# Nice try to scam me..
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [November 8, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452 "2013-11-08T20:43:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/1 "2013-11-08T20:43:25Z")
I was looking on Craigslist (Jersey shore area) for an iPad. I saw a post that sounded like a scam but I decided to respond anyway. There are 3 reasons I thought it was a scam
1. Only reply method was to an Email address that was watermarked on the pictue of the items
2. Prices seemed to good to be true
3. Verbage of ad.
So I get a reply from him that says what he has and how much. It has a phone # for him in the 304 area code
I emailed my order to him and I waited for the information on how to pay him.
He sends me the email I was expecting with the payment information along with pictures of the item. The address he gives me matched the area code of his #. But when I enter the address in Google there are no hits. Even Google Maps is blank. The address he gave is on Johnson Run Rd in Petersburg, WV 26847 which makes me believe the address does not exist.
Now for the kicker. He will only accept payments one of two ways
> [@](#):
>
> Payment option for orders at any amount - ( preferred and easiest way to pay ) - Accepted are money paks which allows customers to make easy payments. You can go anywhere money paks are sold which includes almost all drug stores ( walgreens, cvs ), conveinence stores, grocery stores, check cashing centers and retail stores like kmart, target and walmart. You can send me a email to find you a location nearest to you if you dont know where to go on your own. You visit the location and ask a clerk where the money paks are located or for them to get you one. They tend to be in the prepaid phone / gift card sections and displays or by the register display. MONEY PAKS ARE GREEN AND WHITE AND CLEARLY SAY “MoneyPak” ON THE PACKAGING. DO NOT BUY A PREPAID VISA OR MASTERCARD BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND CAN NOT BE PROCESSED. You get the money pak for your order total and email the number found in the gray scratch off section on the back of the card. After the number is received a email order confirmation followed by a order receipt will be sent after payment is verified. Payments are deposited in my ISIS Digital Wallet Account… ISIS Digital Wallet is a Approved Service And Partner Of Money Paks… Please keep in mind that money paks can be purchased at any walmart or most of retail stores using a visa or mastercard bank issued debit card. Other places only accept cash for a money pak purchase.
>
> Payment option for orders that are $200 or more only ( if your order is less than $200 do not use this option, if you do i will cancel the order and mail you a refund minus the receivers fee i had to pay, i have to pay a receivers fee for every payment accepted and anything under $200 will cause me to lose money ) - I accept payments $200 or more using Money Express Business / Bill Payment Service made preferably at a walmart money center or customer service counter. Payment can be made at other types of locations such as drug stores, check cashing facilities and other retail stores where the service is available. However its been my expereince that using walmart is the quickest and easiest way to make this type of payment. Other locations arent as prompt and error free. If visiting a walmart can not be done and payment needs to be made at another location and you dont know where to go please email me and i will direct you to your nearest payment location. Walmart money center should be available 24 hrs a day but the customer service counter hours are 9am - 9pm every day except most major holidays. If purchasing at walmart this will allow you to make payment using cash and visa or mastercard bank issued debit card. Other locations usualy only allow cash to be used to make payment however each location varies…
> Use the following information to make payment ( to be used with or without the blue and white express payment form ) : ( Receive code: 7034 ), ( Company Name Or Initials: VRL ), ( City/State: San Francisco, Ca - city/state location is the main location / headquarters of the accounts receiving bank ), ( Account#: 4358770744844661 ) …
> If at a service counter or register give the filled out form to the clerk, tell them your making a payment and pay the amount for your order ( there is a $3.95 or similar service fee added to your total ), After payment is made you will be given a receipt with a reference number. Reference number must be emailed to me to complete the payment. Other related products or services can not and will not be accepted and will be a waste of your time and money. DO NOT USE ANYTHING OTHER THEN THE BLUE AND WHITE EXPRESS PAYMENT FORM WITH THE INFO PROVIDED TO MAKE YOUR PAYMENT. Doing anything else may result in payment error being made. Find another location to make your payment if the express payment form or service is not available at a location. Funds are deposited in my VRL linked account electronically within 15 to 30 minutes and reference number is used to match deposit with your payment so purchase receipt can be sent as notification that payment has been verified as received…
So I wrote back asking to CANCEL this order explaining that I have been advised to not use Money Pack but that I would be willing to use PayPal.
His reply was
> [@](#):
>
> Leave me alone im not falling for the paypal scam ever again…
I wonder how many people he has scammed in the past.
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### Author:  [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/2 "2013-11-08T22:55:12Z")
> [@MannyL](#):
>
> I wonder how many people he has scammed in the past.
Plenty of folks have reversed charges with paypal on vendors too, could very well be someone who has been burned repeatedly on this. Although if it is too good to be true…probably is.
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2013, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/3 "2013-11-08T22:56:03Z")
The only payment anyone should ask for or accept on Craigslist is cash, in person, while holding the thing you’re buying.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/4 "2013-11-08T23:45:25Z")
My eyes glazed over when I read moneypak. No need to read further.
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### Author:  [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/5 "2013-11-09T01:38:41Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> My eyes glazed over when I read moneypak. No need to read further.
This. And “electronic wallet” which is used sometimes in Europe, much more in Africa, but almost never in the US.
Sure, send him a moneypack code, but you won’y get your Ipad and your money will be Ghana…
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### Author:  [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/6 "2013-11-09T06:08:33Z")
> [@drachillix](#):
>
> Plenty of folks have reversed charges with paypal on vendors too, could very well be someone who has been burned repeatedly on this. Although if it is too good to be true…probably is.
He was going to “sell” me a new 32gb wifi unlocked 4g black apple ipad new ( 3rd gen ) tablet for $125.00
That seems too good to be true.
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2013, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/7 "2013-11-09T07:20:14Z")
> [@MannyL](#):
>
> He was going to “sell” me a new 32gb wifi unlocked 4g black apple ipad new ( 3rd gen ) tablet for $125.00
>
> That seems too good to be true.
No, it seems like an incorrectly worded ad. “wifi” means “not 4g”, it is one or the other.
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/8 "2013-11-09T07:46:34Z")
> [@For You](#):
>
> No, it seems like an incorrectly worded ad. “wifi” means “not 4g”, it is one or the other.
I’m pretty sure that there are iPads that have both wifi and 4G.
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### Author:  [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/9 "2013-11-09T13:31:23Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#):
>
> I’m pretty sure that there are iPads that have both wifi and 4G.
Yes like the Air I haved now from T-Mobile it meets my needs at the payment plan I need
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/10 "2013-11-10T16:41:30Z")
All iPads have wifi, they would be kind of useless without it as there is no other way to get on a local network (or, say, print something) with them. If the ad says “32gb wifi …” the “wifi” part would imply that there is no 4G radio in it, otherwise that word just gets replaced by the “4G” designation (which should also tell you which type of cell radio it has, because some are GSM and some are CDMA).
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### Author:  [@WilyQuixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilyQuixote)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/11 "2013-11-10T16:52:46Z")
There was a column in a local paper this week about online classified scams, in particular sale of electronic goods. Advert in OP ticks all the warning signs and is almost certainly a scam.
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### Author:  [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/12 "2013-11-11T05:10:22Z")
Yes I knew it was a scam from the prices and “tone” of his email.
I now have a new iPad Air 16gb on T-Mobile thanks to their pay over time program. I am satisfied with their data speed and even if I weren’t I would be able to tether to my 5S on Verizon.
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### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/13 "2013-11-11T05:21:23Z")
Can I add a wee scam to this thread rather than start another?
Have a bodyboard w/carrybag for sale on the Aus equivalent of Craiglist (Gumtree). Got a text the night I listed it, some chick reckons she’s interested so I ask her to ring me to organise a time to come and look at it. This was a week ago.
No further communication…but a text arrived today (sent yesterday?) asking if I will meet her in another suburb (app 40km away) at 2.00pm precisely so she can look at said bodyboard! Fuck me, I’m not that stupid babe.
Dunno if it’s a scam or just some flunky dumb chick hoping that I’d be so kind as to drive all that way with no assured sale.
I’m not kind. 😃
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/14 "2013-11-11T05:49:01Z")
Wait a minute. What’s this about not wearing enough hats?
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### Author:  [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2013, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/15 "2013-11-11T08:33:08Z")
> [@kambuckta](#):
>
> No further communication…but a text arrived today (sent yesterday?) asking if I will meet her in another suburb (app 40km away) at 2.00pm precisely so she can look at said bodyboard! Fuck me, I’m not that stupid babe.
I don’t see the scam.
Sure, 40 kms is a long drive, probably for nothing.But where’s the scam? How is the “dumb chick” going to make a profit from you? Yeah, she made you drive an hour out of your way…so what?
Does she think that the wasted time will make you willing to pay a higher price? or willing to hand her cash without getting the product?
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### Author:  [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/16 "2013-11-11T17:44:28Z")
Ot she could show with the board then get jumnped
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### Author:  [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/17 "2013-11-12T05:06:31Z")
> [@chappachula](#):
>
> I don’t see the scam.
> Sure, 40 kms is a long drive, probably for nothing.But where’s the scam? How is the “dumb chick” going to make a profit from you? Yeah, she made you drive an hour out of your way…so what?
> Does she think that the wasted time will make you willing to pay a higher price? or willing to hand her cash without getting the product?
You have that backwards - kambuckta is _selling_ the bodyboard.
Either as MannyL says: show up, get jumped and get relieved of the bodyboard, or show up, the customer does too, and attempts to lowball you because you’ve just driven 40km and don’t want to have to drive home with the thing still in your possession.
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### Author:  [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/18 "2013-11-12T05:21:33Z")
> [@kambuckta](#):
>
> Can I add a wee scam to this thread rather than start another?
>
> Have a bodyboard w/carrybag for sale on the Aus equivalent of Craiglist (Gumtree). Got a text the night I listed it, some chick reckons she’s interested so I ask her to ring me to organise a time to come and look at it. This was a week ago.
>
> No further communication…but a text arrived today (sent yesterday?) asking if I will meet her in another suburb (app 40km away) at 2.00pm precisely so she can look at said bodyboard! Fuck me, I’m not that stupid babe.
>
> Dunno if it’s a scam or just some flunky dumb chick hoping that I’d be so kind as to drive all that way with no assured sale.
>
> I’m not kind. 😃
Was her name Shappelle?😃
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### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/19 "2013-11-12T05:26:22Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#):
>
> Was her name Shappelle?😃
That’s _Schappelle_ \*\*stui. \*\* You missed the ‘c’. C’mon man, the poor chick has been through enough indignities, misspelling her name is just adding insult to injury. 😃
And nah, wasn’t her.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-try-to-scam-me/673452/20 "2013-11-12T14:50:21Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> My eyes glazed over when I read moneypak. No need to read further.
I’m sure there’s some legitimate use for MoneyPak but the only times I ever see it referenced is in scams and malware ransom demands.
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