Is this a scam?

[brownbobcat]

It's starting to sound fishy to me, and I would like to get some opinions. I put up a textbook for sale (not on RFD). Guy e-mails me and goes through the usual stuff: what condition, price, etc. Then he starts to say he has a shipper who could pick up the item and it gets complicated - he wants to pay me an excess amount by money order and then have me wire transfer whatever portion to cover the shipping. After reading his last e-mail below, I start to think 3 things:

1) Why the hell is he so excited over an Econ textbook?
2) Would someone scam for such a small amount? The book is $60 and there's no way the excess for "shipping" would be much
3) If it is a scammer, what's the best way to mess with him?

His last e-mail:

Hello and thanks for getting back to me, I must let you know that am very happy its still available for sale, I must let you know that i will buy it from you.

so i am making the final confirmation on the sale, Now an overdraft (excess) international money orders will be issue out to you in your name and all i will want you to do is to deduct your money which is $60.

Then you send the rest money to the person coming for the pickup at your location through western union money transfer, because am from the united kingdom and i have arrange the pickup with him so please understand this because the same person will bring some other items from Canada for me.
so please get back to me with the followings so that the payment can be send to you immediately.

Your full name...?
Your full contact address.......?
Your city...?
Your postal code...?
Your home phone number and cell number so that the payment can be send to you.

Note...I want you to know that am not in the state for now,but i will not mind to pay you extra $5 for you to keep it for me till the payment get to you. Because here they are worth more that the mount you give it to me.

[new_vr]

Yes, it's a scam
You can see how it works here: http://www.lets-ride.com/classifiedadvertisements/thescams.htm under Money Order Scam
Two things to remember that will help you in life:1. Most people aren't going to give you more then you ask for 2. Spelling and Grammar matter. A lot of these scammers don't speak english as a first language, so some of the things written in their emails don't make much sense
Think about this "because am from the united kingdom and i have arrange the pickup" That doesn't make much sense at all. And people from the UK should have better english then ours!

[45ED]

You're apparently new, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you know nothing about this.

Yes, your instincts are right. It is a variation of the a scam where someone sends you money for an item, it is too much, you refund the rest back, and the original check bounces, leaving you on the hook.

Here is a thread to another poster who fell for the scam you apparently avoided.

Be Aware: Textbook buyer SCAM!!! I got scammed, STAY ALERT! (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=652505)

And here is a link to a CityNews story on the same topic - Money Order And Cheque Overpayment Scams (http://www.citynews.ca/blogs/jeelicious_27495.aspx) by CityNew's Consumer Specialist Jee-Yun Lee.

[brownbobcat]

Yeah, I kinda came to the same conclusion even as I was typing out my post. I guess I was surprised because this is very small-potatoish as far as scams go.

*EDIT* Thanks for that RFD link, very interesting and RFD comes through as usual.
*EDIT2* OK, after reading those threads about $800 money orders, it makes a bit more sense. Guess I haven't gotten that e-mail yet. :lol:

[15-20_God]

And all I did was read the subject title. No other details were required in coming to this conclusion.

[MrDisco]

It's starting to sound fishy to me, and I would like to get some opinions.

Yes it's completely a scam. All you need to do is use common sense - who in their right mind would overpay for a lousy text book?

Ok but what if someone didn't have common sense you may ask? Answer: Google! Required reading for anyone without common sense:
http://www.phonebusters.com
In particular:
http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_advfeefraudover.html

Best way to mess with him? Hit the delete button.

[45ED]

Yes it's completely a scam. All you need to do is use common sense - who in their right mind would overpay for a lousy text book?

Ok but if someone didn't have common sense you may ask? Answer: Google! Required reading for anyone without common sense:
http://www.phonebusters.com
In particular:
http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_advfeefraudover.html

Best way to mess with him? Hit the delete button.

+1 Even if you, the OP, aren't giving him the money, he is, in a way, winning. You may be messing with him, but he gets "some" revenge by wasting your time. Best to cut ties, block the guy, and move on. That, and perhaps remember this incident so that if any of your friends encounter this situation, or even think of selling a textbook and mention so to you, inform them so that the scammer scams one less person.

[kramerz80]

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=722173


:D

[Eyies]

And all I did was read the subject title. No other details were required in coming to this conclusion.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=722173


:D

+1.. clicked on the thread just to post the link to dfw's thread, and say yes.

[deep]

Not reading OP, not reading thread.

Automatic "YES" reply generated.

[YoungDr3amer]

It is not a scam.

Go for it, I can ensure the results are promising.

I'm a successful client and can guarantee it's legit. :D

[angekfire]

If you actually have to ask if it is a scam, it is.

[danns]

+1 Even if you, the OP, aren't giving him the money, he is, in a way, winning. You may be messing with him, but he gets "some" revenge by wasting your time. Best to cut ties, block the guy, and move on. That, and perhaps remember this incident so that if any of your friends encounter this situation, or even think of selling a textbook and mention so to you, inform them so that the scammer scams one less person.

Well if he sends you the money order and pays the postage then he is losing time and money.

[skeletor]

It is not a scam.

Go for it, I can ensure the results are promising.

I'm a successful client and can guarantee it's legit. :D
+1
d00d 1tz t0t4lly l3g1t!!!!!!!!!!!111111ONe11111111ELeVenz11

[XxXSnake23XxX]

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=722173


:D

+1... beat me to it!!

[ES_Revenge]

And all I did was read the subject title. No other details were required in coming to this conclusion.

x2

If you're seriously asking yourself the question "is this a scam?", 99% of the time the answer is "yes".

Just be glad you stopped and asked yourself (and RFD as the case may be) because the people that actually do get scammed rarely ask that question...

[laptop-tech]

http://rawsocket.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/noob.jpg

[brownbobcat]

http://rawsocket.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/noob.jpg
Hmmm, posting a picture with a caption. How insightful and original.

[angekfire]

Hmmm, posting a picture with a caption. How insightful and original.

Hello dear, you must be new.