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theslawdawg Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Posts: 843 Location: Waikiki, Hawaii
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:56 pm Post subject: BEWARE Scammer on Marketplace "Ngoc Tran" |
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Just wanted to warn everyone about someone that was inquiring about a horn I'm selling. I don't know how to post screenshots otherwise I would, but his last email to me was this:
"So tell me the final asking price.how is the condition of the item and i would love to come and see the item but presently i'm located back to San Jose California but don't worry about the pickup of the items and i will arrange for the pickup of the items..Also i would like to sent the certified check or money order for the payment of the item.I will be glad to read back from you soon.Thanks Ngoc"
Obviously not falling for it. His email is:
ngoctran2484@gmail.com
When I told him what I do for a living and did he really want to go down this road....I did not get a reply back. _________________ My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs |
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Tpt_Guy Heavyweight Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 1102 Location: Sacramento, Ca
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:14 pm Post subject: Re: BEWARE Scammer on Marketplace "Ngoc Tran" |
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theslawdawg wrote: | When I told him what I do for a living and did he really want to go down this road....I did not get a reply back. |
Now this raises a question - what do you do for a living? _________________ -Tom Hall-
"A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence."
-Bruce Lee |
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theslawdawg Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Posts: 843 Location: Waikiki, Hawaii
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:24 pm Post subject: Re: BEWARE Scammer on Marketplace "Ngoc Tran" |
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Tpt_Guy wrote: | theslawdawg wrote: | When I told him what I do for a living and did he really want to go down this road....I did not get a reply back. |
Now this raises a question - what do you do for a living? |
_________________ My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs |
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TrumpetMD Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 Oct 2008 Posts: 2424 Location: Maryland
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 4:45 am Post subject: Re: BEWARE Scammer on Marketplace "Ngoc Tran" |
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Tpt_Guy wrote: | Now this raises a question - what do you do for a living? |
He could tell you, but then he'd have to kill you.
More seriously, thanks to the OP for the warning.
Mike _________________ Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns. |
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jadickson Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 1295 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:03 am Post subject: |
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yep he sent me an email too |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9071 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:46 am Post subject: |
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Living? theslawdawg spends his time hanging at Waikiki, drinking Mai Tais and watching the mainland co-eds go by. That's living! _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
"I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis." Attributed to Chet
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet |
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theslawdawg Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Posts: 843 Location: Waikiki, Hawaii
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 8:35 am Post subject: |
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kehaulani wrote: | Living? theslawdawg spends his time hanging at Waikiki, drinking Mai Tais and watching the mainland co-eds go by. That's living! |
Listen, it's hard doing all that stuff.....hard I tell you!!! _________________ My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9071 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:13 am Post subject: |
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theslawdawg wrote: | kehaulani wrote: | Living? theslawdawg spends his time hanging at Waikiki, drinking Mai Tais and watching the mainland co-eds go by. That's living! |
Listen, it's hard doing all that stuff.....hard I tell you!!! |
_________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
"I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis." Attributed to Chet
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet |
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trumpetherald System Administrator
Joined: 25 Oct 2001 Posts: 1494 Location: USA
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:29 am Post subject: |
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Confirmed that this is a scammer. The same old tricks, don't fall for it.
-td |
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JetJaguar Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 1518 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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What makes that message from Ngoc scammy? If he sent a certified bank check and it cleared, wouldn't that be OK? _________________ 1938 Martin Handcraft Imperial #2 bore, 38 bell
Bach 7C mouthpiece
I'm looking for a Connstellation 5C-N or 5B-N mouthpiece
www.jazzscales.org
The Coady Strengthening Exercises: http://coady.coolwarm.com |
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theslawdawg Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Posts: 843 Location: Waikiki, Hawaii
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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JetJaguar wrote: | What makes that message from Ngoc scammy? If he sent a certified bank check and it cleared, wouldn't that be OK? |
Happy to discuss in private if you would like. I would google certified check scams. Lots of info.
If the check cleared, and truly is certified, then life is good right? How easy would it be if someone could just send me a check with whatever amount I wanted on it. And then someone could stop by and just pick it up??? I don't have to do any work???
I've actually asked for a million dollar check and they had no problem with that amount despite the fact the bicycle I was selling was 500 bucks. It's really all automated so they don't check what is really written. They only look for key phrases.
In a nutshell...The check will bounce, it might clear the initial process but not all of them. And then you will owe for it. That's why no matter what price it is...they will send you a check for it. Just because they say it is certified does not mean it is. It might even look legit. The bank might even think it is certified until it bounces and you will owe, and could also be out of a horn. It might take a couple of days for the bank to find out there are no funds, but you've already sent your item off.
There are a few paths they take and you can easily google that.
If they do this to a thousand people, at least ten will fall for it.
So after all that....if you still don't believe me...will you take a check for your olds super recording horn? I promise it's legit. _________________ My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs |
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JetJaguar Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 1518 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks but all you're saying is, checks can be fraudulent. What is it about this message that is suspicious? Payment by check is not inherently fraudulent. _________________ 1938 Martin Handcraft Imperial #2 bore, 38 bell
Bach 7C mouthpiece
I'm looking for a Connstellation 5C-N or 5B-N mouthpiece
www.jazzscales.org
The Coady Strengthening Exercises: http://coady.coolwarm.com |
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Speed Veteran Member
Joined: 13 May 2015 Posts: 295 Location: Mississippi
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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I am personally familiar with counterfeited "official" checks that appear to be drawn on legitimate banks. Let the buyer beware.
Take care,
Marc Speed |
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trumpetherald System Administrator
Joined: 25 Oct 2001 Posts: 1494 Location: USA
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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A certified or cashier's check can come back as bad as much as 2-3 wks. after deposit. Not saying that's common, but it's possible. Asking the bank to verify the check at the time of deposit will help but not guaranteed.
The usual scam is "Hey I'll send you a check for $1000 just ship me the horn and send me back the difference." So you sold the horn for $500 and send them $500, only to find out a week later that the check was bad. You're out of the horn as well, but they couldn't care less about that. They've got your $500.
-td |
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trumpetherald System Administrator
Joined: 25 Oct 2001 Posts: 1494 Location: USA
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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JetJaguar wrote: | Thanks but all you're saying is, checks can be fraudulent. What is it about this message that is suspicious? Payment by check is not inherently fraudulent. |
No, that's true. Here's some tip offs:
He's asked people to communicate by text, no phone calls.
He's indicated that he'll have someone come pick up the horn.
He's insisting on paying with a 'certified' check.
His english is poor but he (supposedly) lives in San Jose.
He's using a free email account.
He refers to 'the item' and not specifically what it is you're selling. |
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JetJaguar Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 1518 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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trumpetherald wrote: | JetJaguar wrote: | Thanks but all you're saying is, checks can be fraudulent. What is it about this message that is suspicious? Payment by check is not inherently fraudulent. |
No, that's true. Here's some tip offs:
He's asked people to communicate by text, no phone calls.
He's indicated that he'll have someone come pick up the horn.
He's insisting on paying with a 'certified' check.
His english is poor but he (supposedly) lives in San Jose.
He's using a free email account.
He refers to 'the item' and not specifically what it is you're selling. |
Thanks that all makes sense and I agree. Except about free email accounts. They are all the rage today. _________________ 1938 Martin Handcraft Imperial #2 bore, 38 bell
Bach 7C mouthpiece
I'm looking for a Connstellation 5C-N or 5B-N mouthpiece
www.jazzscales.org
The Coady Strengthening Exercises: http://coady.coolwarm.com |
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theslawdawg Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2008 Posts: 843 Location: Waikiki, Hawaii
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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JetJaguar wrote: | Thanks but all you're saying is, checks can be fraudulent. What is it about this message that is suspicious? Payment by check is not inherently fraudulent. |
From my experience:
One huge paragraph, and just overall bad grammar. But bad grammar in a way with a few words you would never expect to be misspelled are. It is subtle but after you see this scam more than once, you can tell. You can also tell them a lot of extra stuff in your response and they won't respond to it. They aren't reading it. They are on a script.
In this case, I was one hundred percent sure it was a scam.
He asked me the price (which was clearly listed). I told him a completely different price much higher, and he didn't respond to that.
He asked me the condition of the horn. I sent him the same pictures I had listed and I did not respond to his question. He did not reply back.
He asked me my payment method which I clearly stated in my ad. I told him paypal only. He responded with certified check or money order.
He said he lived in San Jose. I told him I had friends in San Jose that could give him the horn. He did not respond.
But really the end result is the same. There is always lots of variations to the story (my mother just died, I'm out of the country, etc.), but it always involves the fact the person simply cannot pick the horn up but would be happy to send someone to pick it up at a later time, and send you a check. They will always say it's certified check or a money order. _________________ My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs
Last edited by theslawdawg on Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:15 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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trumpetherald System Administrator
Joined: 25 Oct 2001 Posts: 1494 Location: USA
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | Thanks that all makes sense and I agree. Except about free email accounts. They are all the rage today. |
You're right of course but my point is that it's the combination of several of the things I noted that should really tip you off. |
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LittleRusty Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 12677 Location: Gardena, Ca
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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trumpetherald wrote: | JetJaguar wrote: | Thanks but all you're saying is, checks can be fraudulent. What is it about this message that is suspicious? Payment by check is not inherently fraudulent. |
No, that's true. Here's some tip offs:
He's asked people to communicate by text, no phone calls.
He's indicated that he'll have someone come pick up the horn.
He's insisting on paying with a 'certified' check.
His english is poor but he (supposedly) lives in San Jose.
He's using a free email account.
He refers to 'the item' and not specifically what it is you're selling. |
Bad english is not unusual here in the Bay Area. We get a ton of people here on visas, and through other means.
But this scam has been around for over a decade. The basic outline of the email engagement is just as Todd posts, with very little variation scam to scam.
This scam takes advantage of the fact that the receiving bank cannot tell if the check is written on a real account. Basically, scammers can now create checks using home printers that are indistinguishable from real bank produced checks. Even down to the magnetic ink, but I doubt most scammers use that ink.
When you deposit the check the bank makes sure that the bank code and account number are legitimate. As Todd states, they may even check to see if the account has money in it to cover the check.
Many banks will immediately put the money in your account. Years back you had to wait on out of state checks to clear before you got access to the funds.
So the schmuck leaves the bank thinking the check was good.
The next step for bank 1 is to send the check to the bank that the check was drawn on, bank 2. That bank discovers, either immediately or later if it was fraudulently written on a real account, and asks bank 1 for the money back.
They in turn ask you for the money back.
In the meantime the scammer is long gone with your money and the item you sold them. |
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Crazy Finn Heavyweight Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2001 Posts: 8344 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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JetJaguar wrote: | Thanks that all makes sense and I agree. Except about free email accounts. They are all the rage today. |
I haven't NOT used a free email account - post college... and that was quite awhile ago. _________________ LA Benge 3X Bb Trumpet
Selmer Radial Bb Trumpet
Yamaha 6335S Bb Trumpet
Besson 709 Bb Trumpet
Bach 184L Bb Cornet
Yamaha 731 Bb Flugelhorn |
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