03-02-2009, 11:34 AM
It happened to my neighbor, Tomi.
Tomi is moving back to Japan so she listed her stuff for sale on Craigslist, one of it is her TV for $400. This crook from the mainland sent her a check for 2,800 and came up with a weird story for her to give back 2,400 to the mover when he comes for the TV. Tomi replied that she is leaving today and don't have time to wait. He then called her and insisted that she goes to the bank and wire transfer the 2,400. Tomi is busy with the moving and didn't have time to go to town, she mailed him her personal check this Saturday for that amount, after deposited his check.
Tomi felt uneasy after talked with one of her friend who thought it was a scam. She came over to my house last night and told her story. She wanted me to cash out the balance in her account and put it in her PayPal account before the crook wipes it clean. Since she is flying out today this morning, she doesn't have time to go to the bank and doesn't plan to contact the bank. I asked her to call the bank during her 3 hours layover in Honolulu and make a stop payment on her check.
Anyhow, I went to her bank in Hilo this morning in order to cash her check as she asked me to do. Just right before they gave me the cash I asked the bank teller where the Customer Service is. The teller asked if she can help. I explained Tomi's situation to the teller. The teller said that they can do the stop payment for Tomi. I said I am concerned if the crook is still able to take out her money. The teller asks me to wait while she goes and consult with her supervisor. She came back and said that the account is now locked and gave me the phone number of the supervisor for Tomi to call during her layover. I rushed home, called tomi to let her know and to call the bank. I also told Tomi that the bank would not let me cash her check, so I don't have to put it in her PayPal account.
Tomi also has another nerve wreck event this morning before she left. I woke up early before dawn and went over to say goodbye one more time to her and especially her dog, Jimmy. (She takes her dog and cat to Japan too and I love Jimmy as much as my own dog.) Somehow during loading her luggage, kennels, and other stuff, her cat ran away into hiding. Tomi kept calling and searching and still no sign of her cat. Finally Tomi, in tears, has to leave for the airport and said she will have to fly back here in a month to get her cat. The good news is, when I called Tomi this morning during her layover, the first thing she said is I got my cat with me. I asked her how? Well, her cat came back after she and her friend left for the airport, so her landlady who also lives on the same building took the cat, drove to the airport and deliver Tomi her cat in time before the takeoff. I don't have any cat, only my dog, but the lesson here is don't leave your cat unleash when you try to catch a flight.
Tomi is now somewhere over the Pacific heading to Japan. I hope she can now relax and enjoy her flight.
I normally don't write a long mail like this and I am certain that PW members are all smart and can detect any scams. I just hope this story might be a warning and useful to someone you know.
Val
Tomi is moving back to Japan so she listed her stuff for sale on Craigslist, one of it is her TV for $400. This crook from the mainland sent her a check for 2,800 and came up with a weird story for her to give back 2,400 to the mover when he comes for the TV. Tomi replied that she is leaving today and don't have time to wait. He then called her and insisted that she goes to the bank and wire transfer the 2,400. Tomi is busy with the moving and didn't have time to go to town, she mailed him her personal check this Saturday for that amount, after deposited his check.
Tomi felt uneasy after talked with one of her friend who thought it was a scam. She came over to my house last night and told her story. She wanted me to cash out the balance in her account and put it in her PayPal account before the crook wipes it clean. Since she is flying out today this morning, she doesn't have time to go to the bank and doesn't plan to contact the bank. I asked her to call the bank during her 3 hours layover in Honolulu and make a stop payment on her check.
Anyhow, I went to her bank in Hilo this morning in order to cash her check as she asked me to do. Just right before they gave me the cash I asked the bank teller where the Customer Service is. The teller asked if she can help. I explained Tomi's situation to the teller. The teller said that they can do the stop payment for Tomi. I said I am concerned if the crook is still able to take out her money. The teller asks me to wait while she goes and consult with her supervisor. She came back and said that the account is now locked and gave me the phone number of the supervisor for Tomi to call during her layover. I rushed home, called tomi to let her know and to call the bank. I also told Tomi that the bank would not let me cash her check, so I don't have to put it in her PayPal account.
Tomi also has another nerve wreck event this morning before she left. I woke up early before dawn and went over to say goodbye one more time to her and especially her dog, Jimmy. (She takes her dog and cat to Japan too and I love Jimmy as much as my own dog.) Somehow during loading her luggage, kennels, and other stuff, her cat ran away into hiding. Tomi kept calling and searching and still no sign of her cat. Finally Tomi, in tears, has to leave for the airport and said she will have to fly back here in a month to get her cat. The good news is, when I called Tomi this morning during her layover, the first thing she said is I got my cat with me. I asked her how? Well, her cat came back after she and her friend left for the airport, so her landlady who also lives on the same building took the cat, drove to the airport and deliver Tomi her cat in time before the takeoff. I don't have any cat, only my dog, but the lesson here is don't leave your cat unleash when you try to catch a flight.
Tomi is now somewhere over the Pacific heading to Japan. I hope she can now relax and enjoy her flight.
I normally don't write a long mail like this and I am certain that PW members are all smart and can detect any scams. I just hope this story might be a warning and useful to someone you know.
Val