Fraud Is Running Rampant

[Old Sarge]

I posted the following in a private message to Abel and he suggested I might want to post it in the open talk section so here it is:

I really enjoy the Texas Photo Forum though I contribute very little. One of my favorite areas is the buy/sell and I have bought a couple of items over the last few years with good results. But several event the last few days have me concerned for your sellers. It seems that fraudulent "certified" checks and bogus money orders are the order of the day. Today in court (I am in law enforcement and have been for nigh on to forty years) a man was accused of using a fraudulent certified check. We couldn't jail him because of technicalities but within two hours of him leaving the court room the P.D. got a call on a fraud in progress at a check cashing store. You guessed it, same man who had been in court earlier. At the same time he was being booked into jail a report was being taken from a man who received several money orders for items he was selling on Craigslist. All were fraudulent. Funny thing, in both cases the money orders were Wal-Mart Money-grams so that seems to be the money order of choice for thieves right now.

There is an old saying, "Buyer beware!" Today it might ought to be "Seller beware!" Thought you might want to pass on a warning to some of the sellers. Most of this equipment seems to rotate through the "family" but some outsider could sure try to take the fine folks on here.

As my hero, Sergeant Phil Estherhouse of Hill Street Blues used to say, "Be careful out there."

[OTRphoto]

I was at the bank yesterday and there was a guy in front of me trying to cash a cashiers check. They told him he would have to wait 3-5 days for it to clear. He complained - but they said the same thing - There has been a rash of fake cashiers checks and they have stopped cashing/depositing them immediately. He wasn't happy.

Looks like cold hard cash is getting back to be the only trusted true method of payment????

[dreemes]

And then you better go down to the office supply store and buy one of those pens that is used to check money and then go take a course on how to spot bogus cash just to be safer.

[TxManx]

In today's internet marketplace, I cannot understand anyone not using PayPal... Checks simply are not a viable option any longer.

[Junderwood]

Originally Posted by dreemes

And then you better go down to the office supply store and buy one of those pens that is used to check money and then go take a course on how to spot bogus cash just to be safer.

Ummhmmmmmmmm I bought a three pak.

[HotHolly]

Yea - that has been going on in ebay for a while. Noticing it on my Disney World boards too. One poor girl got duped out of $800+. Anyway, everything seems to be BEWARE lately.

That is totally unreal that he went out and got caught again.

[Hanky]

Originally Posted by dreemes

And then you better go down to the office supply store and buy one of those pens that is used to check money and then go take a course on how to spot bogus cash just to be safer.

One good thing is the little ribbon they weave aross our currency now can not be duplicated.
(source The Discovery channel)

[LadyShutterBug]

in any online transaction, i always insist on paypal.

[Gambit]

Regarding the pens... I was under the impression that the money orders themselves were genuine, and therefore would pass such a test, but the funds that they used to get the MO were bad. Therefore when you try to cash, it bounces.

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by LadyShutterBug

in any online transaction, i always insist on paypal.

I've had PayPal turn out poorly on many occasions. Even with the buyer protection. The last issue I had was with a fraud case. It was a total mess...and I didnt get a cent back. I did however spend lots of time faxing countless required documents for no apparent reason. Don't ask...

Credit cards still seem to be the safest way to pay. Oddly enough - my stolen purse and all the credit cards, were never used.

[David_3]

I had two PayPal charges on my last credit card statement. Each one was for $97.70.

I don't have a PayPal account.

Go figure...

[kamari]

Originally Posted by Hanky

One good thing is the little ribbon they weave aross our currency now can not be duplicated.
(source The Discovery channel)

...yet

my take on life is: if it can be created, it can be duplicated

[carrbowl]

My parents who have a credit score in the 800's get all kinds of credit cards in the mail. My Dad stopped shredding them and started keeping them with the date received on them. Good thing...He received one in Sept of 06. It was just used the other day...had my Mom's maiden name to try to use it and everything...still don't know how they got that information. I think I'm going to quit shredding myself!!

[photonewb]

Originally Posted by TxManx

In today's internet marketplace, I cannot understand anyone not using PayPal... Checks simply are not a viable option any longer.

paypal is not quite as safe and secure as you might think.

I still refuse to use paypal, I've seen way too many transactions turn out badly.

[robert t]

I have been ripped on only one of maybe 100+ paypal transactions. Zero would be a better number however.