Scammer Update

[ItsPhilD]

I was approached through our MarketPlace by a member to purchase a helmet I have for sale. It all seemed legit on the surface until the $300 check was mistakenly made for $3,000. So today I received a FedEx notice that the check is on the way even though I called the guy out and asked him if this SCAM ever actually worked. Of course, he had no idea what I was talking about.

The origin of the check is: Hernandez Used Cars, 6985 Padre Island Hwy, Brownsville, TX 78521. I looked them up. It's a legit business but they are listed as Permanently Closed.

But interestingly enough the package is coming out of Seattle, WA.

I have informed our Leadership and they are aware and the "member" is no longer. Just thought some of you might like to see how this plays out.

Scammer Check Shipping.png

[Lee]

I received three emails for three different ads in the Market place from the same person.
I thought the wording was odd on the first email so I asked several questions.
The next two emails were worded exactly the same as the first and they never replied back with the answers to my question.

I think Ray Tubbs deals with Marketplace stuff. I'll email him.

[GTRider]

Yup, I too was contacted by one of the scammer names posted in the sidebar at the Marketplace, back before those names were listed. Never got as far as them sending me a check, and I’ve suspended my Marketplace ads until these criminals move on.

Best,
DeVern

[RIDERR1150GSADV]

The same is happening on other forums and the mods are booting these scumbags as fast as they appear and get reported. Use PayPal and don't fall for the scam of using friends and family as you are out of luck getting your money back. A few % on a deal can potentially prevent a lot of grief..
If it sounds to good to be true....... YMMV

[Lee]

Yup, I too was contacted by one of the scammer names posted in the sidebar at the Marketplace, back before those names were listed. Never got as far as them sending me a check, and I’ve suspended my Marketplace ads until these criminals move on.

Best,
DeVern

I see my scammer is listed now.
When I'm contacted about a Marketplace ad I usually ask a few questions.
Where are you located?
Are you a MOA member?
If you're on the forum what is your user name?

[Lee]

Use PayPal and don't fall for the scam of using friends and family as you are out of luck getting your money back.

I see a lot of ads on the ADV forum where the seller will ask for Friends and Family.
When I'm selling I never ask for Friends and Family.
Paypal provides a service to me and I have no problem paying for it.

[PoorUB]

I was approached through our MarketPlace by a member to purchase a helmet I have for sale. It all seemed legit on the surface until the $300 check was mistakenly made for $3,000. So today I received a FedEx notice that the check is on the way even though I called the guy out and asked him if this SCAM ever actually worked. Of course, he had no idea what I was talking about.

The origin of the check is: Hernandez Used Cars, 6985 Padre Island Hwy, Brownsville, TX 78521. I looked them up. It's a legit business but they are listed as Permanently Closed.

But interestingly enough the package is coming out of Seattle, WA.

I have informed our Leadership and they are aware and the "member" is no longer. Just thought some of you might like to see how this plays out.

Scammer Check Shipping.png

Cash the check and sit on it, don't ship the goods. See what happens, but more likely the check with be made out of some sort of rubber. If the buyer gives you any crap, tell him when the check clears you will send it , in a month!

I just sold some stuff on a Harley group. Didn't know the guys but they both had been members for some time, but few posts. I took a chance and sent the stuff. One guy sent a check, the other tossed some cash in an envelope! I am surprised the cash showed up!

I know guy that sold some parts to someone and the buyer never paid. Through the forum we were on someone asked what city the buyer lived in, the seller mentioned the city and the someone said I will PM you.

A week later the rest of the story was posted. The someone found 5-6 of the roughest looking biker types he could find and they dropped by the buyers home to collect. He got the money, and forwarded it to the seller, he said the buyer was shi**ing bricks.

[detbmw]

Cash the check and sit on it, don't ship the goods. See what happens, but more likely the check with be made out of some sort of rubber. If the buyer gives you any crap, tell him when the check clears you will send it , in a month!

I just sold some stuff on a Harley group. Didn't know the guys but they both had been members for some time, but few posts. I took a chance and sent the stuff. One guy sent a check, the other tossed some cash in an envelope! I am surprised the cash showed up!

I know guy that sold some parts to someone and the buyer never paid. Through the forum we were on someone asked what city the buyer lived in, the seller mentioned the city and the someone said I will PM you.

A week later the rest of the story was posted. The someone found 5-6 of the roughest looking biker types he could find and they dropped by the buyers home to collect. He got the money, and forwarded it to the seller, he said the buyer was shi**ing bricks.

If he cashes the check, his financial institution may charge him a hefty fee if/when it bounces.

[RIDERR1150GSADV]

If he cashes the check, his financial institution may charge him a hefty fee if/when it bounces.

Yes they will. The bank treats it as if you wrote the bad check... I don't understand that logic, other then knowing that banks a legalized thieves as well

[RIDERR1150GSADV]

I see a lot of ads on the ADV forum where the seller will ask for Friends and Family.
When I'm selling I never ask for Friends and Family.
Paypal provides a service to me and I have no problem paying for it.

Yes that was the site I had in mind. The last transaction I did went flawless and the buyer even offered a few extra $$ as I didn't do the F&F bs.
I asked him to donate it to ADV and that is what I think he did.

[djfalkenstein]

I am a moderator on the K1600 site. We deal with the same actors on a regular basis. There, I use diagnostic tools to identify potential bad actors, and I then challenge them. I do not know if tools such as IP trace are available to the moderators here, but I find them useful.

[djfalkenstein]

One thing to remember; bad actors can obtain local phone numbers easily, and spoof their IP address via a VPN. A savvy moderator can spot these tunnels, which is not a smoking gun so much as it is an empty holster.

[20774]

The Admin team only really has the ability to check IPs for members and forum guests to some degree. But I don't believe we have any visibility as to who might be using the Marketplace. It's a different platform altogether.

[Lee]

I am a moderator on the K1600 site. We deal with the same actors on a regular basis. There, I use diagnostic tools to identify potential bad actors, and I then challenge them. I do not know if tools such as IP trace are available to the moderators here, but I find them useful.

I was a moderator on i-BMW and we could see a person's location by the IP address but sometimes there's legit reasons for a IP location being different than the person showed in the profile or post.
You usually had to ask the poster a few questions or watch them for awhile before you banned them.
Like Kurt mentioned, the Marketplace is not part of the forum so the office may have to rely on members to report spammers.

[20774]

I think Ray Tubbs deals with Marketplace stuff. I'll email him.

Lee -

Have you heard back? My reading on this will be they can't do much. Since the Marketplace is open to the world to view and make contact, I don't think there's much they can do.