.
1) Buyer contacts Seller and offers deal/story (read original post)
2) Seller gets all giddy and accepts offer
3) Buyer sends $500 (to be sent via wire transfer), $200 (for Seller's trouble), $15 (or whatever for bid), $30 (or whatever for shipping).
4) Seller withdraws money from PayPal to personal bank account and thinks all is well.
5) Seller ships off item to somewhere in Russia (or wherever) then goes to Western Union and drops $500 cash into a wire transfer made out to the name requested by Buyer.
6a) Buyer picks up wire transfer funds at ANY Western Union ANYWHERE in the world. Then does a chargeback on Seller's PayPal account which (at best) gets closed down. More likely PayPal uses its preauthorization to withdraw the $745 from Seller's bank account.
OR
6b)Buyer picks up wire transfer funds at ANY Western Union ANYWHERE in the world. Then the person whose credit card the Buyer stole does a chargeback, etc etc.
7) Some random person in Russia receives an unexpected package from a stranger in the U.S.
8) Seller is out hundreds of dollars, massive amounts of time, and no longer has a PayPal account.
That's pretty much a best case scenario. This scam has been run for YEARS. It's nothing new. I've dealt with many, many people who have run this identical scam. For all you know the "Buyer" lives next door to you. Just because they SAY they are in Russia doesn't mean they are.
Calling Homeland Security (or any other government agency) is simply a waste of your time and theirs. Terrorists, gangsters and money launderers don't put this much time and energy into a $500 scam. There are easier ways for organized groups to steal significantly more. These are small time conmen. The scam works because a) people are greedy, b) Western Union only requires a matching name/keyword to pick up funds at ANY Western Union location anywhere in the world. For all you know this "Russian" could live down the street.
The important things are that 1) you don't take this "deal", 2) you send everything you've got to eBay. Getting their account shut down won't stop them, but if it happens often enough they'll move on to an easier hunting ground, 3) that you don't feel bad about even considering the deal for a moment. The con in con man is short for "confidence", as in, they gain your confidence in order to take your money.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Aug 07
Wow--good summary of the operations of scams! Thanks ever!
1 person likes this
