Would you be suspicious of this???

[Sammy]

As some of you may know, I have our DVC contract for sale on a couple timeshare boards. I received an email from a gentleman yesterday inquiring about the details of the contract. After sending him all the information, this is the email I received from him today:

HELLO,
I AM INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE TIMESHARE AND I AM ALSO OKAY WITH THE PRICE.
I WILL AUTHORIZE A CASHIER"S CHECK FOR $xx,xxx IN YOUR NAME MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU, SO THAT WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE CHECK YOU WILL KEEP $xx,xxx AS YOUR MONEY FOR THE TIMESHARE FOR YOU TO REMOVE THE TIMESHARE FROM THE AD AND CONSIDER IT SOLD TO ME AND TRANSFER $6,000 TO MY PROPERTY MANAGER SO THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO ARRANGE AND COME FOR THE INSPECTION OF THE TIMESHARE.
AFTER INSPECTION OF THE TIMESHARE BY MY PROPERTY MANAGER,I WILL SIGN THE NECCESARY PAPERS, BEFORE I ACQUIRE THE TIMESHARE AS THE NEW OWNER.
PLEASE I WILL WANT YOU TO EMAIL ME BACK WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN ARRANGE AND SEND THE PAYMENT TO YOU.
1..YOUR FULL NAME AS YOU WILL WANT IT TO APPEAR ON THE CHECK.
2..YOUR FULL OFFICE OR HOUSE ADDRESS,P.O.BOX IS NOT ACCEPTED
3..YOUR CELL OR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER.
THANKS AND NICE DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU.

Gee, sounds perfectly on the up-and-up to me! Someone will pay me full price for my contract, THEN come and inspect the property and sign all paperwork. Ya, right!! So I'll deposit his check, then transfer $6,000 back to his property manager. How much you wanna bet the check is bogus and I'll be out $6,000 (plus any fees associated with all this).

I guess that's the chance you take when you post items for sale on any internet space....it's all available for the world to see!

Sammy

 

[DisDaydreamer]

As some of you may know, I have our DVC contract for sale on a couple timeshare boards. I received an email from a gentleman yesterday inquiring about the details of the contract. After sending him all the information, this is the email I received from him today:

HELLO,
I AM INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE TIMESHARE AND I AM ALSO OKAY WITH THE PRICE.
I WILL AUTHORIZE A CASHIER"S CHECK FOR $xx,xxx IN YOUR NAME MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU, SO THAT WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE CHECK YOU WILL KEEP $xx,xxx AS YOUR MONEY FOR THE TIMESHARE FOR YOU TO REMOVE THE TIMESHARE FROM THE AD AND CONSIDER IT SOLD TO ME AND TRANSFER $6,000 TO MY PROPERTY MANAGER SO THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO ARRANGE AND COME FOR THE INSPECTION OF THE TIMESHARE.
AFTER INSPECTION OF THE TIMESHARE BY MY PROPERTY MANAGER,I WILL SIGN THE NECCESARY PAPERS, BEFORE I ACQUIRE THE TIMESHARE AS THE NEW OWNER.
PLEASE I WILL WANT YOU TO EMAIL ME BACK WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN ARRANGE AND SEND THE PAYMENT TO YOU.
1..YOUR FULL NAME AS YOU WILL WANT IT TO APPEAR ON THE CHECK.
2..YOUR FULL OFFICE OR HOUSE ADDRESS,P.O.BOX IS NOT ACCEPTED
3..YOUR CELL OR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER.
THANKS AND NICE DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU.

Gee, sounds perfectly on the up-and-up to me! Someone will pay me full price for my contract, THEN come and inspect the property and sign all paperwork. Ya, right!! So I'll deposit his check, then transfer $6,000 back to his property manager. How much you wanna bet the check is bogus and I'll be out $6,000 (plus any fees associated with all this).

I guess that's the chance you take when you post items for sale on any internet space....it's all available for the world to see!

Sammy

I see this kind of scam all the time at work. Unfortunately, some people wouldn't see the red flags all over this. Call the FBI and see if the would like to walk through this transaction with you.

 

[eliza61]

Hooray, you get an extra helping of pixie dust for being such a great, knowledgeable, savvy, business person. You're absolutely right, any time some one wants large sums of cash up front proceed with caution. Gotta love the internet, it brings out the weirdest characters.

Good luck with your sale

E

 

[Sammy]

You are so right about people not seeing through these scams. When I first read the email, I was just excited at the thought I had finally found a buyer. Then I went back and re-read the email a couple more times, and the flags just started popping up everywhere! I can totally see how people could be taken in by these scams....the lure of cash-in-hand can blind good sense.

 

[rocketriter]

This appears to be another version of the so-called "Nigerian Scam," in which someone promises you a lot of money if you'll just help them move some sums from one bank account to another.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

Make sure you give them your bank account number and mother's maiden name.

Why do scammers always use all caps???

 

[aprilshugah]

scam scam scam scam scam scamrun sceaming!!!! i went to real estate school at some point in my life and we were warned about this

 

[diznyfanatic]

This appears to be another version of the so-called "Nigerian Scam," in which someone promises you a lot of money if you'll just help them move some sums from one bank account to another.

Yup, that's exactly what it sounds like. Best case scenario is that it's money laundering and worst case is out right theft.

Here's the part that I've never understood about why people would succumb to this. If this was really on the up and up, and the buyer can get the funds to YOU, why wouldn't the buyer be able to get the funds to his "property manager" himself? What do they need you for?

The answer is because they need YOU to send them $6,000.00 that you will be left holding the bag for, when their phony cashier's check is discovered.

 

[Steamboat Bill]

The tell is when the letter is WRITTEN IN ALL UPPERCASE....

 

[diznyfanatic]

I got the one a few years ago from the "associate" of a Saudi Crown Prince asking to please "help" get this family and their money to safety and for my "trouble" I would get to keep $5000.00 of the total amount transferred to me after transferring the rest to the Prince's new bank account in his new location.

I would send a copy of the email including all of the headers to law enforcement.

 

[salmoneous]

Wow, it must have been a letdown to think you had a buyer, and then realize you didn't. Tell you what…. I just found that I won $20,000,000 in the UN Lottery (funny, I didn't even know the UN had a lottery, and sure don't remember entering - but I'm not going to ask questions with 20 big ones on the way.)

I sent in my bank information, and as soon as the money is deposited in my account, I'm going on a DVC buying spree. Maybe I can help you out

 

[Simba's Mom]

This appears to be another version of the so-called "Nigerian Scam," in which someone promises you a lot of money if you'll just help them move some sums from one bank account to another.

That's one of theadvantages of watching "The People's Court". That's where I first learned about this.

 

[Mich Mouse]

I just found that I won $20,000,000 in the UN Lottery (funny, I didn't even know the UN had a lottery, and sure don't remember entering - but I'm not going to ask questions with 20 big ones on the way.)

I sent in my bank information, and as soon as the money is deposited in my account, I'm going on a DVC buying spree. Maybe I can help you out

I am not sure if everyone understands your wit.

 

[barbarabini]

Someone one in my town just got taken by a very similar scam. It was in the police blotter -- do not follow up on this offer -- otherwise you will be holding the proverbial bag.

 

[Sammie]

Yup, that's exactly what it sounds like. Best case scenario is that it's money laundering and worst case is out right theft

Worst case is it is a terrorist group moving money. I was told by the FBI this is very common for them. I would report it.

 

[Dean]

For most they send you a cashier's check of money order for over and you refund the difference. Many times it's delivered in person. Of course it's either counterfeit or on a closed account. It may take months for the bank to find out it's no good and they come back to you for the $$$.

 

[dis-happy]

Subscribing mainly because I like Mich Mouse's photo. Will have to try that one with dh!


As Dean said, the cashier's check can look very convincing. A couple of years ago a friend selling a handicapped car lift got totally burned when the bank believed the cashier's check to be legit. The bank released the funds without a hold, my friends sent out money, then they were on the hook for the whole amount. Wish I heard about their planned 3 way transaction beforehand, would have stuck my nose in and tried to prevent it.

 

[AnnaS]

Subscribing but/and,

they had this scam on one of the news channels recently (primetime ?). All different scenarios, but basically the same idea. You deposited a check in your account that looked legit. You thought you had X amount of dollars in your account. After spending/renovating, etc. - months later you find out from your bank that check was no good.

 

[JimMIA]

This appears to be another version of the so-called "Nigerian Scam," in which someone promises you a lot of money if you'll just help them move some sums from one bank account to another.

Actually, it's not Nigerian. OP's situation is "collusive account holder fraud."

Unlike the Nigerian 419 fraud, OP would actually have received a cashiers check, official check, or bank money order. OP would have deposited it, and then forwarded the "extra" to the other party as soon as the funds had "cleared," which according to Federal Reserve regs is only a few days, even for an out of town check. OP's check would be paid, and some time later, the original remittance would prove to be a counterfeit and would be charged back to OP's account. And if you're thinking OP would be an equally-guilty conspirator in that scenario, you'd be exactly right. OP would not only lose money, they stand a good chance of getting arrested for bank fraud.

THIS is Nigerian 419 Fraud.

I got the one a few years ago from the "associate" of a Saudi Crown Prince asking to please "help" get this family and their money to safety and for my "trouble" I would get to keep $5000.00 of the total amount transferred to me after transferring the rest to the Prince's new bank account in his new location.

They're not going to loot your bank account like most people think. They're going to encounter some "problems in getting their money out of the country" and will need some "expense money" to bribe certain officials. Obviously, they can't use their own money tfor bribes because that would attract attention to their secret stash, so you provide that ever-more-difficult, ever-more-expensive expense money. It's a variation of an advanced fee fraud.

Advanced fee fraud is quite common in the US, and occurs frequently in the real estate industry. If you've been here long, you have probably seen posts from Tom from TTS warning about advanced fee fraud in timeshare sales.

 

[OKWKirt]

I think I had a company try to get money from me to sell my Branson timeshare. Everytime one calls I tell them yes I want to sell but won't pay anything up front. Usually they get mad at me, yell at me, and say I will never sell unless I pay their fee upfront. Funny thing is they call me wanting to sell it for me. I had one company say they already have a buyer with $18K, more than I paid in 1999. After talking a couple times to the guy he wanted me to pay $95 up front and needed it immediately with a wire through western union. Then he said the buyers were going on a cruise the next day and wanted it done immediately. I said they can wait until they get back or take the $95 out of the purchase price. He finally cused me out saying I wasn't being serious to sell and hung up. During most of that conversation I was controlling our Husky in the back seat while my wife was driving us to our sons tennis match and I was saying I can't get to western union withing the next 30 minutes to wire the money to his friend. If it sounds too good it probably is.