... same message.... forgot to attach... Internet scams come in many forms, victim warns
Protect yourself from scams Tips for online sellers and others to avoid being a victim of a scam: Wait until a check even a cashier's check Êclears the bank and the money is deposited in your account before sending any "refunds." This may take several days or more. If a buyer says they "wired" money to your account, it might actually be a phony cashier's check that will bounce a week or so later. Make sure any payment clears the originating bank, and instruct your bank to not accept any check deposits not made by you. Get the buyer's full name, address and phone number.Ê Call them at that number. Verify it on phone-number lookup Web sites. Scam Busters www.scambusters.org American Bar Association guide to safe shopping www.safeshopping.org Federal Trade Commission guide to e-commerce www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-internet.htm Schaeffer, 65, of Maunawili, went public with his story in a press conference at the Kailua police station yesterday to warn others about a crime that evolves as scammers find new ways to separate the unsuspecting from their money. Computer crime is one of the most difficult to investigate and to stop, Police investigate, but more often than not, they can't do much because problems arise over jurisdiction, especially when the criminal is in another country or state, and inability to track criminals who use e-mail and wire service to transfer money, McCarthy said. Schaeffer said he has "been around the block" but was still bilked of $2,550 when he tried to supplement his income. Schaeffer was running low on cash, having taken off from work for several months to be with his wife, who is recuperating from heart surgery. He has a collection of musical instruments and decided to sell a few on the Internet to tide him over until he returned to his job next month. But instead of getting the $3,650 he sought for his 'ukulele, he got taken. "I'm pretty embarrassed," Schaeffer said at the Kailua police station. "I've been through just about every mess you can get into. You would think, after so long, I would be smart enough not to let something like this happen to me." He had posted his offering on the Internet and the response came via e-mail, from a person who said he was from Nigeria. Schaeffer agreed to sell the man four older-model Martin 'ukulele for $3,650. The man sent a $4,000 cashier's check but then e-mailed Schaeffer to say he had decided to purchase only two 'ukulele for a total of $1,450. He asked Schaeffer to return the difference through a wire transfer and told him that someone would pick up the 'ukulele., Leery of a possible scam, Schaeffer said he had his bank verify the cashier's check and when it did, he wired the $2,550 to the person. Four days later, the bank notified him that the cashier's check had bounced, he said. "If you can't trust a cashier's check that's OK'd by the bank, where you at?" Schaeffer asked. "You're in trouble. So people just gotta beware." The check was drawn on a Florida bank, looked legitimate and even had legitimate routing numbers, McCarthy said. ------------------ Internet scams come in many forms, http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Jul/16/ln/ln01a.html
