I've been to Craigslist looking maybe 4 times and yesterday I found 2 interesting items, the G5 Quad(talked about yesterday) and an iBook G4 1.42 with iSight for $400. Both got flagged for removal but not before I contacted about the iBook. This is the reply I got back today, this smells to high heaven of SCAM. It was suppose to be in the Raleigh, NC area.

Hello

Sorry for the delay. I still have the laptop.
I have attached some pics with the laptop to this e-mail so you can see the condition of the laptop. The laptop is an US version and it still has 32 months of apple care protection program.
My name is Susan Leaf and I am now in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
I hope you are still interested and we can make the deal happen right away.
Obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are after.
I have found a way for us to complete the deal fast (3 days) and easy. The solution is a worldwide delivery company called TNT. TNT is similar to Fedex, DHL or UPS and they will provide assistance in hadling the payment and delivery of the laptop.
With this procedure you will be able to check the laptop before I receive the payment.
Click bellow to go to their website and see how the procedure works:

www.tnt.com/tnt.express.wolverhampton.depot/third_party_service.html

Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the laptop right away.
Let me know what you think.

Best Regards,
Susan

---

Grateful11

Good luck with that.
Have the FTC help you make the transaction, with Sherlock over there.

Here's another one I surely doubt can be for real. What selection does one check to flag it for removal?

[charlotte.craigslist.org]

---

Grateful11

Y' know, she sounds British.

---

I responded to the same ad in the Washington, DC area. I told her, "What a coincidence. I have a friend on the faculty of the University of Wolverton. She can bring the money, and you can do the sale in person."

That was over a week ago. I still haven't heard back.

Grateful, I saw that same ad, iBook loaded for $400, on Craigslist here in San Diego. I immediately went into the "if it sounds to good to be true..." mode and didn't bother. Thanks for ther verification.

Quote
anonymouse1
I responded to the same ad in the Washington, DC area. I told her, "What a coincidence. I have a friend on the faculty of the University of Wolverton. She can bring the money, and you can do the sale in person."

That was over a week ago. I still haven't heard back.

LOL - "she" has been running that one for months

I told her my cousin was the head of security at the University there (did a quick google)
and that if she brought it to his office he would pay her in cash.

Never did hear back

---

I got my beautiful Buick on CL but it was in person. Actually my brother in law. This sounds like on those plentiful eBay scams. I like CL because it is local and I could meet in person and inspect.

---

Da Good Life

>This sounds like on those plentiful eBay scams.

I don't know I've inquired about 100's of items and bought 100's of items on eBay and of all
those inquiries and purchases I'd say 2 were Scams. I've checked out about 4 items on
Craigslist and 2 were Scams, that's not too good of a batting average in my book. With no
feedback system of any kind on Craigslist I believe it is more vulnerable to scams. At one time
it may have been great but it looks like scammers are taking over.

---

Grateful11

Susan Leaf, you say? Funny, I just sent this email the other day:

Quote

I only deal in person, with cash. Sorry, too many scammers out there...

LIKE YOU.

On 6/2/2007 3:42 AM, "Susan Leaf" <susan.leaf1@hotmail.com> wrote:

Hello

Sorry for the delay. I still have the laptop.
I have attached some pics with the laptop to this e-mail so you can see the condition of the laptop. The laptop is an US version and it still has 32 months of apple care protection program.
My name is Susan Leaf and I am now in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
I hope you are still interested and we can make the deal happen right away.
Obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are after.
I have found a way for us to complete the deal fast (3 days) and easy. The solution is a worldwide delivery company called TNT. TNT is similar to Fedex, DHL or UPS and they will provide assistance in hadling the payment and delivery of the laptop.
With this procedure you will be able to check the laptop before I receive the payment.
Click bellow to go to their website and see how the procedure works:

www.tnt.com/tnt.express.wolverhampton.depot/third_party_service.html

Like I said, I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the laptop right away.
Let me know what you think.

Best Regards,
Susan

No offense, but I'm getting SO tired of people complaining about ebay and craigs list scams.

WE KNOW!

There are scams going on in the flea markets every day. There are guys selling crank downtown. I almost never hear about these, but put it on the internets and everyone goes apeshit.

rant over....

Same posting, same response from Susan Leaf on detroit.craigslist.org/sys....

Here is what I responded after getting "her" pre-canned email.

Why was your listing of the iBook and iSight removed
from Craigslist? I am concerned about sending money
overseas. Can you confirm for me that you have a US
power adapter? Perhaps you could meet me in Nigeria,
an email acquaintance there tells me I can have
millions of dollars by helping him after his father
died unexpectedly last year. I will arrange a trip
when it is convenient for you. Regards.

Same Scam in St. Louis too.

Last week I got taken for the 400 bucks in Mpls. I wish I woulda seen this post a day or 2 sooner. Or consulted my wife first. Or been blessed with more brains and less excitement. Or...
This was a real wake-up for me. I knew about internet scams and stuff, but the way they used a legitimate (TNT) delivery company's name and website to fake a "3rd party delivery service" still somewhat confuses me. Maybe I should just stay away from the computer, eh?

Hello everyone, looks like I owe you a total of $620. I was inches from getting scammed by Susan, but luckily I typed her name into google before I made any payments. I even joined this forum just to thank ya'll.

My emails are exactly the same as everyone elses. I feel like such a sucker, but a happy sucker that didn't lose any money. I've kept emailing her and telling her I paid just to waste a little of her time and get her hopes up and stuff.

1st email:

Hello

I still have the laptop. As I said, the laptop is an US version, it is 3 months old and it comes with 9 months of warranty.
I have attached some pics with the laptop to this e-mail. I am now in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
Since I can't meet you and make the exchange, I would like to use a service that will help us with that:

www.tnt.com/tnt.express.wolverhampton.depot/third_party_service.html

TNT is a worldwide delivery company (like Fedex, DHL or UPS). You can see from their procedure that you will be able to check the laptop before I receive the payment. If you are in a hurry, I will use 2 days delivery (on my expense).

Let me know what you think.

Best Regards,
Susan

MY RESPONSE:

I'm very intererested in buying your computer asap. However, I am a little unsure about purchasing something off craigslist where I can't make a face to face transaction. It seems a little risky to me. But if what you say about I can check it out before I have to make any payment is true, of course I will buy it. I don't know how that tnt service works, but if I can really see the laptop before I have to pull out any money, then I will definitely buy it. Let me know how to make it happen.
Thanks,
Kyle

HER RESPONSE:

Hello

You're welcome.
I understand your concern but this is not the case. We will be safe using TNT.
The deal is like this: I leave the laptop at TNT. TNT verifies the laptop and sends you a technical review of the laptop. Then you will have to make the payment to TNT. TNT receives the money and sends you the laptop. You receive the laptop. If you like it, you will instruct TNT to send me the money. If not, you will give the laptop back to TNT and TNT refunds you (I must add that you won't loose any money on fees, you will receive your total amount of money back).
Also, please read again TNT's procedure on their website so I can be certain that we are on the same page:

Best Wishes
Susan

MY RESPONSE:

Hello.
Okay this all seems to be safe enough so I will give it a try. I'm curious though, why are you selling the computer after only 3 months, and why in Austin instead of somewhere close to you?

Let me know what kind of information you need from me.

thanks,
Kyle

HER RESPONSE:

Hello

You're welcome.
The reason why I am selling the laptop is because I have just received a new laptop as a birthday gift so I do not think I will be using my old laptop any more. I don't have use for 2 laptops.
The reason I am selling the laptop in the US is because this laptop was made for US use. And I tried to sell it here, however nobody wants it, because it works on 110 V. I tried to explain them that I have an AC Adapter, however, they still didn't want it. That's why I am trying to sell it in the US.
Your name and address is what I need to start the deal.The next step is mine. I will go to TNT with the laptop later today, within 2 hours and make the delivery arrangements. I will get back to you when I come back from TNT with the confirmation.

Cheers
Susan

THIS IS WHERE I READ THIS FORUM AND REALIZED I WAS AN IDIOT AND STARTED MESSING WITH HER:

MY RESPONSE:


Can't wait to see the laptop. Who gave you the new one for your birthday?

HER RESPONSE:

Hello,

I have placed the laptop in TNT's custody. The guys from TNT told me that they will send the laptop to their technical department for inspection and then they will send you the delivery notification. They will also send you the instructions you need to complete your end of the deal. Please complete your end at your earliest.
Please keep me posted.

PS The love of my life gave it to me... an alienware...

Best Wishes
Susan

MY RESPONSE:


Alienware? aren't those things for computer gamers? What are you , some kind of real estate gamer lady?

HER RESPONSE:

Hello

I would apreciate if you would show me a little more respect.
Alienware means best performance... and yes it would be suitable mailny for gamers. But that doesn't mean that other people can't have one.

Susan

MY RESPONSE:

please don't tell me to show you respect when i have shown you plenty of respect. thanks

MY NEXT EMAIL, I SENT DOUG, OUR TNT AGENT SOME FAKE INFORMATION THAT I GOT FROM ANOTHER SUCKER ON ANOTHER FORUM. THEN I SENT THIS TO HER:

Hey i sent doug the payment info,
thanks for selling me this. It's such a good deal!!!
Even though I've always hated british people and their stupid annoying accents that I can't even understand, you seem like a nice lady and so maybe i'll change my opinion.
Probably not though,

Thanks, Kyle


and that is where it is at the moment. I'll see how much else I can annoy her, and make her think she's getting paid for a while.

Once again, I owe ya'll big time. Thank you!!!!!

I felt like such a dope, but hopefully this helps others like you. Keep us up to date on your correspondence with Susan.

Hello, Folks,

Well, I got scammed by "Amanda Benson" or "Amanda Latimer" on the ibook G4 listed on the Craigslist, Springfield, MO ! I am usually very cautious about Craigslist or ebay purchases, but I, too, got fooled by the usage of TNT.

I got so sucked in that I did not notice all the red flags along the way.

I lost $366 sent by Westtern Union to the fake TNT. The "TNT" page seemed so authentic and official, it's unreal.

The seller's name was listed as Amanda Benson living at 530 Town Hall Extension, Manchester, M60 2AF, UK. The "TNT" agent was listed as a Roger Ogden at 11 Portland Street, Manchester, M1,3HU, UK

Does anyone one know where to report this group of scammers who appear to have used the same scheme and scammed some folks on the net that I found.

If all of us who got scammed by this can send our into the same source, perhaps these crooks can be caught. An official from the real TNT informed me that the company has been investigating.

In case you want some specifics of the emails:

Hello

The laptop is still available and I hope you are still interested. My name is
Amanda Latimer and I am now in Manchester, U.K.
The laptop is in good condition, it is 15 Months old and still has 21 Months of
Apple Care warranty from the manufacturer.
I have attached some pics with the laptop to this e-mail so you can see the
condition of the laptop.
Please get back to me and let me know if you like the laptop and if you like to
buy it.

Thanks

Amanda


Hello

I will pay for a 2 days delivery so you will receive the laptop within 3-4 days.
Obviously we need a safe way to complete this deal that will allow us to make sure we receive what we are after.
I have found a way for us to complete the deal safely and fast, and in this way you will receive the laptop in less than 3 days, if you move fast as well. The solution is provided by a worldwide delivery company called TNT. TNT is similar to Fedex, DHL or UPS and they will provide assistance in hadling the payment and delivery of the laptop.
With this procedure you will have the change to test the laptop before I receive my payment.
The procedure is explained on the TNT webpage and please click on the link below to the TNT website to see how we can complete the deal safely and fast directly from the website of the company.

[expresscargotnt.com]

Let me know

Amanda

Hello

Hello

After you receive the laptop and the warranty papers you will be able to transfer the warranty on the apple website.
I will send the laptop today

Amanda
The laptop has loaded the MS Office 2004 and the Adobe Photo Shop, the recovery CDs are included. The battery holds 3 hours of charge. Also, all the original papers, box and cables are included.
Like I said, I will pay the delivery fee.
About the procedure, things are pretty simple.
First I go to TNT with the laptop and start the delivery procedure.
After I give them the laptop for you, TNT will send you a notification to let you know the process has been initiated, and that they have the laptop for you and also the complete specifications of the laptop.
Also, in the notification they will send you clear instructions on how to make the payment to TNT, to the TNT agent's name.
After you complete your payment, then you will notify TNT, they will collect the payment and once they have your payment, then they will deliver the laptop to you asap.
After you receive the laptop you will test them to see if they are as I said.
Then, if the laptop is good you will instruct TNT to release the payment to me and the deal will be final.
If there is any kind of problem with the laptop you will be fully refunded by TNT.
So, if you agree to these terms, send me your name and address and I will go to TNT with the laptop and start the delivery procedure.

Please let me know soon

Cheers

Amanda

i, Amanda,

We've run into a bit of a snag. We followed the information from TNT and went
to a Western Union agency to transfer the funds and found out we have to pay a
$34 fee to Western Union to do the transfer. What would you like to do? Is
there a different way we can get the payment to TNT without going through
Western Union?

Hello

I was in contact with TNT and they said they sent you their payment instructions and I said what about the fee.
They said it is there on the payment options that payment is to be made through Western Union money transfer. I checked and it does say so. I guess I should have known and warned you so now I feel we have a problem.
The only thing I can think of is I will cover the $34 fee for the money transfer from the $400 you are to send for the laptop so your total would still be $400 as we agreed. So go to Western Union and send $400 with the fee included and I will notify TNT they will only receive $366 from you.
Is this okay with you?

Let me know

Amanda

Latest update:


I posted on the forum a little while ago. I got scammed. I reported it to the real TNT company, this is what they are doing:

We have passed the content and details of your communication to TNT Express Security who are gathering and consolidating information and intelligence of this nature. They are in direct contact with the relevant Law Enforcement and Regulatory Authorities who are assisting in mulit-agency investigations into such incidents - clearly, we would not advise you to use nor further engage in the participation of any matters relating to requests for payment of this nature.

Please sent specifics of your dealings to Deborah Coleman at eborah.Coleman@tnt.com">Deborah.Coleman@tnt.com so that they will have more information to work with.

I also found a handful of the same posting on Craigslist in various cities which I forwarded onto Ms. Coleman to pass on to the TNT Express Security. The latest posting just appeared today. The price has dropped to $350.

Let's work together to put these scums out of business, and hopefully for the victims to get the money back.

Quote
scammed
Latest update:

I posted on the forum a little while ago. I got scammed. I reported it to the real TNT company, this is what they are doing:

We have passed the content and details of your communication to TNT Express Security who are gathering and consolidating information and intelligence of this nature. They are in direct contact with the relevant Law Enforcement and Regulatory Authorities who are assisting in mulit-agency investigations into such incidents - clearly, we would not advise you to use nor further engage in the participation of any matters relating to requests for payment of this nature.

Please sent specifics of your dealings to Deborah Coleman at eborah.Coleman@tnt.com">Deborah.Coleman@tnt.com so that they will have more information to work with.

I also found a handful of the same posting on Craigslist in various cities which I forwarded onto Ms. Coleman to pass on to the TNT Express Security. The latest posting just appeared today. The price has dropped to $350.

Let's work together to put these scums out of business, and hopefully for the victims to get the money back.

Scammed,

Could you please post the URL you used to contact TNT? You should learn that no escrow company would ask that you wire money thru any third party (Western Union, e-Gold, VUpay, etc).

I am so grateful for this site, it saved me from making the same mistake. with the person that calls their self Amanda Benson/Carter.

This is happening in many of the states in the US on Craigs list, The Nigerian, scammers that have worn out their welcome on e-bay, are now attacking us on our local front at Craigs list. I guess their warning is very true....ONLY deal with local folks face face... in every case where I have followed this rule, I have had a successful experience

The general url is www.tnt.co.uk



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2007 12:34AM by scammed.

Hi folks!

I, too, have found G4 IBook ads posted on Craiglist from "Amanda". The first ad I saw (last September) listed her name as "Amanda Benson". The second one, "Amanda Carter".

I found this forum after sending Amanda an email when it occurred to me to "Google" her name.

Here is my email, I wonder if I'll be hearing back from the lovely Amanda (one can always hope!) this time:

"Hello, again, Amanda,

The last time I answered your Craigslist ad for a bargain priced G4 iBook you were "Amanda Benson" <amanda_benson31@hotmail.com> and I was sad that I never heard back from you. I'm thinking that if I just sent you some cash maybe you would be more interested in corresponding with me. (?)

BTW do you like the Austin Powers movies? I think that even though they're a bit gross, they certainly are funny! I would love to be your "Austin"! Do you by any chance resemble either Mrs Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley) or Felicity Shagwell
(Heather Graham)?

I really like British accents, though yours is a bit hard to discern via email.

Well, anyway, "Pip, pip, cheerio" and all that British sort of talk!

Randy
PS Are you really in the UK or (perhaps?) Nigeria?"

Hi.
This is a piss off Mom.
Like all of you we got fool to . My 16 years old daughter has been wainting a mac for a while and I just cant afford it . So we taugh were were very lucky and found a add in the Craiglist site. Wow a mac that is 11 months old still have the garenties with it and that is only 650$ .. Cool man what a deal. Ya that was to good to be true. My daughter had talk the the person selling it for us her Name was Lynda Wallece even seem like a nice lady to . Just like all the emails i have read she was so nice she would pay for the shipping for just 2 days wow imagine that . So I did trust my daughter like a good mom should do and i said ok let do it. So we rush to western union and sent the money it end up costing us 708.00 .. Still a good deal in my mind. 2 days later I was wondering what compagny was going to bring it at my door so I call the TNT number that this Lynda gave us and we get told its a scam. Grrrrr Boys was I mad. I told the girl at TNT why is it giving us your number if your a real compagny . She answered well they stole our name I said well cant you stop it she said no we cant do nothing about it . So i just hung up . I gather all the information i had email and the TNT information i had and first went to see a dealer for western union in my area and file a repport with them . The lady at western union was not very helpfull. So after tha I went to the Police station and file a repport there also they told us they will start the searching for this person. And told us if we have anythign else that can help them to bring it to them . So we got home and did some searching ouself and found all kind of information (i guess we should of did that before we sent the money ) This person has web site from US she or He just keep buying domains and keeps changing some information on it . So with our searches we came across this forum . Ya kind of late now . However I did call back western union and ask them were was this money pick up and it was really pick up in the UK . So i file a other repport with the guy i was speaking with he was much more helpful he told me he will get the security department on this and they have Cameras were this money was pick up . and he gave us a few more information that we needed and how to contact the police in the UK . So like most of your guys we have learnt the hard way . However i wont give up I am calling a TV show that is here in canada from Quebec its a french show but they look for things like this and they go after them scamers.
We probebly will never see the money again but at least I will do my best to put a stop to these people . Stealing from my daughter was not a good idee .

A mother that wont give up.... They will pay .

Thought this was too good to be true, this was posted on CL's in Cleveland and Columbus, but here is the email I recieved last night, complete with pics:

"From: usEckelman@live.com">SusEckelman@live.com
Subject: Re: Apple iBook 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4, 14 120 GB HD - $330
Date: January 24, 2008 5:21:27 PM EST

Hello

I still have the laptop. The laptop is a US model, and it comes with warranty.
I have attached some pics with the laptop to this e-mail. I am now in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
Since I can't meet you and make the exchange, I would like to use a service that will help us with that:

www.tnt.com/tnt.express.wolverhampton.depot/third_party_service.html

TNT is a worldwide delivery company (like Fedex, DHL or UPS). You can see from their procedure that you will be able to check the laptop before I receive the payment. If you are in a hurry, I will use 2 day delivery (shipping is on me).

Let me know what you think.

Best,
Susan

And this morning I have a "really good deal offered from:



From: linda_wallace28@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Mac Book Pro 15"/Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz/2GB/100GB/Superdrive - $600
Date: January 25, 2008 4:22:47 AM EST

Hello,

The laptop is still available and I hope you are still interested. My name is Linda Wallace and I am now in Manchester, U.K.
This machine has been used for professional needs over the past year, it is in great condition and runs perfectly, there are no flaws and the computer shows no cosmetic blemishes beyond evidence of normal use. The warranty is fully transferable. One more thing, it works on US voltage so you do not need a converter.
I have attached some pics with the laptop to this e-mail so you can see the condition of the laptop. Please get back to me and let me know if you like the laptop if you're really interested in buying it.

Thanks,
Linda



Figured it was too good a deal, but thanks for the heads up. Any suggestions on what to do next?

Report it to the real TNT Delivery service so they can keep track of current addresses and report it to the authorities.

I registered for this forum just to thank you people! Like they always say, trust your instincts rather than excitement... or they could say at least. I ALMOST got scammed by this Amanda person, until I thought, why not to google her? And there we go. The story is basically the same one, except this time she offered DHL. I am an exchange student in the USA right now, and I was thinking, that this is too good to be true, but how ever, I was too excited for the great deal. But thank god I googled her. With my student budget I don't have $400 to lose here, so thank you again. I hope that these scams could come to an end(you can always hope), because I am so sick and tired of these lonely people who has nothing else to do! However, I wrote her back, I hope not to hear anything from her ever again. Blah.

Quote

Hi!

I was thinking, if you could sell it to me in Montana or Washington or somewhere else where you have tried this. I'm very sorry for you, that this is obviously the only thing in your life. Yeah, but what ever, I won't get scammed, so this is the end of this deal, hope you get caught(or scammed) some day in your life!

Evian,

Forward a hard copy to DHL here:

DHL Express
1200 South Pine Island Road
Suite 600
Plantation, FL 33324
USA Business Hours
Mon-Fri 8:00am - 5:00pm EST

10097 Cleary Blvd. #403
Plantation, FL 33324
USA

Fax: 888-221-6211

http://www.dhl-usa.com/email/i_emailairborne_oop.asp?nav=ContactUs/EmailUs

she has a 42" plasma on metro detroits craigslist to same story

Hello all, just wanted to thank everyone for this thread. I searched the address: 530 Town Hall Extension, Manchester, M60 2AF, United Kingdom at the last minute, and reversed the Western Union transaction before I sent "Andrew Miller" the Western Union transaction number. It feels great that I didn't loose any money, I have been caught in scams through the internet before, and we all have to be more careful on the internet when were shopping.

How's that old saying go..........."If it sounds to good to be true it probably is."