- Report: #1283800
Complaint Review: Mike Edgett scam Paypal - Internet
Reported By:
anonymous -
Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Submitted:
Updated:
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Author Confirmed
Why?
Mike Edgett scam Paypal
Internet, USA
Web:
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Mike Edgett scam Paypal Rick WilliamsStephan Brantley Send Money Gram for shipping Internet
Put two pieces of used restaurant equipment up for sale on local Craigslist. Within hours got a text from somebody with a Massachusetts area code (I'm in Colorado). He was in a hurry and offered full asking price for one of the pieces.
Said he needed to pay with Paypal. I was new to that and had to set up an account. With account set up, I got a "confirmation" that his funds had been received with the caveat that he had included funds for shipping and I was to forward that portion of the money to the shipping company.
He couldn't do that himself because he was "on duty" and couldn't get to a Money Gram center. And he was in a hurry. So, because I had "confirmation" from Paypal, I went ahead and wired $557 to a female in Virginia (the "shipper").
Replied to the "Paypal" confirmation with my own confirmation of funds transferred to the "shipper" and was notified that my "Paypal" funds would be available in about six hours.
Not two hours later, another text comes from a Texas area code. This time, a "soldier at Fort Bliss" wanted my other piece of equipment, again at full price and again, in a hurry. "It is a gift." He offered full price and included $900 for shipping, which I was supposed to Money Gram to "the shipper," this time in North Carolina. Again, a female, not a company name.
I was naive about Paypal for the first one, but the second one was just too much of a coincidence - both military members, both had $6000+ in their Paypal accounts ready to send, both in a hurry, both sending a gift, both offering full price (NOBODY in restaurants offers full price...)
I texted the second one back offering to call the FBI and got no reply. The first one, unfortunately got my $557, but not the equipment. I offered to call the FBI for him also and he got testy.
I will be at the FBI's door tomorrow morning with all the emails and texts to see if they want to do anything.
Beware ALWAYS of the return address on any confirmation. I didn't look carefully. My confirmations came from Latvia. They looked very real to somebody who had never dealt with Paypal before, but fell apart when closely examined. Not completely correct English.... address salutation was to my email address, not my company...return email address to Latvia... We have all seen it before, I just let down my guard. Please -- You be vigilent.
