We have been approached by these people before in our online store but now they are on eBay trying to scam eBay sellers.
The scam is pretty smart. Someone emails you (usually in very poor English) and they act like they want to buy the item you are selling on eBay. They say they are representing their "client" and they want to send you a money order for the item. They want you to ship the item to a specified address, then they want you to send them "their portion" of the money (they are supposedly sending you a money order with extra money on it for them).
Many sellers think "how can I go wrong with a money order?"
Well, according to postal inspectors these money orders are fake, or they are altered to reflect a greater amount than originally purchased. So what happens is, you put the money order in your bank, send out the item and the "bonus" to the scammer and your bank will eventually notify you that the money order you tried to cash is bogus and you will lose the money you sent the scammer along with any goods you shipped.
Here is an actual email I just got today on my Steel Curtain jersey on eBay:
Hello, i am just wanting to ask you few question on this item before we can proceed on it. as you can see i am a merchant buying this item to an an agent who want to buy it for one purpose or the other. please do you accept casheirs check as mode of payment? \how much is the final asking price of the item? did you have more item for sell? please get back to me with the reply as soon as possilbe. with your details like name and address you want the payment made to if you accept certfied csheir;s chec. More so on the check there will be included money which will be meant for shipping of the item from you to my client and also my own commision as as a merchant who is connect you together. will you refund the money also after the payment as been cash to ensure shipment of the item from you to my client and for me to have my own share? Let me know okay so we cab proceed in good manner. (This person's email is harleyinc02@yahoo.com)
Sellers Beware! The article we found (click here to read) said these offers also originate in chat rooms.
We went a step further with another scammer last week and we acted like we were going to go through with the transaction and they kept sending us confirming emails making sure we were honest people and that we would send their "bonus" immediately. That's funny, a fradulent, phony, internet scammer, trying to verify the integrity of someone they are trying to scam...not too bright!
