This doesn't seem to be the first incident of its kind. As I was reading a few different story's and web site posts I thought I'd take the time and liberty to add my own to the ever growing online "best seller" (pun intended).
It was very recent actually all within the last 72 hours of this story that this happened to me. The worst part of it, and I'm sure I'm not alone, is how it makes you feel when you fall for it. Luckily I made all my moves in a timely fashion to be able to come out on top. Yet I still lack the satisfaction of revenge or getting even. At least now I'v learned my lesson and am still taking matters in my hands. (police)
This is my story.
I'm a college student graduating this year within a few months. Moving to a new Province, I was looking to upgrade my hardware. I own a Macbook right now, and was looking for a Pro version something a little more suitable for the work I'll be doing. As I browsed the pages of ebay everything seemed too risky, so I decided to jump on a local classified site called Kajiji. Here people in your local area post items for free, you contact them via email and arrange a meeting to do the exchange. Simple and carefree.
As I browsed the first page under computers search "Apple" I came across a new post,
-- "Apple MacBook Pro MA895LL/A 2.2GHz, Core 2 Duo"
quite the machine, for a price of $800.00 CND (Flag 1)
This PowerBook retail starts at $2100.00 CND this persons selling it for $800!!!
I clicked on it to view some photos of the book itself, great condition so I emailed the lady asking why she was selling it if anything was wrong with it. This was her reply
Karen Dingle " Its a brand new computer bought in Canada, I moved to the UK (London) for work and need the money urgently in order to arrange the new place with my family."
This seemed like a pretty decent deal, so I continued with the transaction, once I asked her how we would do the sale she emailed me a step-by-step instruction on how everything would work.
Karen Dingle " We will make this deal via TNT. Shipping will take usually - 24/48 hours. Shipping is absolutely free!
It is explained step by step below:
A. First I will need your shipping information (i.e. name and address).
1. With this info, I will go to a TNT Location send the item to your name and address provided.
2. TNT will inspect the package and all the legal papers.
B. As soon as the item is in TNT custody, you will receive a notification from them.
1. After that, you will make the payment for the item, and send the payment information to TNT for verification.
2. TNT will verify the payment information, and if everything is in order, they will deliver the product to your door step, and you will verify that everything is as supposed.
3. You will inform TNT that everything is in order, and they will release the payment to me.
C. If by any reason, you will not be satisfied with the package, you will return the product to TNT with no expense.
I will be waiting for your email.
Thanks
After I agreed and another 18-20 hours passed I received an email from "TNT" as an invoice stating all the details of the transaction. I mean this thing was flawless, with links to the website, my contact information, her contact information, and the "agents" contact information to whom I was supposed to wire the money via Western Union.
At the bottom of this email was all the rights and reserves for TNT which made it look like it was for real, but what caught my attention was the terrible spelling and grammar and under the "invoice" was a link that looked like this.
--
Want an e-mail address like mine?
Get a free e-mail account today at www.mail.com! (Flag 2)
Once i clicked on the link it sent me to a website that allowed you to pay a monthly fee for an email account with what ever @ you chose... i.e [email protected] or [email protected]
The email that I was supposed to send the Western Union transfer pin to was
"[email protected] (Flag 3)
Along all that the website that the invoice was linked too, the TNT website was not the same as the one I would fell upon after google'ing TNT. (Flag 4)
I also googled sending money to TNT, they had stories left and right, about people who where duped into the same thing. So this pretty much took it all home.
Heres the kicker... I found out all this AFTER I sent the money!!
Boy did I feel like an idiot, but my biggest thing was looking at the Western Union receipt on my desk next to me and seeing $840!!! So I grabbed the paper and hit the web site. I checked to see if the transaction was completed (picked up) and it said pending.
So I jumped on the 1-800 number and talked to a rep from WU, told him the entire story as he froze the account, and then transfered me to a woman who reversed the transaction so that way I can go the next day and pick up my money. Luckily this was all within 6-8 hours of sending the money.
So what happened then? Well I slept better that night, the next morning (this morning) I checked my mail and received an email from the "TNT Agent"
"Dear Customer,
We are unable to verify your transaction to the UK. Please verify your information and make sure that the transfer was made to:
Nicolas Gardner
395 Brockley Road
Crofton Park, London &> different address then the one on the Invoice (Flag 150)
SE4 3ES
United Kingdom
Thank you for using TNT
The TNT Team
--
Want an e-mail address like mine?
Get a free e-mail account today at www.mail.com! "
Pffttt, yea ok, so I send an email back to him asking for a phone number I can call to talk to a TNT rep to see if my package is there... still haven't heard from him.
Also I used another account to send the same woman Karen an email regarding her MacBook to see if it was going to be the same thing... low and behold she said the same things, same story. Either this ladies stupid rich, or just a hoax.
Unfortunately I was at first wishing stupid rich to get a nice new MacBook Pro for a steal! but seems to good to be true. I was getting played!
All in all it sucked, I give who ever they are the props for having the balls to do something like this, I mean in reality it is a good idea to rip someone off, but as I believe and many others will agree KARMA, just wait, this persons gonna get whats coming to them.
And if I'm ever in the UK London area, I'll be sure to bring the address, to stop over for some tea and crumpets.
Thanks for reading. And be smart as the WU lady said, we're good to send money... to people you know.!
Deeno
Tecumseh, Ontario
Canada
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