Freecycle Scam!

[rodriguezpoultry]

Yep. Never would have gotten it. Glad I asked! Thank you Sonoran!

 

[DragonEggs]

I got scammed for a puppy about a year ago while in TX. Lost $200. There was an ad actually posted in our local paper advertising the puppy with a local number to call, I got machine and left a message and the call I got back was from a private number. I was on the phone with the person while at western union and as soon as I told them the money was sent they hung up on me. Guess they thought they had a real sucker cause he called me back saying that when he went to the airport to send me the puppy they required a $200 deposit for insurance that was refundable upon the animal's safe delivery. He tried to tell me he already paid the money out of pocket but before he would continue the process he wanted me to reimburse him the $200. I said "Yeah, I'm on my way to western union right now. Call you when I get there" and hung up. I reported him to the police and the FBI and the BBB, just about anyone I thought of. Apparently these people have scammed hundreds of thousands of people out of money, and they're all overseas.

Google "Cameroon Puppy Scam" almost all of these puppy scams can be linked to this.

Glad you weren't fooled like I was. Sucks no one wants to do anything about these people.

Next time someone plays with these idiots suggest sending money via PayPal so they can get it right away in their bank account instead of having to go to western union. Lst time I did that the person magically dissapeared.

 

[burquechick]

Well, I just read this entire post. I'm certainly glad I did. Now I know not to fall for something like this myself.

 

[PineappleMama]

"I've a elegant and adorable tiny yorkie to re-home.She' s loving,elegant and adorable girl,

Just the repetition in the first line set my radar off... sheesh, too obvious... and then they repeat the same phrase in the email too. Really if you're gonna scam put a LITTLE effort in... that's just embarrassing.

Get all the info you can and then pass it to the world... someone else might not be smart enough to catch on in time like you were.

 

[suzettex5]

I just cant resist adding my 2 cents here.... First off, I have never in my life seen a 12 week old puppy be totally house broken, I/m pretty sure a 'tea-cup' Yorkie would not have the brain power to be able to remember to be house trained at 12 weeks.

I almost fell for this same scam about a year ago. When they asked for the shipping money, I just said ' I will go to the airport and pay it directly to them, I'm sure you can understand my wanting to pay an actual company and not some stranger I have never met'.

They never replied. Big suprise. I hate scammers.

 

[BackyardAR]

heh....

What so many people here are overlooking is....

There is no puppy.

The person is not in Arkansas.

There is no house, no phone number.

The post office doesn't have any information about this person.

The only entity with any knowledge about this person is Western Union. And they won't share it without a court order.

Without a crime there will be no court order.

The scammer sits outside the US, outside all possibility of reprisal.

Identify them everytime they surface. Make sure everyone that can see that post can see your cries of "scammer." It's all you can do.

 

[SG_Chicken]

This went through our group too.

 

[burquechick]

Quote:
Good advice. If you are receiving something through the airport, they should really be able to deal with you directly.

 

[fl_deb]

I would have to add that doing things (such as sending check on a closed account that was mentioned in one of the posts) in efforts to flush them out can SERIOUSLY back fire on you, and trying to defend yourself based on intentions if near imposible. So it is best to string them along as long as you can if you care to and but never respond in a way that when read to a third party could be constued as a written contractual agreement in any way, shape, or form, because then it could be you in deep trouble, not likely, but possible. you would be surprised how much some of these scammers know about our laws, esp. if they are here in US and propably meth heads. And the cost of just having to respond legally is well over 500 dollars. yea, very not fun. Let's just say I've learned my lesson well and now I just copy the header info and forward it to the P.O., Consumer affairs, local sherrif office etc, etc, etc. and to urban legends! So they post it as a scam as well.

 

[JetBlack]

Ship the dog COD. No problem... unless it's a scammer.... which it is.