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Craigslist fraud: when does it end?

November 21, 2008

BOSTON — If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If only that saying would have crossed my mind before I joined the thousands of people who have experienced internet fraud, in my case through Craigslist.

Being a college student trying to find a decent job, and with the nearing of Thanksgiving break, I responded to a mystery shopper ad in the part-time job section of Craigslist.org. My “evaluation” task was to provide my fake boss with information about the work ethic at the 64 Kneeland St. Western Union location in Chinatown and make a money transfer to whom I believed was a member of the mystery shopper organization (which I never got an actual name for—red flag #1). I always thought I would identify a scam if I saw one on Craigslist, but like so many others, I was fooled by the elaborateness of these schemes.

In my “application e-mail” to a man by the name of Gary Davies, I had to express my particular interest in participating and fill out my contact information so that a $2850 check could be sent to my apartment. Gary even asked me about my availability, so I would assume that I was participating in a legitimate job that would possibly lead to more.

My “commission” for taking an hour out of my day to rate the service at the Chinatown Western Union was $200, which I was to deduct once I cashed the check that was Fed-Exed to me (red flag #2). The check, which was made out to me, looked real and I actually cashed it at the Bank of America on Hanover Street. Since the check actually was able to be cashed, I happily deposited my $200 commission and took the remaining $2650 in cash to Western Union.

When I arrived at Western Union, I answered the requested information about the service there, even writing my notes discreetly because I thought the job was real. I was instructed to send the money to a woman in Mexico involved in the no-name mystery shop company who would receive the money and do a similar procedure (red flag #3). I completed the transaction and made my way home to E-mail Gary confidential information on the receipt, including the MTCN number which allows anyone who has it to access the money (red flag #4).

While walking home, something happened that saved me from being $2850 in debt: my mother called me. When I told her what I had just done, she immediately said (a nicer word than screamed) that I was scammed and needed to cancel the money immediately. Luckily, I opted for the next-day service and had the chance to go back and cancel the transaction. So, I saved myself from debt and earned $2850, which thankfully will all disappear from my account this week.

The next morning I went to the bank to speak to a representative, and I found that I was not alone; I was actually one of many. I spoke to two representatives (who wish to remain anonymous), who told me that internet fraud on websites like Craigslist is extremely common and can fool victims and bankers alike. One representative, who cashed my check and remembered me from the day before, was shocked the check was fake but thankful it was detected.

“That check looked like a valid check like so many other ones I see during the day,” the representative said. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before and I’m just thankful this got figured out before anything worse happened.”

If the money had been sent to Mexico, I would have been responsible to pay back the $2850 because the check will bounce any day now. Similar incidents frequently happen to Craigslist users who are sent a fake check (to perform a job or sell something) and expected to deduct their cash amount before sending the remainder through money orders or Western Union.

 www.craigslist.org

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Written by Jennifer Hoare · Filed Under Features 

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