SCAMMERS!!!! Advice please!

[Roy]

A student of mine recently followed through on a Craigslist ad for a teacup Pomeranian puppy. She had been searching for a puppy like this for quite a while. The ad seemed legitimate to her as it was through an agency. However, the ad listed the puppy as 'free'. But when something seems too good to be true...

Through her correspondence with the 'company' (which happened to be the same guy that answered every phone call) she was told that the puppy was in New York and that she would have to only pay for the shipping, via air, for the puppy. She sent a Western Union check to Cameroon (I sure wish she would have asked for advice before doing this) as she was told this was the location of the agency's headquarters. She was then emailed an approximate arrival time for the puppy, complete with flight schedule. Needless to say the puppy never arrived. She was then told that it was because she did not pay for insurance and that they forgot to include it in the price. The 'agent' then asked her to send money to cover the insurance and then the puppy would be shipped. That's when my student realized she was scammed.

I hate these people! They took advantage of a naive young person who fell in love with a puppy she will never get to hold.

She knows that she will not recover any money from this scam, but wanted advice on how/who she should report this too. Any help from the TBH braintrust would be appreciated.

[mnsherick]

If it makes you feel better you can report it to IC3

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

but it won't do anything, they won't pursue any losses less than $2500 or $5000 dollars, they work in conjunction with the FBI. They might get his email account banned from CL if your lucky.

Also CL has stuff on nearly EVERY page about not using western union, I know some people are naive but why not follow the instructions on the site for your own safety?


-Matt

[Chew]

Send a check to Cameroon? You've got to be kidding me. How old was the student?

[BTLowry]

Money gone, lessoned learned

Sure hate she had to learn it like this and thank goodness she was smart enough not to send any more money

[salth2o]

Send a check to Cameroon? You've got to be kidding me. How old was the student?

exactly what I was thinking!

[k9trainer]

Sorry it happened but c'mon....

[Captrix]

That really suckes that she got scammed like that But there are warnings on craigslist about scammers. Its never a good idea to buy a dog sight unseen there are way too many scammers and puppy mills around that breed unhealthy dogs and produce puppies with health problems. These are also the same dogs that end up in pet stores.

Tell her to check with the pom rescue groups. A good reputable group will send every dog that comes into their group to be checked out by a vet and do a visit to her house to make sure that she's a good match for that dog. IMHO thats the best way to get a dog/pup. She can also look on the AKC website, they have a list of breeders and local groups that can help her find a breeder.

[Roy]

Send a check to Cameroon? You've got to be kidding me. How old was the student?

I hate to admit it but I felt the exact same way when she told me what she did! She's old enough but not wise enough to know better. It is definitely a hard lesson to learn and I'm glad she's not out too much $$ wise. But $180 is a lot for a student that only works part time. Hopefully she will be able to look back at this at some point in her life and realize- "I can't believe I sent a check to Cameroon!!!" I'm pretty sure we've all fell victim to some sort of scam at one point in out lives. I know I have- DARN carnies!!!

Like I said, she knows the money is gone, but she wants to report this to the proper authorities.

[slacker]

experience is the BEST teacher
sorry to hear she got scammed but that is the chance you take with the internet.

[bmac]

Only advice I have to say is NEVER send a Western Union or Moneygram to anybody that you do not know personally.

[Bill]

Live and learn. Craigslist = face-to-face transactions, only. Best if at a neutral location like a shopping center parking lot, if at your home bring item to the driveway and close the door, the nearest bathroom is the nearest MacDonalds. I'd be really wary of any merchandise that required you to go inside another home, the crooks are using foreclosed properties and advertising HDTVs, etc. dirt cheap as distress sales, then armed robbing the buyer when he gets inside.

[gtsticker]

My wife and I were looking for a bulldog puppy and she found an add that had one for 400.00 so I cntacted the guy same story. Then I did some research and found other posts he had in different states. I sent him an email letting him know I had found him out and that was it no reply. These people should be tied to a fireant mound.

[Speedgoat]

I have two puppies for sale, please send $780.00 (the exact cost of my new Bowtech) to 132 Ramble Run Way Scamville, Tennessee 09532. This includes insurance. Wow, I guess we all get taken once.

[Captrix]

I have a redbone coonhound she can have. I'll even pay her!

[BonesandArrow]

I have been selling items on craigslist for a long time and if you ever get an email that says anything like "I am out of state and will have my moving company pick up the item what is your address", Send me payment through Western Union or if you are buying something and they request that you send the check first don't do it. They are all scammers. I get emails months apart from several scammers and I remember their old email address. I can't believe how many of these losers are out there!!!