LeapingGnome 0 #1 October 11, 2009 I have seen lots of scams and they are generally associated with gear sales. Has anyone seen the use if a credit card in a scam? This came straight to our manifest email and is the last reply... "Hello, Thanks for the bookings & confirmations .The total cost of the Diving and Certification is quite okay by me and i'm ready to pay the bills. Also want you to help me Charge another 1500 USD to a travel agent who has issued my guests air flight ticket to your city. The 1500 USD that will be sent to the agent is for the ticket fare for my guests which will be deduct from my credit card.Also, i'm compesating you with the sum of 400 USD for the transfer fee and for your efforts. Please note that i should have given the travel agency my credit card for him to deduct the ticket funds but he told me that he doesn't have the facilities to charge or debit credit card , so that's why i bring my vote of confidence in you and i dont want you to betray the vote of confidence i put in you so i want you to transfer the funds to him after the money charge from my credit card has reflect in your account you can now make the transfer to the agent via western union. So, the charges you'll make on my credit card will be: Diving and Certification fee : $1000 Agent fee with shipping fare (1500 USD) Your Commssion (400 USD) Note that my credit card will be charged for the amounts above. Please do get back to me if you are in the office right now so that i can forward my credit card details to you , then you can charge full amount and transfer the agent funds to him via western union. kind regards." The guy goes by Robin Clark and didn't want to pay a deposit just the full amount plus some! The first red flag was a "travel agent" that could not take a credit card. Anyone seen this before? Your thoughts.Falcon 74, Eagle 110, NFS 407, GW-2945, DW-1641, DDW-1151, "Inga... elevate me" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #2 October 11, 2009 If it smells bad, it probably is bad. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably isn't true.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ketia0 0 #3 October 11, 2009 Since he wants you to western union him money.. most likely... no.. it is a scam.. I would get the CC information, and find out if its stolen! "In this game you can't predict the future. You just have to play the odds. "-JohnMitchell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poolmarty 0 #4 October 11, 2009 Its a pretty common credit card scam. Do not do this! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #5 October 11, 2009 Poor use of English? Check. Offering to overpay? Check. Involving a non-named 3rd Party? Check. Using Western Union? Checkity check. Hits 100% on my scam-o-meter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orange1 0 #6 October 11, 2009 Quote Poor use of English? Check. Offering to overpay? Check. Involving a non-named 3rd Party? Check. Using Western Union? Checkity check. Hits 100% on my scam-o-meter. For this scam you just need one check: the overpayment (whatever the 'reason' might be).Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reginald 0 #7 October 11, 2009 Is the travel from Nigeria? "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Veritas3777 0 #8 October 11, 2009 I have seen something very similar to this before. I was trying to rent out an apartment using Craigslist, and I got e-mails that sounded way to good to be true, and they were all written in the same fashion. They, too, were wanting to send money via Western Union and send too much. These were "doctors" and "family men" trying to rent a 1 bedroom apartment on a college campus. Definitely a scam... I'm not sure what the scam is...but definitely a scam. The form and sound of the e-mail reply you posted is extrememly similar to what I encountered.. don't do it friend Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpdude 0 #9 October 11, 2009 Well, damn! I thought it was gonna be another scam brought to us by the good people at sLyride! Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #10 October 11, 2009 QuoteI have seen something very similar to this before. I was trying to rent out an apartment using Craigslist, and I got e-mails that sounded way to good to be true, and they were all written in the same fashion. I handle seasonal room retals in a ski town, and use Craigsliist all the time. I always expect to get an email like that soon after a post a rental listing. Usually it's from a humanitarian nurse who says she works with small children and the handicapped, and likes to spend quiet time at home without causing any troubles. She is taking a new job and wants to rent the room so she has a place to stay when she arrives in this country. And we need to move quickly because she is anxious to come to America, and just needs the housing sorted out before her already scheduled flight departs. The scam is always the same...her employer (or family member) is ready to send me a check for the rental, sight unseen, and will also include the airfare and a healthy commission. All I need to do is keep the commission and wire the airfare to the humanitarian nurse. It's pretty comical, but there must be some level of success or it wouldn't be such a common and predictable scam.Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #11 October 11, 2009 The generic reference to 'your city' makes it look like a cut-and-paste job as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #12 October 11, 2009 Quotethere must be some level of success or it wouldn't be such a common and predictable scam. One reason these scams are successful (aside from the appeal to people's greed) is that the scammers often use high-quality forged bank counter checks ("cashier's checks"). The forgeries are so good (with bona fide account and serial numbers) that when you deposit it into your account, your bank and the "issuing" bank initially "clear" the check electronically. You then withdraw the deposit in cash and pay it to the scammer. But a few days later, when the issuing bank receives the actual paper cashier's check, that bank identifies it as a forgery and refuses to pay your bank. Your bank then (legally) demands that you repay it (or debits that amount from your account), and you're screwed. You'd be amazed at how many lawsuits there are between people and their own banks over exactly this scenario, all over the country. The quantity is huge. (P.S.- the bank usually wins.) One underlying lesson: do not think that "cashier's checks" are "the same as cash", and are guaranteed, because they're not, or that they cannot bounce, because they can, and do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dumpster 0 #13 October 12, 2009 Everytime I list gear I get crap like this - I even get them out of the blue. It's hard to beleive some people unfortunately fall for them and lose big $$ - If anyone figures out how to scam the scammers let me know - I'm always ready to make a fast buck. Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SimpleJack 0 #14 October 12, 2009 Quote If anyone figures out how to scam the scammers let me know - I'm always ready to make a fast buck. http://www.419eater.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #15 October 12, 2009 That reminds me of a similar scam on Craig's List. Last month I was looking for an apartment near the Pitt Meadows, BC, Canada DZ. When I posted a "wanted apartment"ad, I soon heard from a family man, missionary just moved to London, who was looking for a quiet man to tend his apartment while he was out of town, etc.. Since he was asking a bit less than the local rate, I played along for a few e-mails. He even offered to courier me a key and rental contract, but first I had to wire a month's rent to address in Ohio!!!! That set off warning bells!!! I asked for a complete address and expressed my disappointment about not dealing face-to-face with an agent. When I mentioned that a friend of mine lived in the same building and I would show this contract to the building manager, his e-mails abruptly STOPPED! Tee! Hee! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 2 #16 October 12, 2009 QuoteThat reminds me of a similar scam on Craig's List. Yeah, Craigslist is a magnet for that shit. When I was helping one of my kids shop for a used car, I noticed the car ad section was absolutely crammed with those. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cornholio 0 #17 October 14, 2009 The very first thing and probably the most important thing I look for... They didn't address the letter/mail directly to you. ex: Hello Sir. Dear Madam... or just Dear , as in your example. If anything legit were to be sent to you (the OP), it would be addressed directly to you and reference your name, account #, or something tangible that you would recognize. Quote Poor use of English? Check. Offering to overpay? Check. Involving a non-named 3rd Party? Check. Using Western Union? Checkity check. Hits 100% on my scam-o-meter. Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast! Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool! bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMK 3 #18 October 15, 2009 This looks exactly like something that was going around to helicopter tour operators about 6 months ago (and posted on helicopter pilot forums). Looks like they’ve just cut/pasted from helicopter tours to skydiving training."Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xtine 0 #19 October 17, 2009 Toby: Didn't you lose a lot of money on that other investment? The email? Michael Scott: You know what Toby, when the son of the deposed king of Nigeria emails you directly, asking for help, you help! His father ran the freaking country! Ok?There are three types of people in this world. Those who can count and those who can't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
