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Check It Daily USA classifieds - Avoid Scams and Safety Tips |
| checkitdaily.com avoid scams and safety tips
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Avoid scams and fraud by dealing locally! Beware of any deal involving Western Union, Moneygram, wire transfer, cashier check, money order, shipping, escrow, or any promise of transaction protection/certification/guarantee. Follow these common-sense rules: * DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of all scam attempts. * NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer. * FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later. * checkitdaily.com IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification". * NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.) * AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Safety Tips: When meeting someone for the first time, please remember to: * Insist on a public meeting place like a cafe * Tell a friend or family member where you're going * Take your cell phone along if you have one * Consider having a friend accompany you * Trust your instincts ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts? * FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357) * FTC online complaint form (www.ftc.gov) * Canadian PhoneBusters hotline: 888-495-8501 * Internet Fraud Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov/) * Non-emergency number for your local police department. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you suspect that an item posted for sale on GRANDRAPIDSCITY.com may be part of a scam, please email the details to "". Be sure to include the URL of the ad in your message. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Examples of Scams 1. Someone claims that checkitdaily will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that checkitdaily will handle or provide protection for a payment. * These claims are fraudulent, as checkitdaily does not have any role in any transaction. * Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from checkitdaily, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes! 2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check * you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen. * cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value. * value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service * banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases! * scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc) 3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram: * Scam "bait" items include apartments, laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything * Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE. * Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere * Apartment listing may be local, but landlord/owner is "travelling" or "relocating" and needs you to wire money to them abroad * Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, rent is below market, etc 4. distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money: * this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE * sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not * scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check * deal often seems too good to be true 5. distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service. * most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers * for more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud" 6. distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods * he says he trusts you with the partial payment * he may say he has already shipped the goods * deal often sounds too good to be true 7. foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds * foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly * you are typically offered a percentage of payments received * this kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email |