eating crow, been scam'd

I would be getting paid $350 a week for each time I had to these arrens for him, there would be a lot of ruining around that would be doing.

I'd say there was some "ruining" around on your "arrens". Unfortunately it was you getting ruined.

With all of this being said, yeah I have to pay back the money I didn't have. But on the bright side, school is going well, I have a awesome daughter that still thinks I am a great father (she is only 6) and a wonderful girl friend. I wont let this little set back dampen my day.

My guess is that it was just a scam and you lost. Go on and work some overtime and you will be back on top in no time. Good luck. Its hard to save money when you don't make much, but its not impossible.I hope you are able to get back to where you were int he next couple months.

In reply to N Sperlo: lol, nice thought. But I only get 24 hours a week at my curent job. I have some cost of living checks coming in, they should be here in a few weeks. I told the bank I would pay what I could each month.

Makes overtime kind of hard. Good luck anyway. I hope the bank keeps up their end. Keep a good relationship with the bank manager and I would think he might find it in the kindness of his heart.

Would it really be that hard for Western Union to require anyone who sends money to read and agree to something that says "if you were given a cashiers check by some random person who asked you to send part of the amount of the check to some other random person, its a scam and you are going to lose the money"? It seems like this is common enough that it would be warranted.

Travis_K wrote: Would it really be that hard for Western Union to require anyone who sends money to read and agree to something that says "if you were given a cashiers check by some random person who asked you to send part of the amount of the check to some other random person, its a scam and you are going to lose the money"? It seems like this is common enough that it would be warranted.

They would lose business that way. Legal obligations would be helpful. Get your state rep on the phone!

Travis_K wrote: Would it really be that hard for Western Union to require anyone who sends money to read and agree to something that says "if you were given a cashiers check by some random person who asked you to send part of the amount of the check to some other random person, its a scam and you are going to lose the money"? It seems like this is common enough that it would be warranted.

My bank has signs at the counter and the drive-up window that warn about that and other scam situations.

Just a public service announcement: I recently had a scammer contact me trying to pull the Western Union deal but was using Paypal for the initial payment. A lot of people think Paypal will protect them. I have a Kart for sale I'd posted here and on CL. It went like this over a 3 week period.

I want to buy this Kart and need to know the last price and please i can only pay using pay pal, and after payments has been made i will arrange for pick up of the Kart.

Thanks.

Rayman.

I responded and recieved this

Thanks for the feedback, i really appreciate it,i am an oceanographer and am currently at sea at the moment, i am buying the Kart as a gift for someone, i want to make it a surprise for him,he wont know anything about the Kart until they get delivered to him, i can only pay through pay pal as i don't have access to my bank account online as i don't have internet banking,but i have my bank account attached to my pay pal account and this is why i insisted on paying you through pay pal,So please kindly get back to me with your pay pal and pls if you don't have PayPal account yet,it is very easy to set up, go on http://www.paypal.com and get it set up,after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail address you use for registration with PayPal so as to put the money through..Notice you don't need to bother your self about the shipment,i have an pick-up agent that will come for pick-up,they will also determine and secure the shipment,Hope to read from you soon.

Thanks,

Rayman.

Poor writing skills for someone educated enough to be an oceanographer is a tip off, and no real concerns about shipping details, but the scammer was patiently trying to work the scam. I respond thinking it's a probably a scam. Then I recieve this.

Hi , I was just about to make the payments when i had this little problem with the picking up of the Kart , I am currently on sea and i am buying the Kart for someone as i explained earlier on and i tried to book pick up with my pick up agent, but they asked me to pay first before they can make the booking, and they only accept western union money transfer for payments and they don't accept paypal or bank transfer and I tried to send the money online but i could not and I am on sea and there is no way i can find a western union agent to make the transfer to my pick up agent, so i wanted to ask if it was okay for me to include my pick up agent's fees in the payments I am about to send through paypal,my pick up agent charged $250 plus insurance and all of that,please can i include their money in the payments I want to send then after i have made the payments you will help me forward the $250 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer,this I would have done myself and not bother you but the for the fact that I am currently on sea, so after I have made the payments you will help me send $250 to my pick up agent through western union money transfer,I just wanted to seek your consent before going ahead with the payments,I will more than appreciate if you mail me back, and I will be making the payments shortly.

PS:the shipping company's Head quarters is in England and any pick up fees to be paid is sent to their head quarters by the payee, so the money for pick up will be sent to their head quarters in England through western union money transfer(this can be done from any post office) or you can do it online at www.westernunion.com

Thanks, Rayman.

I called him out on the scam and haven't heard back.

RioRacer wrote: .... Finally after a few week of not hearing from this guy I get an email. Stating there is a check at my apt (sent via FedEx) ...The was there when I got home, Inside it said I need to send the balance to an artist in VT,

you have the best attitude, and I am sure in a few years when you are done with school this will be an embarrassing story you tell over beers to get a laugh

But in the meantime, there are 2 addresses there. The return from the FedEx and one in VT. You aren't getting the money back, but I'd look for some payback if you can find where this started. There was a 20/20 special where the reporter traced this scam to actual folks. Someone has to cash that stuff. A little research and you can get phone numbers.

You can't hurt them, but certainly a man for man craigslist ad, pizza delivery, a stack of seventeen subscription cards checked "bill me" would add a little umph to that punchline.

Also, google the text of the CL ad you answered. I guarantee they use the same one, collect some email addys and get them signed up for some spam and animal porn. Its a drop in the bucket, but a nice pastime when you can't sleep.

Mental wrote: You aren't getting the money back, but I'd look for some payback... certainly a man for man craigslist ad, pizza delivery, a stack of seventeen subscription cards checked "bill me" would add a little umph to that punchline.

Um, what? Seriously, you DO know that a stack of seventeen sub cards checked "bill me" means that many publishers, me included, will spend more than five bucks each on this scammer between the served issue and follow-up bills, plus personnel time to sort the problem out once they complain? I've even logged time with police detectives when these turn into stalker cases. But that's okay, I suppose, because we're "big business" and won't feel it. (Nevermind that that's the cost of a lunch out for me.) Fine. But what about the pizza delivery guy who drives up there for nuthin'? How is hurting additional innocent people appropriate payback?

Margie

Anyone who spells "I" as "i" ought to shampoo my crotch. They should definitely not be trusted with your money. For what it's worth (and I'm really trying to not be a dick), but people who write or speak poor English should be given at least a second look before conducting business.

since they are probably using a translator program of some sort... I say my Korean ,Chinese ,Japanese, French....etc would be equally bad

I'm sorry for your loss.

I took a $40K bath in a legitimate business last year. There are plenty of ways to lose money.

Learn the lesson. Be cautious.

SVreX wrote: I'm sorry for your loss. I took a $40K bath in a legitimate business last year. There are plenty of ways to lose money. Learn the lesson. Be cautious.

Hell, for $40K, I'll give you a bath.

In reply to RioRacer:

I'm sure you simply aren't worried about spelling and grammar on here because this is an internet forum, but make sure that any written correspondence you send to a government agency is relatively free of these errors.

Lots of gov't offices get tons of mail and email from crackpots and nutcases, and some use poor spelling and grammar to try to weed them out. Unfair, but true.

+1

First impression will be your only impression.

ShadowSix wrote: In reply to RioRacer: I'm sure you simply aren't worried about spelling and grammar on here because this is an internet forum, but make sure that any written correspondence you send to a government agency is relatively free of these errors. Lots of gov't offices get tons of mail and email from crackpots and nutcases, and some use poor spelling and grammar to try to weed them out. Unfair, but true.

There grammar was a little off, but then again I have been told I don't "talk" like every on else. Either way I havent put my self first for a long time.The lose of this money had me up set for about a day. This Shiny Person has insured them self a nice place in hell. Am I bitter, no. I am broke as a joke, but enjoying life.

cwh wrote: The scam tip-off was send the extra money by Western Union to a third party.

This.

I honestly don't know anyone who uses western union other than scammers, lol.

^^^^ That is not necessarily true. I use WU when my clients want immediate shipment. WU- money is here immediately, wire transfer can take a week, credit card will take 3 days to clear. So, it can be useful and completely legit.