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Date Posted: 21:22:24 03/10/04 Wed
Author: Danny
Subject: Scammers pose as online buyers

Scammers pose as online buyers
By CATHY REDFERN
Sentinel STAFF WRITER
SANTA CRUZ — When Justin Smith posted his Norco Shore mountain bike for sale at pinkbike.com, he expected to make money not lose it.

But instead, Smith got an e-mail offer from someone calling himself "Malcolm" who said he wanted to buy the bike, but that forwarding money would be difficult because he was traveling in Europe. However, he said, he had a client in California who owed him money and the client would send that amount if Smith could wire the change to "Malcolm."

The story sounded convincing to Smith. He took the $4,950 check to his bank, Washington Mutual, and was told it had no holds on it and that the funds were available, he said. After he returned the $3,050 in change to "Malcolm," he got a notice from the bank saying his account was overdrawn by more than $3,000 and that he had 10 days to pay up.

The UCSC student is the latest victim of a fairly new scam targeting people who advertise items for sale on specialty Web sites, said Robin Gysin, the county’s consumer affairs specialist.

Gysin has gotten complaints from county residents trying to sell cars, saddles and other items, and even one from a nonprofit that got a donation with a request to return change.

She said she gets about three calls weekly; the first came about five months ago.

"It’s a terrible scam, a real flimflam," she said. "People are not going to get their money back. It’s just so hidden from law enforcement on the Internet, the vast frontier once again."

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The checks, including cashiers checks, look real, she said.

Smith is now trying to get help from his bank, saying they gave him the impression the funds were available. The scam left him penniless in the midst of finals, swim team captain duties and applying to graduate school.

He finally got bank officials to give him 45 days to pay, but isn’t sure how he’ll make that mid-March deadline.

"I was under the impression I was getting money from that check," he said. "My argument is you guys are the professionals, what you told me I believed."

The good news is the check bounced before he shipped the bike.

"And it’s just money," Smith said. "Life goes on."

Washington Mutual did not return a phone call seeking comment.

The Internet scam is similar to the 10-year-old "Nigerian Net Scam." In that scheme, people who claim to be Nigerians who recently inherited a large sum of money send e-mail offers to share the funds with people who have access to a U.S. bank account.

Gysin urges consumers to report such purchase offers to her at 454-2601 and to the Secret Service at (408) 535-5288.

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