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Tonya Papanikolas ReportingA type of online fraud is becoming more rampant for those who sell things online or in classifieds. One seller who almost got scammed has a warning for others.
Our classified services are free; anyone who has an e-mail address can put an item up for sale, but that doesn't mean the buyer will be legitimate!
Steve Anderson put an oak table and chairs up for sale on ksl.com. He was asking 400 dollars. One potential buyer who claimed to be from Canada said he'd pay $3,000 dollars if Anderson would ship the items. Anderson questioned the man and never heard back, until he received a check in the mail.
Steve Anderson, Received Fraudulent Check: "A few days ago I got an overnight item, and there was a check for over 3,000 dollars."
The check turned out to be fraudulent.
The Department of Commerce says they've seen a lot more of these types of incidents lately. Usually the scammer asks you to send some money back, which you'll never see again. If you deposit their check, the bank could end up charging you for the money that never went through. Either way, the message for sellers is clear.
Steve Anderson: "If you get a response back that sounds too good to be true, it is."
Francine Giani, Department of Commerce: "I think consumers need to be wary. You need to ask yourself why someone would be willing to send that amount of money."
Francine Giani says scammers prey on classified ads because people usually want to sell things quickly. She says beware of buyers from out of the country, even out of state. If you can't find any information about the individual or company that's sending you a check, don't cash it.
