Is this a scam?

Need some advice.

-Made a deal to sell two Boas two weeks ago (price included shipping)
-Buyer said he would send a money order overnight so we would have it on Tuesday 12 -June and he wanted them shipped 13 June for a 14 June delivery (buyer stated he would send a tracking number for the overnight delivery of the money order on Monday 11 June). Buyer states he needs shipping prior to the weekend, because he is going on vacation for a couple of weeks, starting on the weekend.
-11 June- comes and goes, no email, no tracking number, we figured he changed his mind
-12 June- we get a phone call from a woman stating to be his wife that they have sent the money via western union. Money was sent by a third party in Canada. Buyer lives in Buffalo, NY (Woman gave spelling of the name, but the spelling was way off)
13 June -Snakes sent for delivery on 14 June (tracking info emailed)
14 June- FedEx calls us and states the address doesn’t exist. FedEx leaves messages on two telephone numbers provided. We also leave phone messages. We send multiple Emails. No replies.
-15 June- we contact FedEx at the buyers end and make arrangements for the snakes to be shipped back to us if they are not picked up by. We ask that they hold the snakes at their station as long as possible, but to have them shipped back to us for a (16 June) Saturday delivery.
-15 June 8am- Contact wife on her cell phone. She states someone has already left to pick up the snakes. (No one ever arrives to pick up the snakes)
-16 June- (Saturday) FedEx delivers snakes back to us
-17 June- Receive this email

Hello Mark, I don't know what happened with this situation. What a mess...Well I got one of my assistant to go pickup the boas, but he totally forgot and that is very irresponsible of him...so much so that I fired him aon the spot once I heard of him screwing up! Mad is an understatement on how I feel about this guy and his actions! Well I went today "Saturday" to the FedEx office and was notified that the boas had been sent back. I am so sorry about this incident and it has been a mess for all. I am actually not on vacation...totally skipped it just to make sure the boas are pickedup and are alright. Now I am stuck, the wife is not too happy either, we planned this trip for some time now.
Well please get back to me, and once again I am deeply sorry.

This all seems like a scam to me. A $600 deal and the buyer does not communicate with me until after the snakes are returned. Im waiting for him to request the remainder to be sent back to him and not the person in Canada the the money was sent from.

Any recommendations? I can find no info on this guy on BOI. Snakes seem ok.

Thanks
Mark Burgett

Was the MO for the exact amount?

Obviously, if you're asked to return the funds, you would wait until they're actually in your account before doing so. You probably should wait for a week or longer after that, to make sure the bank doesn't find out later that the money order is fake. Once I did have the money, I would deduct the shipping and any other costs, return the money, and kiss this looser good bye.

Did the money clear your bank?

Originally Posted by kmurphy

Obviously, if you're asked to return the funds, you would wait until they're actually in your account before doing so. You probably should wait for a week or longer after that, to make sure the bank doesn't find out later that the money order is fake. Once I did have the money, I would deduct the shipping and any other costs, return the money, and kiss this looser good bye.

This is really good advice! I've heard of people getting burned 2-3 weeks after depositing a MO or cashier's check, even after the bank has said it cleared within 5 days of deposit.

Money was sent Western Union, by a third party in Canada. Money was for exact amount. We took the money as cash vice a check from our local Western Union place. So we put the cash in the bank.

I figure that when I return the remainder, I will send it back to the 3rd party minus what it cost me to ship there and back, if its all legitimate, there should be no problems with right people getting some money back.

How is that for a plan?

I have no idea, but can someone send via western Union with a CC? I wonder if a stolen CC was used to pay me?

This all seems to wierd.

Thanks
Mark

Originally Posted by FamilyZoo

I have no idea, but can someone send via western Union with a CC? I wonder if a stolen CC was used to pay me?

Yes, I just went to Western Unions website. IF I had a Visa or Mastercard issued by a Canadian bank, I could use it to send funds "from" Canada, even though I'm sitting in Arizona. So it would be very possible for someone to use a stolen card.

Just discovered more information. The 3rd Party that the money came from lives in Canada and also had this on the Canadian BOI http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...kahane+limsana

I need to find out some more info and probably take this topic to the BOI

That doesn't sound good.


One question, this confused me "We took the money as cash vice a check from our local Western Union place." Did you actually get cash, or a check?

vice = "in place of"