December 27, 2004 07:08 AM
New Nigerian Scam Suckers Online Sellers
Excerpt: Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can post a classified ad in cyberspace and reach a worldwide audience. But if you're selling a pricey item, such as a car, boat or a piano, beware: Con men posing as buyers are reading online ads too, and have they got a deal for you!
Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can post a classified ad in cyberspace and reach a worldwide audience. But if you're selling a pricey item, such as a car, boat or a piano, beware: Con men posing as buyers are reading online ads too, and have they got a deal for you!
"If you're selling online, be extremely skeptical of any e-mail offers that come from abroad offering to pay by cashier's check -- it's almost certainly a scam," warns Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller.
The scam is the latest spinoff of the Nigerian letter scam, which offers gullible consumers the opportunity to share in a fortune if they provide their bank account information. The offers come in e-mails, which are sent from Internet cafes in Nigeria and other West African countries.
Law enforcement officials say the new scheme has bilked thousands of unsuspecting sellers out of millions of dollars. No one knows for certain how much money has been stolen, or how many have been scammed, but officials say only the tip of the iceberg has been reported to authorities.
What's more, there's virtually no chance victims will ever be able to recover any of their money. "That's because we have no authority outside the United States," says Tom Mazur, spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, the law enforcement agency that's leading the investigation of the scam and trying to warn unsuspecting consumers about it.
"We're seeing victims all across America, but about all we can do is educate the public and state and local law enforcement agencies."
Here's how the scam works: A consumer selling an expensive item via the Internet gets an e-mail from a buyer overseas -- often from Africa -- who says he wants to purchase the item, and will pay for it with a cashier's check from a U.S. bank.
READ FULL STORY ...Best Rock For Your Buck - Feb 13, 2005
'Simplified' Ticketing Is Not So Simple For All Fliers - Feb 07, 2005
Blockbuster With a Joystick - Feb 07, 2005
Picking Rewards Deals? Seek Loyalty - Feb 07, 2005
FCC: Cable TV Rates Rose 5.4% In 2003 - Feb 06, 2005
Powell to Step Down at F.C.C. After Pushing for Deregulation - Jan 25, 2005
Apple Changes Course With Low-Priced Mac - Jan 15, 2005
How To Tip Well - Jan 14, 2005
A Little Retail Hustle Paid Off in Holiday Sales - Jan 07, 2005
Delta Fare Plan Turns Industry on Its Head - Jan 07, 2005
Before Christmas, Wal-Mart Was Stirring - Jan 07, 2005
Delta Plans to Streamline Fare System - Jan 07, 2005
TiVo Upgrade Puts TV Shows On Laptops - Jan 04, 2005
What You Wanted, What You Got - Jan 01, 2005
How To Handle Charity Solicitations - Dec 29, 2004
Be Careful When Donating To Charity - Dec 29, 2004
Charged Today, Tapped Out Tomorrow? - Dec 28, 2004
Be Prepared When Returning Gifts - Dec 27, 2004
$10 for a Plain CD or $32 With the Extras - Dec 27, 2004
10 Ways To Save Money When Cruising - Dec 27, 2004
Stop Shopping; Give Cash As A Gift - Dec 27, 2004
Last-Minute Shopping Made Easier - Dec 26, 2004
Phone-Network Leasing Rules Eased - Dec 26, 2004
How To Minimize Holiday Debt - Dec 24, 2004
Holiday Shoppers Should Rethink How They Pay - Dec 22, 2004
Lower Living Costs, Keep More Money - Dec 22, 2004
Blockbuster Cuts Online Prices - Dec 22, 2004
Making Your Generosity Pay - Dec 21, 2004
Price Cuts Get Deeper - Dec 21, 2004
Charitable Giving: The Right Match - Dec 21, 2004
In the Bay Area, TiVo Supplies DVR's at a Terrific Price: Nothing - Dec 19, 2004
Cell Phone Calls In Flight? - Dec 09, 2004
Holiday Tipping - Dec 09, 2004
Tunes Coming To Callers? - Dec 08, 2004
Electronic Ways to Pay Eclipse Checks in Number - Dec 07, 2004
The Trouble With Rebates - Dec 07, 2004
Customers Tire of Excuses for Rebates That Never Arrive - Dec 07, 2004
'Phishing' Attacks Surge In 2004 - Dec 06, 2004
Bush Signs Internet Tax, Special Ed Bills - Dec 05, 2004
The Wide World Of Online Shopping - Dec 04, 2004
Shopbots: Your Own Automated Shopping Assistant On The Web - Dec 04, 2004
Traveler: Know Your Options - Dec 04, 2004
Worried Merchants Throw Discounts at Shoppers - Dec 04, 2004
Regifting 101 - Dec 02, 2004
Health Costs Up 7.5% - Dec 02, 2004
5 Popular Holiday Shopping Scams - Nov 30, 2004
Slick Tips for Holiday Shopping - Nov 28, 2004
Give Gifts That Give Back - Nov 28, 2004
Tips For Stretching Your Holiday Budget - Nov 26, 2004
Meet The Bargain Hunters: Three Everyday Experts Share Their Tips - Nov 26, 2004
Smart Holiday Shopping - Nov 25, 2004
Some Shoppers Find Fewer Happy Returns - Nov 07, 2004
• Structured Settlements
www.setcap.com - cash for structured settlements, sell annuity, lottery winnings, and more.
• Personal Finance: Finance News Today provides money saving tips, news, and articles on personal finance issues like insurance, real estate, college planning and much more.
• Compare all our 0% Credit Card UK against our 0% balance transfers and cash back deals.
• Browse through our Credit Cards deals and apply online.
• financial tip - financial tips article and more.
• Arizona llc - incorporate a arizona llc. they offer solutions for limited liability company asset protection in arizona and california. incorporation services are provided online with 24 hour filings and expedited approvals. www.paralegal-plus.com for cpa lawyers.
• Credit Repair
repairmycreditnow.com/Credit_Repair_Advice.htm - repair my credit now credit services offers credit repair, restoration and education through our exclusive "v" phase process ™.
• Citibank Home Equity Lines of Credit: Rates as low as Prime - 0.50% variable APR for Life, currently 5.50% variable APR.
• Day Trading - day trading signals for active stock and options traders.
• Ken Langone - ken langone: make my day
• Credit Repair - repair my credit now credit services offers credit repair, restoration and education through our exclusive "v" phase process ™
• Online Option Trading - oexoptions is an oex online stock option trading company offering a free 15-day trial for all new customers.
• fix bad credit
Want to See Your Ads Here? Claim Your Ad Space at Personal Finance Weblog by Writing to Webmaster. Starting at $25/month, see your text ads in more than 2,000 indexed pages at PFBlog, the Best Personal Finance Blog, or MM Money, MM's Daily Personal Finance Readings. Full Rate Card Available Here.
