SCAM / FRAUD ALERT

[tyty43086]

I tried listing a product which I distribute in the classified section of this website some time ago. I did not get the response I thought so I moved to eBay. Anyways, about a week ago I received an email from someone who saw my listing on this website and wanted to purchase the item.

I was glad with a prospective sale in the near future. A couple of email volleys later and he let me know he was sending a certified check. The check came yesterday via UPS Next Day Air and was in the amount of $2200. This is roughly $2000 more than the sale price!!!! The check came with an Instruction sheet saying to cash the check, and send all excess funds back via western union/money gram. **RED FLAG**

I will share some of the details of this with you as I want everyone to be aware that the threat is out there and to not be taken advantage of. I suspect that if I cash the check, it will bounce- and the money will be taken out of my account, while the scammer is sitting back with $2000 in his pocket!! Well here goes:

Original "buyer" email -
allentim01@aol.com

Return Address on UPS -
Rosirel Perez
7188727037
Genesis Manufacturing, Inc.
1937 Vyse Ave.
Bronx, NY 10460

who I should wire the money to on instruction sheet-
Rachel Prentice
Boston, MA 02128

email on the instruction sheet-
jmfast27@yahoo.com

bank that check was issued from-
National Bank of Texas at Fort Worth

company name on check-
TCA, Inc.
980 North White Chapel Blvd.
Southlake, TX 76092

If any of the above information looks familar, beware. TOO MUCH INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT MATCH!!!! Why is the return address different from the address on the check? Why different emails? Why send from New York, pay as someone from Texas, ask to have the money wired back to Massachusetts?

I am posting this because I care about the community here at CNC ZONE and would HATE for anyone to get involved in this. It is a shame that we cannot have a classified section on this forum without having to worry about fraud!!!

BTW I plan to take the check to my bank on Monday and see what they can do. I may just have a hold put on the check and see if by some miracle the funds clear. Somehow I highly doubt it.

BTW on google for 5 minutes and I found this:
http://www.4m.net/showthread.php?t=36504

[dertsap]

its a scam that has been going on for some time now , rip up the cheque

why would someone feel the need to write a cheque and request money to be sent back to him , if it was legit the guy would be a moron to send 2G to a stranger and trust it will be returned , a simple withdrawl would be easier and safer (if the money was in the account to begin with )

[Geof]

dertsap is correct, there was an article in our local paper recently about this scam.

[Al_The_Man]

In the words of W.C. Fields, 'I would give him something I rarely give to anyone, My personal IOU.'
Al.

[joyce]

Hi,
I googled the company name of a check I received for a possible property renter from England. They reached me through my ad on Craig's List for the tenancy opening. They offered many reassurances through email that I could check their references in England.
Upshot is:
I received today a check from the National Bank of Texas.
Address: 2835 28th St., Fort Worth, Tx 76106.

Company drawn on: TCA, Inc. 980 North White Chapel Blvd
Instructions: email jmfast23@aol.com upon receipt of check
Cash check in my bank, deduct my funds needed and wire the remaining funds
to:
Margarita Lozada, Deltona, FL 32738, USA
with my Name, address.

There are just a few misused words in the instructions that may clue one to the fact the speaker does not have English as a first language.
Such as......'because we have temporarily close (sic) down our United Kingdom office to avoid internet fraud. Email us immediately at jmfast23aol.co so that we can report this fraud.'

Thanks for your posting! It clued me in to move on.

Joyce
Des Moines, IA

[Mike Stevenson]

This is an OLD scam straight out of NIGERIA. Stay away from it completely. I know it's tempting but you will end up owing the entire amount of the bounced check to the bank!

[lovebugjunkie]

Write a Big FU on the check, put it in a box with a brick and send it back to him COD.

[mc-motorsports]

Originally Posted by lovebugjunkie Write a Big FU on the check, put it in a box with a brick and send it back to him COD.

I like it!!!

[lct926@pennswoo]

I got a bad check from this scam as well. I totally agree with the others!!
Beware, don't fall for it.