Why do people keep falling for this?

Echoes

Echoes

O.G.
Aug 8, 2008
10,633
548
#1
This is one of the oldest scams in the book. It's been around for at least 10 years that I know of and has been very well publicized.


http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/kennesaw-police-looking-for-man-for-alleged-e-bay-/nWFXF/

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kennesaw police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man allegedly involved in an eBay fraud.

The victim, a man from Ruskin, Fla., told Kennesaw police that he had bid on a 1969 Dodge Charger on eBay Motors from a seller going by the name of Linda Caragan.

After placing the winning bid of $12,860, the victim was contacted by a George Hallmatt, who told him he was Caragan’s attorney, Kennesaw police spokesman Scott Luther said.

“Mr. Hallmatt explained to the victim how and where to wire the money for the final purchase,” Luther said in an e-mail.

Luther said the victim was instructed to wire the money to a SunTrust account in Hallmatt’s name.

“The victim did just as he was advised to do and hasn’t seen the vehicle he purchased and all correspondence has stopped with Mr. Hallmatt,” Luther said. “After the initial investigation, it was determined that the bank account was opened with a fraudulent passport.”

Police on Monday released a bank surveillance photo of a white male in his late 50s to early 60s, 5 feet, 9 to 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing about 190 pounds.

“Detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying this person and where he could be located,” Luther said. “It is believed that the male in the picture is ‘Mr. George Hallmatt,’ but at this point of the investigation we are unsure.”
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#3
I received my first computer about seven years ago. I had absolutely zero computer skills aside from what I had been able to acquire in half hour interval sessions at the local library. Of course the first thing I wanted to do was shop on Ebay and the shopping channels. It was definitely a learn as you go process as there was no one to help me. I learned by making mistakes. That was how I found the Answer and Discussion Boards on Ebay and that is where I started learning. Several viruses and one blue screen of death later I am doing much better. But I can easily see how I could have fallen prey to such a scam. Not everyone grew up with computers and social media. I still can't figure out Facebook. Not sure I really want to either.
 
#4
Sadly the crooks just happen to get a hold of someone that hasn't heard about this type of scam, are trusting, needing (wanting) the items, etc. I hate that this keeps happening but I doubt it'll ever stop.


ETA: Wanted to add I've only had my computer(s) for about 8 years now but in the beginning I was overwhelmed with all the offers, etc I found! My parents are in their mid 60's and have never had a computer but I almost know if they did it would be a big mess. My mom is the sweetest lady you'd ever meet and she's very trusting, which can be dangerous.
 
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#5
Sorry, but you don't even have to have a computer to know about this. It's been all over the newspapers, magazines, TV and everywhere else for years.

Bottom line is you NEVER send a wire transfer or moneygram to anyone you don't know personally.

Bottom line #2, you NEVER send money before receipt of large ticket items. If you can't afford to lose it, don't send it.

And yeah, I know how eBay/PayPal work together (or don't work together) which is why I stopped using them both so many years ago.

FYI, these type of vehicle scams are also on other selling web sites and in print classified ads.
 
#6
Echoes said:
This is one of the oldest scams in the book. It's been around for at least 10 years that I know of and has been very well publicized.


http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/kennesaw-police-looking-for-man-for-alleged-e-bay-/nWFXF/
Click to expand...

The thing about this one in particular that strikes me, is that in order to find out the identity of the buyer, it sounds like some kind of complicity with the seller. I should think they would be looking for both the seller and the "attorney" or that they are one and the same.

Scammers in any form are the lowest of the low.
 
#8
I think that just in general, even if people are aware of similar scams, most tend to have a, "It happens to other people," or, "That happens someplace else" mindset. It's not an excuse to not be careful, but people want to believe that they've been first or smart enough to find a good deal.
 
#9
I think it's easy to be tricked but you quickly learn to get a whiff of the more obvious ones.

When I was selling a scooter a couple of years ago, I would constantly get emails from scammers offering to buy it at the price I wanted, but they would never be in Australia (which is where I was selling it). One was supposedly on an oil-rig in Iraq and was buying it for his son. Apparently he was going to "pay" via Paypal and then "someone" was going to pick it up for him. It had to be via Paypal and they would dodge you when you mentioned bank funds transfers or cash. I would get variations of this email once a month until I sold it. These just reeked of a scam, but I guess if you don't know how these things work, it sounds reasonable enough...
 
#10
People keep 'falling for it' because in the main most people are honest, genuine sorts that trust others.
It's a sad world we're in now that makes us suspect a person before we ever make a move.
 
#11
IrisCole said:
I think that just in general, even if people are aware of similar scams, most tend to have a, "It happens to other people," or, "That happens someplace else" mindset. It's not an excuse to not be careful, but people want to believe that they've been first or smart enough to find a good deal.
Click to expand...

:goodpost:
 
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