ost local classifieds there I cannot over emphasize the
sales are done importance of dealing locally or
successfully with both exercising extreme caution when
buyer and seller experiencing dealing internationally. There
exactly what they expected. are countless webpages now
That's the great thing about expounding the unfortunate
dealing locally, you get to experiences of duped people. Use
communicate directly with the these pages to avoid being the
person buying or selling, they next victim.
usually live near by, and you
arrange to meet them to complete Here are a few common methods and
the deal honorably. warning signs of online fraud:
With the advent of classifieds 1] Firstly, if any of your deals
ads online, buyers and sellers involve a person living in
can now be contacted from Eastern Europe or Africa forget
international con artists with about it. These countries house
enticing emails to con them of the vast majority of online con
their hard earned money. artists due to their lax laws or
inability to enforce them.
These con artists can be
extremely bright and think of new 2] You are offered a cashiers
ways to trick you each day. They check or money order that exceeds
usually take advantage of the price of the item for sale,
people's gullibility or the buyer asks you to return the
manipulate online payment balance exceeding the price of
agencies and banking policies in the goods. Sounds good doesn't
subtle ways to rob you. it? You are receiving money, how
can you lose out here? Your bank
With these bright con artists out will often cash this check and
then you normally ship the item you as much as you would have
and extra cash back to the buyer. hoped or assumed in these cases.
Unfortunately that's just the Some have suggested they have
beginning of your troubles. The little incentive as they are
bank later investigates the check making money from these
and discovers it's a fraud and transactions and you are stuck
gets it's money back from you ! with the bills. Western Union is
This is after you shipped your probably the most commonly used
goods and returned the agency for these frauds.
overpayment amount. A double
whammy ! So it's really up to you to
investigate when buying and
3] Buyer gets you to ship an item selling internationally, no one
after you think Western Union is else is going to help you if
sending you money. The buyer cons conned. Sending emails to third
you by sending a fake email that world countries law enforcement
looks like it's from Western agencies to investigate the
Union saying you will have funds perpetrator is a fruitless
released to you after sending the endeavor. Even if it occurs
shipping/tracking number from Fed within your own country of origin
Ex, in other words, you've you will still likely not recoup
shipped the product already. Once any money.
you send them the tracking number
you're out of luck, they will I've painted a bleak picture but
receive the item and you later this is just of the bad apples
find out Western Union doesn't out there, there are a majority
have any money for you. of decent law abiding people out
there making transactions. The
Unfortunately the banks and rates of fraud are difficult to
Western Union are not protecting determine as most people cannot
do anything about it after is
happens and do not report it. The If a deal sounds too good to be
businesses involved also do not true, trust your instincts and
advertise these facts, or simply get out while the going is good
hide them or provide statements or research anything suspicious
which are obviously overly before committing to any
optimistic to save face (eBay is transaction. Ultimately you're on
guilty of this) I've heard an your own when buying and selling
estimate of 1 in 100 transactions internationally.
are actual frauds, eBay has
quoted 1 in 40000 !
About the Author:
Paul Fezziwig writes for and administers 'Canadian Classifieds' http://www.cdncc.com, a website offering free local classifieds ads.
Read more articles by:
Paul Fezziwig
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
