Don't think just because a cheque clears that you are safe.
I was selling some stuff on Craig's list last year and encountered a frequent scam. You are contacted by an out of state buyer who will take the merchandise unseen. He'll mail you a cheque. It arrives, and you cash it no problem. You send the merchandise (or a "cousin") comes to pick it up. Then about 2 weeks later you are contacted by the bank, and they inform you you have passed a fraudulent cheque and are opening an investigation into you.
Dude has disappeared. You are left holding the bag.
It happens often enough that Craigslist has a full section on it, and encourages everyone to only sell stuff locally to people who they can meet face to face (which is what I told the guy who wanted to send a cheque - who I then never heard from again).
Good read for people selling stuff.
Various Scams to avoid
Quote:
* DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.
* 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.
* CRAIGSLIST 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.
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