Anti-fraud tips from a fraud investigator
05-03-2013, 08:23 AM
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Anti-fraud tips from a fraud investigator Category: Non-Automotive
Price: $0
Location (State): AL
Item Condition: Brand New
LS Engine?: Fits LS Engine
1st thing is 1st, if you can help it at all, use your credit card or debit card with the credit option. This will at least give you an option of getting your money back from the issuing bank/CC company if you file a fraud claim with them. Then you don't have to front the costs and be out the money permanently (hopefully)
1st again! If you have no documentation, the transaction/communication NEVER HAPPENED as far as a court is concerned. Limit your phone calls to never and if you do have to make one, send yourself and CC the other party, the information and details discussed in your conversation. Also, attach read-receipts to your emails! When they say "I never got that email", you can call horse-shat and send them the read receipt. They now have no ground to stand on!
2nd: Use certified/tracked/signed mail options on ALL payments made via paper media.
3rd: If you send paper media for a transaction, ALWAYS use a USPS money order. The type of protection this offers you is one of the best if you want to get the postal inspector involved (I suggest you do b/c they do NOT screw around when it comes to mail fraud). The USPS money order plus the stated mailing options above will give them "Mail Fraud" grounds to investigate & prosecute.
4th: This one is common sense but look at feedback left by others! Get the selling party's email address, phone number, address & screen name and type that information into Google (or your search engine of choice). Most people use the same information on all of the forums/auction sites/etc... and you can look at feedback this way.
I went into this business (I'm a forensic accountant) b/c I'm tired of seeing people like US get F**K'd out of our money and I wanted to do something about it. I hope this helps and if you guys & gals need any help, just email me at D.Robinson.Forensic@gmail.com and I'll do what I can for you!
Nick
You can sticky this if you want...
05-06-2013, 12:32 PM
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As soon as you think you have been scammed, seek legal advise. Present the lawyer with all communication and the receipt of payment. You will have to check your local laws to determine which jurisdiction will take the case. Small claims court will most likely be where you will need to file, unless you deal with a large amount of money. In small claims court, you don't "need" a lawyer with you, but I would suggest it. If you go to civil court, I would highly suggest that you retain a lawyer to go with you.
As soon as you think you have been scammed, seek legal advise. Present the lawyer with all communication and the receipt of payment. You will have to check your local laws to determine which jurisdiction will take the case. Small claims court will most likely be where you will need to file, unless you deal with a large amount of money. In small claims court, you don't "need" a lawyer with you, but I would suggest it. If you go to civil court, I would highly suggest that you retain a lawyer to go with you.
05-17-2013, 03:33 PM
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Props to the OP for taking the time to help people out! 
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Find a Quality alignment shop near you!
05-17-2013, 03:55 PM
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Great info.
I have been strongly encouraging people to take action not just whine on the forms.
Whining does not shut scammers down, legal action does!
I'm in favor of pressing criminal charges whenever possible. I have done this in the past with success.
I have been strongly encouraging people to take action not just whine on the forms.
Whining does not shut scammers down, legal action does!
I'm in favor of pressing criminal charges whenever possible. I have done this in the past with success.
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05-17-2013, 04:27 PM
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I also save the webpage of the ad offline so I can go back and see it later if the OP tries to change it, which has happend to me before. Someone sold me some injectors and I didnt get the ones I paid for but he claimed these were the ones. I tried to go back and check the post but it was changed to "sold" no pics or anything.
So I always save the page/ad offline
So I always save the page/ad offline
05-17-2013, 06:42 PM
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BIG thanks to the OP, this is great info!! From NOW ON, when I'm SELLING stuff, I'm going to request payment in USPS money orders - THAT way, NOT ONLY does the buyer have some assurance that I'm on the "up & up", but I know as well that the payment is good.THANK YOU for the good info!
05-17-2013, 06:51 PM
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i am also a fraud investigator. if you want to see if you've been scammed send me your bank account info, mothers maiden name, address, dob, drivers license number, and social. I will email you the results... hahaha jk thanks for the info man
05-17-2013, 08:24 PM
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I won't use paypal, I only use USPS money orders. I will only pay for items in this manner. I know others won't buy stuff from me that way, so if i can't sell it on craigslist, I normally haul it to the scrap yard.
05-17-2013, 09:37 PM
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As soon as you think you have been scammed, seek legal advise. Present the lawyer with all communication and the receipt of payment. You will have to check your local laws to determine which jurisdiction will take the case. Small claims court will most likely be where you will need to file, unless you deal with a large amount of money. In small claims court, you don't "need" a lawyer with you, but I would suggest it. If you go to civil court, I would highly suggest that you retain a lawyer to go with you.
As soon as you think you have been scammed, seek legal advise. Present the lawyer with all communication and the receipt of payment. You will have to check your local laws to determine which jurisdiction will take the case. Small claims court will most likely be where you will need to file, unless you deal with a large amount of money. In small claims court, you don't "need" a lawyer with you, but I would suggest it. If you go to civil court, I would highly suggest that you retain a lawyer to go with you.
05-17-2013, 10:26 PM
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One thing no one mentioned.. DO NOT SEND PAYPAL PAYMENTS AS GIFT! Doing this waives the paypal fees. Yes this saves the seller money but also gives him the option to scam you 100% with no worries! This says you are offering someone money with no purchase transaction. Also in the notes, annotate what you are buying in detail, how much and add the link.
As my Master Sergeant always said as we write up repair orders "Documentation, Documentation... I'll say it one more time in Spanish, DOCUMENTATION!".
As my Master Sergeant always said as we write up repair orders "Documentation, Documentation... I'll say it one more time in Spanish, DOCUMENTATION!".
05-19-2013, 10:27 AM
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This is incorrect sir. The court can not dictate when you can have legal representation. The reason that you might NOT want to have a lawyer in small claims court is the cost. I don't know if you've hired a lawyer recently, but they are NOT cheap. Some can be upwards of $2000 per hour & some as low as $50 an hour (don't hire this guy unless he/she is your buddy & doing you a favor! lol)
05-19-2013, 10:32 AM
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One thing no one mentioned.. DO NOT SEND PAYPAL PAYMENTS AS GIFT! Doing this waives the paypal fees. Yes this saves the seller money but also gives him the option to scam you 100% with no worries! This says you are offering someone money with no purchase transaction. Also in the notes, annotate what you are buying in detail, how much and add the link.
As my Master Sergeant always said as we write up repair orders "Documentation, Documentation... I'll say it one more time in Spanish, DOCUMENTATION!".
As my Master Sergeant always said as we write up repair orders "Documentation, Documentation... I'll say it one more time in Spanish, DOCUMENTATION!".
I'm prior Air Force & I gave the SAME speech on a regular basis to my maintenance troops! As far as the "Gift" point, it is 100% correct. I am not a religious man but I love the quote, "Trust in God & audit everyone else!"... Essentially trust no one & cover your @$$ at all cost!
05-19-2013, 10:39 AM
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I would agree with this statement IF they said "Don't send a USPS money order". That means that the "seller" knows the laws about mail fraud & the penalties associated with the fraud. When I was young, dumb, & stupid, I was taken for a $150 ride when I sent a MO from Circle-K with no retribution available to me. I vowed that it would never happen to me again!
05-19-2013, 10:42 AM
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I am also in favor of pressing criminal charges! These people need to learn that you don't mess with another man/woman's hard earned money. I intend on doing what I can to help others make their court case & to have hard evidence of the transaction that is in an acceptable form to present in court.
