SCAM Alert....Jeff Mentis

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Les Robertson

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I meant to post this earlier, but misplaced the information.

The person who tried to SCAM me earlier is:

Jeff Mentis from New Zeland

His email address is:

jeffmentis@yahoo.ie


To remind you, Jeff's scam is that he has a check for more than the amount of the knife you want to sell. He sends you the check and you "wire transfer" the overage to him (he won't even take your check).

Within two weeks (even though your bank cashed the check), the check bounces.

You are out the merchandise and the money.

So be careful when dealing with Jeff.
 
Thanks for the warning, Les.

I think in general if anyone at all makes a proposal like that, the thing to do is tell the police about it. The whole idea of someone thousands of miles from you signing a check over to you and mailing it to you so you can send him a knife and the excess cash back is pretty suspicious once you look at it closely. (What's the matter, isn't there a bank closer to him than you are?) Insisting on a wire transfer only makes it more obvious -- the way a wire transfer differs from other ways to send money is he can receive it without leaving much evidence to trace who he is (he might not have to show any ID at all, just sign for it and walk away) and once the money has been transfered there's no way to get it back (other than locating and arresting him, and he's going to try not to make that easy for the police).

He's undoubtably using a false name, but you have at least an email address ... every clue you can give the police helps their work.
 
Interesting to hear. I have some industrial machinery that I have been trying to sell for quite some time. I have listed them on an online service and at least once a day I get offers with the same set up.

"I'll purchase the item at the listed price"
"Don't worry about shipping, I'll take care of it"

then the check they want to send that is twice what the purchase price is.

I called the FBI regarding this and it is a common scam. By the time your bank finds out that it's a bad check, you have already sent the cash to them. Being outside the USA, there isn't to much you or the FBI can do because they are outside of Federal Jurisdiction.

Sorry to hear about your bad deal. At the very least, your posting here may save countless others from experiencing same.

Best regards,
 
I hate those people, they make US sellers to think twice about selling stuff to us third worlders... :mad:

NsB
 
Just tell these people sure you'll take the cheque, but you will have to wait to ship the product until the cheque has cleared and your bank has guarantied that the funds are in your account. You won't hear back from them.

I have run into this kind of scam in the past. It is so obvious that it is laughable. These people are hoping that they will catch someone that is so desperate to make a sale that they will fail to use common sense.

Les was not scammed by this person. He did exactly the right thing and this attempted scam turned into nothing more than an unsuccessful attempt by a dirtbag to steal from an honest, hardworking person. Unfortunately, these people get away with this kind of stuff way too often. Always keep your guard up!
 
This same kind of scam was posted on a long distance motorcycle rally forum that I frequent. If I remember correctly this guy was working out of Africa and using forged US bank money orders or certified checks drawn on a US bank.


Steve
 
Yeah, most that I see are South Africa and Nigeria. Dave, with the FBI, says that the checks are very good quality. The banks usually don' catch them the first time through. That's when people assume that they have been paid and forward the funds. I really don't think the scammers are too concerned with the product that they try to buy. They just want you to send those dollars.
 
Just for info, Sabo is absolutely correct about the African continent connection re: this particular scam. Starting to occur from some of the Asian countries. According to some training info some of these funds are going directly to certain nefarious causes.

Stuart
 
I would never fall for this scam but at what point does liability pass to the Bank?

If you sit on the check until the bank indicates it has cleared, shouldn't they/aren't they then liable if it turns out the check bounces?

Just curious...............
 
I wonder who lit a fire under them. I can't believe they are just learning about it.

Nigeria to tackle internet fraud

Nigeria is to launch an inquiry into internet fraud and will examine the existing laws covering the problem.

The "419" swindle - named after the penal code that outlaws it - will be targeted in particular.

In the scam, people overseas are promised a share of non-existent riches in return for details of their bank account - which is then emptied.

"The government will step up measures against these criminal activities," President Olusegun Obasanjo said.


Currency earner

He said the inquiry will also consider establishing a new agency to deal with the crime.

The 419 scam has been so successful in the past 20 years that experts say it is now the third to fifth largest foreign exchange earner in Nigeria.

But BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle says the government is keen to stamp out the fraud as it is giving Nigeria a bad name.

The country's anti-fraud squad has arrested more than 200 people, including a federal lawmaker, since May for alleged involvement in computer fraud.

The alleged perpetrators of the biggest ever 419 swindle, a $180m fraud that brought down a Brazilian bank, are among those facing prosecution.

"I am convinced that your recommendations would assist government to design appropriate policies to block all the loopholes... and stamp out all forms of 419 from society," President Obasanjo said at the ceremony to launch the commission.

The committee, which is headed by President Obasanjo's security adviser, has two months to submit a report.
 
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