Mountain Biking - scam!

So I put an ad on pinkbike for my Kona Cowan right, this guy emails:


Hello,
I am Mr.CALNON.I mailed you in response to your advert placed on the internet that you want to sell your kona cowan 04.I would like to let you know that i am quite pleased to express my interest and satisfaction in it.Please if it is still available, kindly let me know...
1.The current condition (tell if negotiable)
2.Your asking price
3.The items picture
4.Payment through a cheque or money order that can be drawn in any CANADA bank.
You can contact me via email:
Best Regards,
Mr.CALNON.


translation= I am going to scam you by "mailing"(WINK WINK) the money and you will have shipped your bike off. By the time you realise your money isn't coming, it's too late to get your bike back and my name/account is fake.

Just letting you know that this can happen a lot and watch out for it. I've heard of this happening a lot on pinkbike too.

BTW: if he really wants it he should realise its an 05 not 04...

yeh happens alot on craigslist.org also

good for you, you caught on to that!

good for you, you caught on to that!

:D

probably I am ignorant, but how does that translate in to a scam. you could decide not to ship the item until the check or money order is cleared/cashed. did I get it wrong? or is there a canada factor in it, that I am not understanding.

probably I am ignorant, but how does that translate in to a scam. you could decide not to ship the item until the check or money order is cleared/cashed. did I get it wrong? or is there a canada factor in it, that I am not understanding.

The check may come, but if you don't get around to cashing it within a few days, or if it doesn't clear. You're screwed (that is if you have already shipped the bike). This has just happened a lot in various places and the people will explain what happened, this is typically it.

translation= I am going to scam you by "mailing"(WINK WINK) the money and you will have shipped your bike off. By the time you realise your money isn't coming, it's too late to get your bike back and my name/account is fake.

You jumped to conclusions too quickly. Usually it's not done like that. The person sends the money order, you receive it, cash it, and THEN you send the bike. Incompetence...

You jumped to conclusions too quickly. Usually it's not done like that. The person sends the money order, you receive it, cash it, and THEN you send the bike. Incompetence...


Yeah, no kidding. I never send anything unless I get the money for it first.


Just be wary if they offer you a lot more money than the bike is worth and ask to have the extra money sent back to them.

Money orders in the U.S. at least are basically like a check from the government so unless he counterfeited one I don't see how that would be a scam. Just curious but how do you want him to pay? Checks and money orders used to be how things were paid before paypal and credit cards online came around... Like other people have said, you could always just wait for the money to arrive...like most people do.

I heard that they send fake cheques and money transfers and godknows what. When you go in to check the cheque the bank tells you it is non-existant, or something like that.

What I really love about scammers is that they're so damn dumb. They can't spell at all, they always put your name and the product you're selling in brackets or in capitals and overall, their emails generally sound very unconvincing.

So does this mean the email I got saying I won the UK international lottery isn't true?Dang, I was just about to buy a full carbon s-works.

The last time I had an interaction with a scammer, it went something like this:

- He emails me telling me he likes/wants my item, BUT he is overseas.
- He tells me that he has an associate here who owes him money
- He offers to have the associate mail me a cashiers check for $xxxxx over my asking price.
- I then subtract my price from the amount and wire him the remainder.
- He'll then have arrangements made to have the item picked up.

A week after I cash the check, the cashier's check turns out to be a phony (bank doesn't exist, forged check, etc) and my bank takes the funds back, leaving me out the $xxxxx I wired.

The scammer never comes for the item, of course.

Yeah, that's a little too complicated for a regular transaction cydewaze. With the OP though I'm not sure how that seems all that out of the ordinary.

Were the words "CANADA" and "MR. CALNON" actually capitalized like that?

And yeah, whoever sends a bike before waiting for the cheque to clear doesnt deserve the bike.

Were the words "CANADA" and "MR. CALNON" actually capitalized like that?

And yeah, whoever sends a bike before waiting for the cheque to clear doesnt deserve the bike.

Yea they were. And get this, the sender name read: "annozz enzez" or something.

Yea they were. And get this, the sender name read: "annozz enzez" or something.
Yeah, if they were capitalized then it seems like a bit of a scam, like an automated email.

After similar experiences with goofy replies to an ad I placed in PinkBike (nothing against PB; it just seems to be a magnet for the whackdoodles), I decided to stick to the E-Bay/Paypal combo.

Did the person say where they were from? The only thing I can think of if it was actually legitimate was that english wasn't their first language. One time on a classifieds section online by my place this kid I know was asking to buy guns of all calipers. I could barely understand what he wanted.

........I would like to let you know that i am quite pleased to express my interest and satisfaction in it.


that phrasing is all you need to read to realize it will be a scam/ hassle.

This response alone only hints on the scam. If you reply, then you will get a proposal like what cydewaze was referring to.

I wonder if people make programs that scan through classifieds like that or something. Responses like the ones cydewaze talked about look pretty automated.

And yeah, whoever sends a bike before waiting for the cheque to clear doesnt deserve the bike.
This is exactly what I was thinking, but I didn't want to say it. :p

Ok now someone is just having fun with me:

Greetings,
My name is MR MART ,I reside in uk,Iam highly interested in
buying your[2005 kona cowan ]
from you ,which cost [$1000 ]and also scan the pics for me for proper
verifycation(if available) . as for the shipping,i have a liable shipper
that takes goods care of all my shipping .so about payment,i have prepare a
certified money order for you,so pls email me back if its still available
for sales,so that we can discuss further. email ASAP.......pls reply back.
REGARDS,
MR MAR

Anybody who would write like that sure as hell wouldn't be buying a used bike. lol

LOL free_pizza, nice email.

LOL free_pizza, nice email.
:D:D:D:D

It probably was a scam, but don't discount non-Americans for unusual English. I've worked with people in the UK, China, France and other places. Many times their English skills are very poor. BTW, try www.paypal.com for selling things to people over the Internet. It's safe, reliable, and cheap.

with paypal, even after you receive payment, you have to wait to make sure the money goes through, unless of course the seller is verified.