virginia_carden Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I post ads on craigslist now and then for my wedding services. Last night I got this" "are you free to shoot a wedding on Aug. 3? Please let me know a.s.a.p Thank you" So I emailed back I was. Then today I get 2 more emails (different email adresses) asking the SAME thing exactsame words. But have not gotten a response back. So this is a total of 3 emails asking the same thing. Seems fishy to me. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_schilling___chicago_ Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 If it looks like a fish, swims like a fish, and smells like a fish............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virginia_carden Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 lol very true. Im just curious what (if this is a scam) they are trying or will try to do. It could just be a frantic couple emailing everyone they can to see if they are available. But it seems weird I have not gotten a response when I emailed back promptly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_kinosh Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I've gotten 5 of the same in 2 days. I reported this ti CL but no answer. They are all G-mail addresses. They are just gathering e-mail addresses to spam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Taylor Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Run away from anything even remotely weird on Craigslist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virginia_carden Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Yes they are gmail accounts. Seems like a tough way to collect email addresses for spam. But I guess they try all ways now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heather_taum Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I got that same message!!! This is totally SPAM!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virginia_carden Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 ha! See Im so glad you guys are here. Now I know not to respond to it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgk1966 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 The first time I received one of those messages, I promptly replied. In broken english, the guy agreed to hire me for an upcoming wedding, and told me he was sending a check from California (I'm in Chicago). I received a check from a random Louisiana rice milling company in an amount that was $1000 more than what we agreed on. Then he told me that his wedding planner made a mishap and I was supposed to wire the extra money back to him. Needless to say, I did no such thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayt Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Matthew Scribed: Needless to say, I did no such thing. What you should have done is sent the check to the milling company with a letter explaining the situation. They would have been able to change their checking account if it was indeed their checking account. They could have also opened a case with the police in California. You should have said that you could not wire any money, but instead would send a check. Print a fake check with all fake information, account, name, bank, etc. Send that to the person using a fake return address. Give them a taste of their own medicine. Their bank may be able to press fraud charges against them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverhaas Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Not good advice to create a fake of your own, especially if you're trying to get the cops to press charges for you. There are many scammers and spammers out there. Best advice when dealing with anyone is to meet them in person - at a public place. Get a money order or check then. If you get a check for more than the amount you requested, don't cash it...If it's bad your bank will charge you in most cases. Hold it, call the person who sent it and see what's up. If they don't provide contact info (phone #) I don't respond. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcox2 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I got it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_schultz1 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Raymond, I work in the financial industry for my day job, working with anti-money laundering issues. Your advice was terrible and illegal. Matthew should have alerted the local authorities about the check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayt Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Tim: The advice about contacting the company affected was most certainly not illegal and was not a terrible idea. The advice about making a fake check may have been illegal but it was also certainly not terrible. What the person did initially was also illegal. So why not send them some of their own medicine? And for your information I also worked 15+ years in the financial industry as the IT manager for a larger commercial bank. I am fully aware of the laws. The local authorities have done little, and will do little, to catch these cretins. The local authorities will do nothing for something that is outside their jurisdiction. Only the FBI will get involved when state lines are involved. So slamming the cretins with their own medicine, make them the fall guys, is not such a bad idea in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernie moore Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Raymond, if I get this right you advise a law abiding citizen to forge checks, and the rationale for this is that it's ok because the payee is a bad guy? Damn! Personal justice serves only one; laws, us all. Write that down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_welsh Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 By printing a fake check, you could face felony charges including counterfeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_godwin1 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Got the same thing and I don't even do weddings.<p> =============================<br> From: alex.art.photo@gmail.com<p> are you free to shoot a wedding on Aug. 3?<p> Please let me know a.s.a.p<p> Thank you<p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_welsh Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I should also add that if this fake check was sent through the mails. then, the U. S. Postal Inspectors would surely get in on the act. So, why take the chance on spending time in the federal pen, just to give them some of their own medicine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayt Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Well, for one thing it is not against the law to print a check. You can make up an account number and ABA number and put it on the check. This is done all the time with promotions in the mail that contain very real, but limited, checks. You also many times will see sample checks in check order books, although these generally have VOID written across the check. It is also not against the law to sign such a check. As long as the instrument is not presented as payment for anything there have been no laws broken. A check is really nothing more than a promise to pay by drawing against funds in an account. What is a violation is the presentation of a knowingly false instrument for payment. That is why postal inspectors, FBI, and local law enforcement do not get involved. Unless there is theft involved. That happens when the person sends the money and the other person obtained the funds by fraudulent means. If the check is never presented for payment there have been no laws broken. And if you really think a person that has commited fraud is going to complain to the authorities when they themselves get caught, then they are indeed really stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_welsh Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Raymond, you said that as long as the fake check is not presented as payment then no laws have been broken. Then, why are you suggesting sending the check? To show your artistic ability? For someone to give the bad guys a case of their own medicine is dumb, too. To use yor own words,"The advice about making a fake check may have been illegal," illegal is illegal, PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayt Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Jack: The check is not in payment for anything. It is just sent on to the individual for them to do as they wish. If they choose to deposit the check it is their problem. And note that I said "may", not "is". In some jurisdictions such as overseas the laws may be different. But here in the U.S. the printing of a check, any check, is not illegal. The person whose name is on the check is ultimately responsible for how the check is used. If the check is invalid then the person that presented the check is out the money. It is up to that person to contact the person that created the check to resolve the issue. I personally think sending the check is a good idea. The person that is scamming gets scammed and gets noticed by their bank. That puts them on the hook and the identification of the person is now known. Think they will run to the police and complain about getting scammed by their own scam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_welsh Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 The fake checks you mentioned for promotions, etc the ones I've seen show that they are not actual checks. You are promoting to have it look real.What you seem to say is that I can send my insurance company a fake check. And, if they cash it, it is there problem. Try that with the phone bill, etc and see what happens! what you are actually doing is sending them the check to pay for the amount of excess money they sent you by mistake. So, you are sending them the check so that they will consider it as payment. I'm just saying that give your suggestion to the state Atorney General or someone, similiar and see what they have to say. Printing a check that will be used as payment, is illegal.In this case, since you are suggesting for the check to be used as payment for the excess money they sent you. It is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_godwin1 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Here's some more info on the scam if anyone is interested:<p> <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/overpayalrt.shtm">Check Overpayment Scams</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_welsh Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Thanks, Mike! My whole point on this is that if the scammer's check is counterfeit, then, how could my fake check not be. "The checks are counterfeit, says the FTC" I got that quote from the FTC's website. End of story! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack_welsh Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 In Nigeria, there is a popular song about scamming Americans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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