Avoiding scams and fraud
You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules:
- DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.
- NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
- FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
- MUTINYSPORTS IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"
- NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, eBay/PayPal info, passwords, etc.)
- NEVER GIVE OUT NON-ESSENTIAL PERSONAL INFORMATION (social security number, home address, etc.)
- AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?
- FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
- FTC online complaint form (www.ftc.gov)
- Canadian PhoneBusters hotline: 888-495-8501
- Internet Fraud Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov/)
- Non-emergency number for your local police department.
If you suspect that an item posted for sale on mutinysports may be part of a scam, please email the details to "webmaster@mutinysports.com". Be sure to include the post ID number in your message.
Recognizing scams
Most scams involve one or more of the following:
- inquiry from someone far away, often in another country
- Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee"
- inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consumating transaction
Examples of Scams
- Someone claims that mutinysports will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that mutinysports will handle or provide protection for a payment.
- These claims are fraudulent, as mutinysports does not have any role in any transaction.
- Scammer will often send an official looking email that appears to come from mutinysports, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services - all such emails are fakes!
- A distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check
- You receive an email offering to buy your item sight unseen.
- Cashier's check is offered for your sale item.
- Value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service.
- Banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases!
- Scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc).
- Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:
- Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE.
- Scam "bait" items include tickets - but could be almost anything.
- Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, Ukraine, Spain, UK, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere.
- Deal often seems too good to be true.
- Distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money:
- This is ALWAYS a scam - the cashier's check is FAKE
- Sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not.
- Scammer often asks for your name, address, etc. for printing on the fake check.
- Deal often seems too good to be true.
- A distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service.
- Most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers.
- For more info, do an online search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud."
- A distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods
- He says he trusts you with the partial payment.
- He may say he has already shipped the goods.
- Deal often sounds too good to be true.
- A foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds.
- Foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly.
- You are typically offered a percentage of payments received.
- This kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email.