Fraud Prevention Tips

Preventing online Fraud

cleveland.com and its affiliates The Plain Dealer, Sun News DO NOT perform any of the following services in connection with advertiser offers:

  • Collect funds from/for the buyer or the seller
  • Hold funds from/for the buyer or the seller
  • Guarantee funds from/for the buyer or the seller
  • Store merchandise from/for the buyer or the seller
  • Ship merchandise from/for the buyer or the seller

If anyone that you contact regarding merchandise, pets, vehicles, housing or employment indicates that cleveland.com and its affiliates The Plain Dealer, Sun News in any way insures or endorses the transaction - this is FALSE.

(Please read our User Agreement here)

Be wary about inquiries from anyone outside our local area. We encourage you to deal locally. Placing classified ads online with cleveland.com and and its affiliates The Plain Dealer, Sun News is a fun and cost effective way for your message to reach a broad audience within our local area. Most of our readers have great experiences using our online classifieds. However, there are Internet scams and frauds that you should be aware of, and many of them involve 'offers' from people outside our local area. This doesn't mean that all such offers are fraudulent - just be careful.

Common types of Internet fraud

Wire fraud. In this scenario, the scammer/buyer will request permission to wire-transfer money directly into the seller's bank account. By providing confidential bank account information to the buyer, your account may be compromised. Always use caution when providing any form of personal information.

Overpayment Scam. In this very common scenario, a scammer/buyer will contact a seller and negotiate a deal on merchandise. Many times, this buyer is located outside of the United States, and poses as a "broker" or a "third party" on behalf of another interested party. The buyer will send a cashier's check (or money order) for more than the asking price of the merchandise. The buyer will instruct the seller to send the difference for the overpayment. Unfortunately, the cashier's check or money order used to originally pay the buyer is counterfeit and will be returned to the seller with insufficient funds. The seller is then cheated out of his or her own cash, plus any merchandise that was sent.

Too good to be true? Products that are priced way too low should raise a red flag. For instance, if a motorcycle is stated to be in "excellent" condition and yet is priced thousands below book value, you should proceed with caution. While not all bargains are scams, you may see clues when you contact the seller. Be wary of sellers from out of state / country; incorrect phone numbers or the inability to reach the seller via phone or physical address; and special situations such as the seller needing money quickly. To protect yourself, ask specific questions about authenticity, serial numbers, etc. Do your part to protect yourself - if you feel like a deal is too good to be true, it usually is.

Work-at-home scams. Be very skeptical of any "company" that advertises a work-at-home opportunity and requires advance payment or deposits on items or services. Be skeptical of earnings claims that sound too good to be true. Ask detailed questions about what exactly you will have to do to earn money with the program; i.e., who will pay you, will you be paid on commission, etc.

Customs scams. There are recent reports from the IFCC involving Eastern European countries and high incidences of fraud. Many of the fraudulent buyers of items are located in these countries and often ask that the seller ship in a manner that will avoid customs or taxes. Sellers should be wary of this type of behavior.

Message Relay Application Scams. Some scammers will use VOIP applications like Skype and other message relay applications to call the advertiser to get them to send emails with information that can be used to steal identity. Sellers should only accept live calls from local shoppers and never accept indirect request for information or anonymous phone calls. With these forms of abuse, you may wish to report this to your cellphone carrier and ask that the specific phone number used by the relay app source be blocked due to an attempted scam. Some cellphone carriers can set this up as an available option for users where specific phone numbers can be blocked.

Many internet scams involve one or more of the following:

  • cleveland.com will never contact you for your personal information, such as password or credit card number.
  • An inquiry from someone 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 transaction.
  • Be wary of anyone claiming they are acting on behalf of another customer.
  • Be wary of postings that do not provide any contact information.

For Pets: Do your research

  • Ask if the breeder is a member of an AKC-affiliated club and contact that club to verify membership or check recent listings of available AKC Litters from breeders at: www.akc.org/classified/index.cfm.
  • You can also check with the AKC (919-233-9767) to see if there are any complaints about the breeder.
  • Request references and speak to other people who have purchased dogs from this breeder especially if the breeder does not live near you.

Who should I notify about fraud?

Other helpful Resources about protecting yourself online

Examples of fraudulent 'offers'

Below is a sampling of fraudulent letters circulating on the Internet. This is a non-inclusive list that is meant to give you a sampling of the types of fraudulent letters criminals are using. (Spelling and grammatical errors are included in the examples below, as they are often found in fraudulent letters. Common fraudulent key phrases are bolded below for your reference.)

Example #1:

Hello,

Thanks for your mail back concerning the inquiry mail i sent to you. The price,condition also the pics i viewed is okay by me. And my client confirm there is no problem about the price($975 ) ,my client do pays with a {USA}cashier check,he has agreed to mail out as bank cashiers check of $3500. to you on my behalf to cover the shippment fees.About the shippment, that we be taken care by my me & my personal assistant,my personal assistant will be using his shipper to do the quick processing of the shipping of the(1987 Toyota Celica) to my client. So all you are to do after you will received the check in your mail, Just take out your sale amount and refer the remaining money to my shipper immediately through the westernunion or the money gramm outlet so to get the money fast and start the fast arrangement for the pickup of the (1987 Toyota Celica).Since you are the original owner of this item,and i am buying the item directly from you i will like you to write your full name to be on the check,with the mailing address which my client will be using to issued out the check to you.I do wish to trust you by refering the rest balance back to my shipper and also your fast doing to this transaction. I will like to hear fromyou if this is okay by you and you are ready to process,if you aready to sale your item and promise refering the rest balance to my shipper immediately you received the check so can start the quick arrangement for the pickup. Any body that want to buy this item this item just tell therm that it as been sold. I will like to copmplete this transaction befor the new year. I be at my computer waiting to see your epky to my payment method mailed. THANKS AND MAIL ME BACK WITH YOUR DETAIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Example #2:

Thanks for getting back to me, i will be purchasing the motorbike Like i said earlier i am based in the netherlands(holland). there won't be any probs about the shipment,after payment ,the pick up will be made at your place. i have made arrangements with the prepaid shipping company. As regards payment,this is what i am going to do;I have a client in ENGLAND who is owing me 5800POUNDS i would instruct him to make out a money order/certifiedcheck to you in that amount and as soon as it clears your bank. you can now deduct your money from it and send me my balance,i will using use part of the money to pay for the shipping and other expenses .you will then send my balance by via western union money transfer.Although the value of the check is more than the asking price but i think i should be able to trust you with my balance. The reason why i am doing this is that it would take a check sent from over here in HOLLAND 21days to clearover there,whereas a check sent from the US would clear tops within 48hrs. So i would like you to deduct the western union charges from my balance.So if my terms are acceptableto you,i would like you to give me your fullname,address and phone number so that i can instruct my client to make out the check to you. Pls get back to me as soon as you get this mail so that we can round things up in a timely fashion..i willbe trusting in this business transaction.

Example #3:

Hello,

My puppy is AKC Registered and has all shots upto date. she's also vet checked. But unfortunately,she's just been adopted,some few days ago. But you can get in touch with Another One of my customer that I sold another puppy to,who is looking for caring parent to adopt the the lil pup now. His name is Evangelist Michael Smith, he called me that he had been transfered to west africa on a christian mission,because of his immediate relocation, he went with his wife, and the puppy with him overthere.Her commitment to the work of God could not enable him to stay with the puppy often enough,and that the climatic condition of the country is too harsh for the puppy's health, so he needs a caring parent who can adopt the baby back to the united state of america asap. he will provide the shipping agent to have the puppies shipped back to you. But i suggest you contact him soon as possible Via Email. He will be very much delightfull to hear from you,so as to have this puppy shipped to you asap. HE REQUESTED, a caring and loving parent for his lil baby,and i am so sure he will be so excited if she knows I directed you to her. Kindly notify me immediately by mail. Thanks

Example #4:

Hello,

I am Very Great full for Your interest in Adopting My puppy,He is 12 Weeks old. His AKC Register,Up to date on all shots and worms, His well potty Trained and his papers are complete,I give you 100 % Health Guarantee,Vet Examinations,Health Cert, friendly with both adult and kids and adorable. He is Ready to go to new a home and the reason is because of the sudden death of my wife Shes the one that take good care of him but now there is noone to take good care of him i am located at Indiana, so If you are ready to adopt him You Get Back To me with the following details...

  • 1.Your full name and address
  • 2.Marriage Status
  • 3.Kids and there ages
  • 4.occupation
  • 5.Are you sure you will take good care of my baby?

Please promise me to give my baby good home, Where are you located? I have a reliable shipping agent that will take care of the puppy to your end The Next day delivery to you location will cost only very little,,If You Need Any More Information You can mail me back or give me a call.Waiting to read back from you Soon.