Internet Scams
One of the downsides of the internet is that there is no shortage of people out there trying all manner of scams to rip people off. To help combat this, Antiques Atlas have listed a number of the common scams doing the rounds. If you think you have been approached by a scammer, feel free to email me at enquiries@antiques-atlas.com any details and we will try and feature them here.
For legal reasons we can't mention any names, and we also do not mention the name of anyone who submits a story or details to the site. It is anonymous.
Please note - These stories are for information only, in no way does it form any kind of advice or recommendation by Antiques Atlas. Click here for our disclaimer
SCAM ALERT Late October 2007 - From a dealer on Antiques Atlas
Scammers will quite often use the same format / wording in emails and letters that they send to hundreds of people at once - and just alter the name and maybe the description of an item they wish to buy.
These emails are quite often in poor English, if you reply to one of these quite often the next reply can be in much better English - the reason being - your reply has just been sold on from one scammer to a another more sophisticated scammer.
Below is a copy of a recent email that turned out to be a scam (believed to be the overpayement fraud see details further down page). The names and the description of the item have been removed for legal reasons) but if you have had an email and its exteremely similar to this in wording - Be very careful - it could be a scam.
Subject: MAIL ORDER
Dear Sir
The xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx We are interested in purcahsing of this item you advertised for sale, vehemently I will like you to get back to me with the following details at your earliest convenience.
Your final sale price.
More details on its present condition.
Email some pictures too if available
We will be expecting your reply as soon as possible. we may not be able to come over and look at it but email us the up to that will be enough for us to conclude if we will purchase or not. we reguest to have a hand sive transaction with you. please we do need your urgent response.....Note .....send us your full contact Name address as well so that we can be able to reach with you, we will also want to know if you accept a cheque for payement,
thanks For your Co-oprations .
This is the order i needed:
xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx
XXXXX XXX XXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXX XX
Best regards
Mr xxxxxx
SCAM ALERT 30th MAY 2005 - Counterfeit International Money Order
A woman contacted two dealers in the North West of England around two weeks ago arranged to buy an item or various items and claimed she had posted the cheque.
She didn't send one , but when one dealer contaced her via email to chase it up - a cheque then arrived last Thursday or Friday (i.e before the bank holiday) .
She then got in touch over the weekend to say she had found a similar item elsewhere or a simialr excuse and asked for her cheque to be returned or for a new one to be sent from the dealers own account.
The cheque was then discovered to be fraudulent today (on Tuesday.)
The cheque on this occasion was a Barclays Bank one.
So if you have recieved a cheque from someone, just before the bank holiday or indeed anytime and they have decided not to have the item, I would be very very careful before you issued a cheque on your own account to reimburse them. Probably best to check with your bank first before you start sending cheques to anyone. Fraudulent cheques have been known to initially clear and then bounce a few days later.
Unfortuantely for legal reasons I can't give the name (in this email) the person was using when she contacted the dealers, but if you have any concerns at all or have had any similar or unusual enquiries, feel free to drop us an email.
Bank Transfer Fraud before closing
A dealer has also brought to my attention another fraud where someone comes to your shop says they want to buy an expensive item to take away that day , there is no way you can take a cheque, so they say they will do a direct transfer to your bank account.
They then get the transfer made to your account - you check it with your bank and they say - yes the money is in there - and you then let them take the item away.
All seems fine - but apprently (and I have only heard this from a dealer not a bank) they can then take the exact same amount of money out of your account as long as they do it before 6pm the same day!
Overpayment Fraud
A potential buyer asks to buy a high value item from your stock via the internet. You agree a price - for example £900. Then a cheque arrives by courier or post for twice the amount maybe £1400 - with a request from the buyer that you pay their shipper the overpayment as his fee. The shipper then gets on the phone and asks for his money to be wired to him. The people sound genuine on the phone but it is a scam, people have been known to send money to the shipper before the original cheque has cleared - and then the original cheque bounces and is returned by the bank. The person has then lost £500 and no shipper ever comes to pick up the item.
A further twist to the Overpayment Fraud - Money Laundering
This additional information is courtesy of Greater Manchester Police.
Dear Mr Smith,
Thanks for your message.
I think that the main problem/scam which might affect your members at his time is the overpayment scam. Initially the offenders were targeting mainly sellers of goods on Ebay and members of the public selling cars via Autotrader and other publications/internet sites, they now seem to be casting their nets wider and are targeting traders of other commodities. Despite publicity and increased public awareness of the scam it is something which is increasing and will continue to do so.
An important note concerning this type of scam and something which people should think about is that if the whole thing went smoothly. the cheque provided cleared, the trader passed on the extra funds as requested, and the bank did not reverse the transaction, they could very well find themselves being accused of
money laundering offences.
I've attached some links to websites from which you may be able to extract
information on current fraud trends and up to date crime prevention advice
to pass on to your members. If you require any further information please
do not hesitate in contacting me.
www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/ This link is particularly useful as it outlines all the major scams doing the rounds!
If you have any stories or details of scams that you have become aware of or would like to share please drop us an email to enquiries@antiques-atlas.com