Arcade Game SCAM ???????????????????

[koolmoecraig]

Hello,

So I have my Tron Cocktail posted for sale on a few sites. I got an email from a "guy" interested in buying it. Here are the emails, does this seem like a scam to you guys?

"I saw your advert for ( TRON Cocktail Table Arcade
Video Game ) over the web and am much interested in
buying it. I live here in CANADA,I will be
responsible for the shippment down to my location,
so please kindly write me back with your last
offering price.I will also need some of its recent
pics,and will like to know its present condition. I am Looking forward to your soonest reply.
REGARDS
 DENNIS"

My Reply:
Craig Anstett <velvetdoors1@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hello Dennis,

It works perfectly. It had been sitting in a garage
fro the past 12 years, so it is a little dusty inside.
The glass on the top is scratched up. You can see
through it, but it would look alot nicer with a new
piece of glass. The cabinet has some laminate chipping
around the base of the table in various places.

On a scale of 1-10, I would honestly say that the game
play and monitor are a 9, and the cabinet is a 6-7.

You'll notice the top glass clips missing in the
pictures. I took them off to repaint them.

Let me know if you have a problem with the pictures.

Thanks!
Craig

P.S. As far as price, the highest offer that I have is
$600. I really do not want to sell it to a game
"broker". I feel that they are killing our hobby by
artificially inflating prices. I'd rather take less
from a collector.

His Response. Notice the use of the word "GAME" seems like a generic insertion, those are his capitals, not mine.
"Greetings, Everything sounds well and I must commend that the GAME is in excellent condition and am okay with the prize $600 and I will be willing to offer you $650 for it so i would want you to keep other buyer's off. Am actually buying it as a birthday present for my son .Concerning payment I have a friend in the state that is ready to issue you a Certified Cashier's check in USA funds since I don't have the funds in your currency. For  convenient and easy transaction, I have a liable shipping agent who'd be responsible for the shipping as soon as you receive payment for the GAME.I will therefore need the following information of yours to forward to my friend before he sends the check.
NAME IN FULL........
ADDRESS IN FULL
COUNTRY..........
ZIPCODE........
CELL/OFFICE/HOME PHONE NUMBER.......
  I await your soonest reply .
      DENNIS"

what do you guys think?
 
 

[Stingray]

Scam.

You see it all the time on the classic car sites. He'll tell you that he'll send you a cashier's check for an amount over your asking price. He'll say that part of the surplus is to be used for shipping, the rest he'll ask you to send to him. You send him "his change" and in a couple days you find out his cashier's check is bogus.

-S

[Ed ONeill]

I got a similar emal for a beat up old pickup truck that I am selling

Signed
Ed

[brained]

hmmmmm... I dunno it doesn't look fishy to me, but who knows!!
Here's what you can do, tell him to give you his friends phone so you can contact him,  I think it's safer this way... And you don't have to show him where you live, just drop the thing at his friends house ...

[Stingray]

This is a well known scam. Don't reply to him. Ask this same question on ANY classic car site and see what the response is.

-S

[mattv]

Dear friend

I am dr muggaboonga from the proples republic of belgain congo. It is a beautifullle country but sadly there has been a government coupe. I have one hundred trillion bazillion Americal dollars in a belgian congo bank account and I need your help to get it out of the country, in payment for your service I will give you a portion of the funds no less that one HUNDRED trillion squillion quadzillion dollars.

Get the idea?

This is a pretty common scam, he sends you a bogus cheque for more than the item + shipping is worth and asks you to refund the unused portion, you send him his "change", the bank tells you the cheque is bogus and you never hear from him again.

[Witchboard]

If there's any question, can't you just wait the two weeks for the check to clear?  When it doesn't clear, you'll know.

[brained]

I agree witchboard...

[FractalWalk]

I don't get it? All he asked for was shipping info. Where's the scam?  

[FractalWalk]

and in a couple days you find out his cashier's check is bogus . . . he sends you a bogus cheque  . . . If there's any question, can't you just wait the two weeks for the check to clear?

Cashier's checks don't bounce. That's the point of using them. I don't see the angle.

[Wizard of DelRay]

and in a couple days you find out his cashier's check is bogus . . . he sends you a bogus cheque  . . . If there's any question, can't you just wait the two weeks for the check to clear?

Cashier's checks don't bounce. That's the point of using them. I don't see the angle.

It's not that it bounces.  It was never a legitimate check to begin with.  I agree with Stingray that it is definitely a scam (know better as a Nigerian Counterfeit Check Scam).

[SirPeale]

Cashier's checks don't bounce. That's the point of using them. I don't see the angle.

They're forged checks.  This is a common scam.  The MO is noted above.  Luckily it's a well known scam, so people can earmark the wording.

My advice?  Go along with it, get the check, and verify the funds thru the routing number on the check.  Verification fails?  Report it to the police.

[pointdablame]

His wording is awkward, and the use of "GAME" is admiteddly odd, but I'm not sure of a scam.  It's not like he's asking you to ship first or C.O.D.  I always give/want that same info from people I deal with.

Just make a stipulation that you won't ship until the money has cleared (but as was stated, I don't think cashier's checks can bounce).  I always make sure the money is there before I ship.  If he has a problem with that, don't deal with him... he's scamming you.  However, if he honestly wants the game, I don't see what problem he'd have with you waiting to see that you got paid.

Just my .02

[paigeoliver]

AH, you see everyone thinks cashiers checks don't bounce, which is why this scam works. The cashiers check or money order will be a fake, and it won't ge caught as such for as much as a month, at which point you are left holding the bag because banks never lose.

This is a scam. I have seen it a million times as well.

On RGVAC during a fruitless discussion of making reproduction xy monitors one of the people in the discussion got this same exact email with only the location changed and the word game changed for REPRODUCTION XY MONITOR.

Happens a lot with pinball machines too.

[FractalWalk]

They're forged checks.

Okay, I get it now. But you could verify the check yourself with a phone call as soon as you got it.

[SirPeale]

http://www.hotrodhotline.com/scam/
http://carecure.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&f=6734073541&m=559104832
http://www.angelpuss.org/scam/scam_cashchecks.html


For just a few.

[Tilzs]

Well you can go along with it verify it and say you'll do that. They guy says he needs to ship it as soon as you receive the check which sounds fishy. If it's a scam hes not going to let you verify if the check is good before it gets shipped. His wording is a bit weird but if he's french canadian I could see an email like that.

If you are really uneasy about it then just don't sell it. Usually if you have a bad feeling about something it's better to go with your gut.

BTW, who buys a $600 tron cocktail for their son? Seems to me kids would be more excited about 15-20 xbox games.

[MonitorGuru]

They're forged checks.

Okay, I get it now. But you could verify the check yourself with a phone call as soon as you got it.

Unfortunately not.  It probably doesn't have a phone number  on it, and if it does, it probably connects to an agent of the scammer (or the scammer themselves).

It takes at least 10-14 days before the bank will notify you of a NSF/illegal payment after deposit.  To add insult to injury, they will ALSO take out $5 to $30 from YOUR account for attempting to deposit a bad check. (Yes, I've dealt with this numerous times when I used to accept personal checks for payment selling on eBay, which I no longer do).

A bank will NOT instantly validate a check is good with you waiting there.  Yes, the scam usually works because most people believe it is real and deposit it without checking first.  However a bank cannot verify it on the spot. While they can immediately tell you it's bad (if it is), they cannot with 100% assurance tell you it's good. you have to wait numerous days (perhaps 5 if you keep calling, or 10-14 if you wait for them to notify you).

I would definitely state that you are not comfortable with this transaction and that you'll only accept U.S. currency (cash) for it in person.   Any legitimate person will gladly show up with cash in hand to buy a game, no matter what country they are in (their "friend" would need to).  I guarentee after you state this you will never hear from this person again.

(And in the .000001% chance they do show up, make sure you inspect the bills. If they're crisp $100's or $50's or $20's, they're probably fake. If they're used, they're probably okay)

[XtraSmiley]

Haaa haa haa, my dumbass friend got taken on this scam.  He's out $3,030.  Notice the extra $30, that's b/c the bank not only wants it's $3000 back, it also wants a $30 fee for handling a fake check.  You are a fool if you even bother to take the check.  Ask for a MO, take the MO to the PO and get cash on the spot.  If it's a fake they will not give you money.  If you get money you are set, am I right here?  If you cannot tell that this is a scam, you deserve to lose the $30 just for trying it out.  LOL

[ThePaul]

The SCAM hasn't been disclosed yet. If you continue on with this guys bait I can garuntee that you will be requested to spend money out of your pocket for "something" before you receive any cash from him. Let him bait you a long for a bit and see.


Read this: http://www.419eater.com/html/joe_eboh.htm

[NoOne=NBA=]

Here's a thought.

Have him make out the cashier's check to his BUDDY, who can then cash it, and do a cash and carry.

Problem solved.

[DevilMan77]

Not that other people haven't already said it, but yes that is a well known scam.  Please don't fall for that.  Keep selling things on various sites and you'll find that you will get more e-mails like that in the future that will be worded almost identically and seem to be form letters with your item pasted in, because thats pretty much what they are.

At least you were suspicious enough to ask about it first.

[koolmoecraig]

To all of you who ARE NOT sure that this is a scam.

I just received another email asking to buy my Tron Cocktail Table. THE LETTER IS ALMOST WORD FOR WORD IDENTICAL!

The only difference is the country is Holland instead of Canada.

pathetic

[koolmoecraig]

By the way,

Why don't one of you guys buy it from me?

[AllanSim]

By the way,

Why don't one of you guys buy it from me?

Dear KOOLMOECRAIG:
I saw your advert for ( TRON Cocktail Table Arcade
Video Game ) over the web and am much interested in
buying it. I live here in CANADA,I will be
responsible for the shippment down to my location,
so please kindly write me back with your last
offering price.I will also need some of its recent
pics,and will like to know its present condition. I am Looking forward to your soonest reply.
REGARDS
ALLANSIM

(sorry, I couldn't resist   )

[NoOne=NBA=]

Don't have the money, and my wife would kill me.

I almost picked up a Tron upright a few weeks ago at a garage sale.
It wouldn't power up at all, and the joystick had been swapped out for one that looked like a Wico command control.
The dealbreaker was that the guy didn't have the keys to ANY of the locks, so I couldn't tell if the boards, etc... were even inside it, or if there had been "attempted" fixes done to them.

[paigeoliver]

Don't have the money, and my wife would kill me.

I almost picked up a Tron upright a few weeks ago at a garage sale.
It wouldn't power up at all, and the joystick had been swapped out for one that looked like a Wico command control.
The dealbreaker was that the guy didn't have the keys to ANY of the locks, so I couldn't tell if the boards, etc... were even inside it, or if there had been "attempted" fixes done to them.

In situations like that I simply jimmy the back doors open.

[Safron]

Tell him you will go along with it for a Western Union money order. They are easy to verify.

[NoOne=NBA=]

In situations like that I simply jimmy the back doors open.

I didn't own it yet, and the guy wasn't there to do it for me.
I was dealing with his wife, and she called him on the phone.
They had a "friend" who was going to take it, if it didn't sell.

I called a locksmith, and they wanted about $30/lock to drill them out.
I figured I only needed ONE drilled because the rest should be accessible for disassembly from the inside.
I still didn't want to play $30 to find out if I wanted to buy it, and don't know if the guy would have gone for it anyway.

Had the CP been intact I would have bought it sight unseen on the guts, but I didn't want to waste the money.
My gut feel is it was a power supply problem, given that they are prone to them--but I couldn't be SURE.

[exibar]

Please don't fall for the scam.  It is just that a scam.  I'm an Information Security Engineer and I see this thing all the time.

  Bank checks take 10 - 14 days before they have gone through the system.  In the mean time the crook has your $600 game.

  You'll also probably find that his "friend" with the cashier's check will want to make it out for more than $600 asking you to keep the $600, plus maybe $50 - $100 for your trouble, and send them the game and the rest of the money.  Now when the bank finds the check to be fake, and they will, they'll charge your account for the entire amount of the check...

  Check out www.nipc.gov along with the other links posted in this thread and you'll clearly see how much of a scam it really is.

   Your Tron game will sell, so don't get taken by this scammer.

  Mike B

[FractalWalk]

This was obviously a form email and therefore a scam but as an aside . . .

It probably doesn't have a phone number  on it, and if it does, it probably connects to an agent of the scammer

I was thinking more in terms of routing numbers, which are on every check.


A bank will NOT instantly validate a check is good with you waiting there.  

Not the depositor's bank, but the issuing bank will, which was my point. If the rotuing number is from a real bank then the issuing bank can tell you all about the cashier's check.  If it isn't a real routing number then . . . well there you go.

[Tilzs]

hehe Just reply "i'm on to your scam, your ISP and the authorities have been contacted". Make him sweat it out.

[tbombaci]

I was *lucky* enough to receive a Nigerian scam letter a few months ago. After reading 419eater.com, I decided to have a bit of fun:

Summary of scam letter:

Japanese business man has fishery in Nigeria. Dies in plane crash. Scammer needs "next of Kin" to take the money from Japanese businessmans account before government seizes it for weapons. In payment, mark gets 2.5 mil.

My Response below:
----------------------------------- snip -----------------
Mr. Kadir,

I cannot thank you enough for contacting me in this time of need. I am the head Pastor of the First United church of Pooka, MCP in Wales. We celebrate the teachings of Dirk, Keeper of Daphnie. My name is Mann. Please do call me Pac, for it is my given name by Pooka, MCP.

I have discussed your request with the elders of our parish. We cannot express our deepest sorrows for your friend, Mr. Kuzito and his wife. This is a terrible way to pass. We cannot let this surplus of Mr. Kuzito's estate pay for Weapons of Mass Destruction. Although, we hear the WMD are very difficult to find. Regardless, in light of this awful tragedy, We have decided to help you with Mr. Kuzito's business account at your banking firm because we like fish. Mmmmmm, fish.

We have prayed to Pooka, MCP and he has answered us with a blast of air, telling us to dig deeper in our feelings and open our church for your needs as well as avoid falling rocks dropped my the god of sub terra, Dug. The money earned from our agreement will help pay for new coin mechs and T-Molding for our Altar. There will probably be enough left over for a Cap Kit from The Right Reverand Bob Roberts of Mardi Gras.

Please do instruct us what to do next.

May your god and Pooka, MCP be with you my son.

Warmest Regards,
Rev. Mann, Pac
Church of Pooka, MCP

-Tom

[nighthawk2099]

 

Praise be to the great and just Pooka, MCP for he is might in our sight.  May his judgement be swift and true.

 

That was tooooooo funny....

[JackTucky]

Sell it to the guy for $600.  For $50, why mess with some out of country buyer?

It's a scam.  done and done.

Art

[Sprucemoose]

PAYPAL is your friend

[pointdablame]

PAYPAL is your friend

haha, no it isn't.  Paypal is *this* close to being a scam in and of itself, but that's an entirely different story.

[GGKoul]

All this reminds me of the time the guy sent a scammer a "fake" Apple Powerbook.  And the scammer had to pay all the customs charges for the fake item.  Too Funny.  

[Stingray]

Well you can go along with it verify it and say you'll do that. They guy says he needs to ship it as soon as you receive the check which sounds fishy. If it's a scam hes not going to let you verify if the check is good before it gets shipped. His wording is a bit weird but if he's french canadian I could see an email like that.

I think some of you guys still don't get how this one works. He doesn't care about the Tron cab. He doesn't care if it ever gets shipped. If he ever does send you an address to ship to, you can count on it being bogus.

This is how it works.

1) The agreed price is $650. He comes up with some reason why the check will be for $1200 (or some other amount).

2) He'll send you a counterfiet cashier's check &l tell you to pay for shipping out of the extra amount and then wire him the surplus $400 or whatever it turns out to be.

3) By the time your bank figures out that the check was bad, your money is long gone.

4) The cab never leaves your house. He never wanted it to begin with.

-S

[koolmoecraig]

As of this morning, I have received 4 identical scam emails for my Tron.

I dealt with the problem by sending trojan viruses in the "pictures" that they requested.

Yum.