Scams and Fraud
Surfboard Shack has had great success in allowing fellow
surfers to sell their used surfboards and equipment. However,
there have been reported cases of email fraud and scams. One
of the best ways to avoid this problem is to keep all transactions
local, whenever possible, don't do business with anyone who
is not in your local area.
Use caution and common sense when dealing with any financial
transaction:
* IT MAY BE WISE TO DEAL ONLY WITH LOCAL BUYERS AND SELLERS!
Though the majority of inquiries in the U.S. are legit, almost
all foreign inquiries and emails are scams.
* NEVER wire funds to a distant buyer, via Western Union or
any other carrier
* Be wary if the other party wants to use an escrow service
such as BidPay or Squaretrade or offers cashier's checks.
* NEVER give out personal financial information (checking
account number, SSN, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
* trust your instincts, and always remember the most important
rule -- BUYER BEWARE
Recognizing scams
Most scams meet involve one or more of the following:
* long-distance buyer or seller
* offer includes a cashier's check, postal money order, Western
Union, or escrow service (BidPay, Squaretrade, etc.)
* refusal to meet face-to-face
Types of Scams
Distant buyer offers a high-value (but fake) cashier's check
in exchange for your item
* you receive an odd email (actual examples sent to craigslist
sellers below) offering to buy your item site unseen.
* cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit
for an apartment, or just about anything else.
* value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - buyer
asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service
* banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU
RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR
* scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business
associate owing buyer money, etc)
Distant seller offers to send you a cashier's check and then
have you wire money:
* this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's
check is FAKE
* sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes
not
* scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing
on the fake check
* deal often seems too good to be true
Distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which
he will ship goods
* he says he trusts you with the partial payment
* he may say he has already shipped the goods
* deal often sounds too good to be true
Actual examples of scam emails sent to Surfboard Shack
sellers
Example 1
Note: If you would like to post a scam that you have received
via email, please contact us at info@surfboardshack.com
Hello, how are you today.i saw your ad and i am very much
interested in the surf board.i will like to inquire about
its current conditions and iwill be more than pleased if you
can send me pictures so that ican determine its physical conditions
as well.What is your final asking price and will you accept
money order as means of payment.I await your response
Regards
WAYNE
Example 2
Hello,
As regards to your advert which i saw via the internet,i am
highly interested in purchasing the
board and i would like you to get back to me with the following
1.last price of it
2.its condition
3.the pictures.
I will not like you to worry about the shipping i have my
own private shipping company that will come pick-up in your
location and as soon as transaction is completed my shipping
company will come for the pick-up in your location. Hope to
hear from you soonest.
Fred
Hello,
Thanks for your response,i am very glad to read from you,i
will purchase the board for $175 and i want you to remove
the adverts from the internet,i have made contact with my
patner that will issue the payment he owed me to you,i will
be meeting th the shipping company for neccesary arrangement
for the shipment,i want you to send the pics of it anytime
its available
to my mailbox.Kindly send your full name and full postal address
for sending the payment and phon number for easy communication.I
look forward to hear from you soonest............
Regards
Fred
Hello,
I just want you to understand that the payment will be sent
to you by check and as soon as
transaction is completed the shipper will come for the pick-up,Kindly
send your full name and full postal address for sending the
payment and phone number so that payment can be sent to you
without delay.I look forward to hear from you soonest............
Regards
Fred
Regards
Hello,
How are you today?i hope it is fine,i want you to know that
i have my own shipping company that will come for the pick-up
of the board,as soon as the transaction is completed my
shippers will come for the pick-up of the board.I will like
to inform you in due course that the payment has been issue
to you in check($2500) by my patner because that is actual
amount he is oweing me,i receive a fax message from his office
that he had sent payment he owed me to you,he ensure me that
he has given you the priority to cash the check on his behalf.I
would not want any delay that is why i would allow you cash
the check,please ensure to return remainning funds to the
shipping company as soon as you receive the payment.
,you know that i trust you and i don't want you disapoint
neither me nor my shipping
company,i will want you to clean-up the board before the arrival
of the check and the shipping
company.Kindly contact me as soon as you receive the cheque
so that i can give you the shippers information.
Best regards.
Fred
