Shipping to the UK? question about this wierd e-mail...

RoboFlonne · Post by **RoboFlonne** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:03 pm

Below is the e-mail I got... And I've never gotten western union from the UK. Or used DHL for shipment. Anyone here have any ideas what this guy is up to?

You know whenever I hear... I'm going to send you more money then you're asking for... It sets off a RED flag in my brain (visualize a Red Flag coming out of Roboflonne's brain).

What do you guys think?

I agreed to pay the amount you want as buy it now any aditional money for the shipping.but i am using this opportunity to inform you that the amount that will be on the moneyorder or check will more than ur item fees.i don"t really know the exact amount it will be.bcos it will be issue by my client.and the reason of the over payment is that.the amount on the payment has been signed,and it is more than ur item fees.so once you receive it.you must deduct ur item fees and westernunion the balance money to my client manager in United Kingdom.and the item is going to U.K.

there will be no problem about the shipment.i want you to responsible for it.also make sure you deduct ur item fees and westernunion any aditional money on the m/o or check once you receive it.Here will go.i would have end the auction but i don"t know how to do it.so i want you to go and end the auction for me asap.to asure you that i am really intrested in ur item.i will add extra $5.00 in ur payment if you end the auction for me asap.and email me ur phone# asap today.
Below are the questions i have for you.

1)is the item in good condition?

2)is any westernunion location where you to send the balance money money arround you?

3)can you make sure you get the payment cash at ur bank the sameday you receive it?

4)can you allow me to send DHL for the pick up and complete the transaction the day you receive the moneyorder?

If yes too all my questions.kindly email me back asap today so that the payment can be send asap,

Regards,

RoboFlonne · Post by **RoboFlonne** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:12 pm

2)is any westernunion location where you to send the balance money money arround you?

Is it normal for english speaking people to make giant spelling and grammar mistakes?

miz ducky · Post by **miz ducky** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:25 pm

That absolutely does not look like it was written by Any English speaking person.

Nene · Post by **Nene** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:35 pm

The usual kind of "sending a large-sum cheque" scam usually involves you paying in the cheque to your bank and then you sending the item to the buyer along with their "change" (in this case it looks like they want it by Western Union). Then the cheque they gave to you will turn out to be fraudulent (even if at first it looks to have cleared) and the money taken back from you by the bank. So you lose both the item and money.

There was an article in the UK maybe about a year or so ago about banks being able to take money back from peoples' accounts when fraudulent cheques were used. This is after they have been "cleared" and people thought the money was safe. I'm not sure if the same applies to the US.

But this kinda thing is definately a scam.

Nene · Post by **Nene** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:41 pm

I'll also say that I don't really know anything about moneyorders but maybe they're also hoping that you won't cash it first before sending the item.

This looks fishy:
4)can you allow me to send DHL for the pick up and complete the transaction the day you receive the moneyorder?

If they send a moneyorder and not a cheque, they might be hoping that by rushing shipment, it'll stop you from cashing it first. From what I understand, moneyorders are like cash so they might be trying to loll you into a false sense of security that way and send you either a fake or somehow fraudulent one.

I've only ever seen emails like this though regarding cheques so I'm not too sure how they would scam with a money order apart from the above mentioned.

Grico · Post by **Grico** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:47 pm

Don't do it, sounds very scam-ish. No one send extra money and then wants you to send back the excess that is not scamming you.

RoboFlonne · Post by **RoboFlonne** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:01 pm

Wow! Thanks Guys! Now I won't lose $40 for shipping and be scammed!

Cloud · Post by **Cloud** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:01 pm

Why now? What will you do instead?

RoboFlonne · Post by **RoboFlonne** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:02 pm

Well I told them I accept Paypal to UK confirmed addresses and British Pounds. You can EMS me british pounds!

star-phoenix · Post by **star-phoenix** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:24 pm

That does sound weird. I have heard of buyers getting scammed by Western Union. I am not sure if sellers have been scammed by Western Union. But, the fact that they are bribing you to end the auction early also sounds strange. You did a good move to reply that you accept Paypal. Make sure you have a tracking # or a proof of sending receipt for this item if that buyer purchases it. You want to make sure you have all your bases covered just in case something happens. :-/

Kujaku · Post by **Kujaku** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 8:21 am

Please do not send anything to them. This is a HUGE SCAM. I was sent a notice like this from my DP about this a while ago. There were a few incidents on ebay where someone would set up an account, bid like crazy and make outside offers. Send similar emails like that with "my client will be paying with a money order that is over the amount"...blah, blah, please send me the difference and I will have the item picked up by dhl. Within 1 1/2 month, they ended up with over $12,000 worth of stuff and disappeared from ebay (most likely setting up another ebay account).

I remember that there was someone from Beta that had their item bidded on by a scam like this, I just do not remember if they actually sent the cel.

Good thing you placed a notice on Beta, good helpers all around