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  Geebo 8:01 am on August 29, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: curbstoning, Scams ( 1,363 ), stolen cars ( 10 ), used car ( 33 ), vin cloning ( 3 )   

  VIN cloning and curbstoning used car scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  It seems like nothing evokes the feeling of a scam more than buying a used car. Even when using a licensed car dealer, many used car buyers still feel like they’re being scammed in one way or another. Buying from a private seller seems even more fraught with scams these days. So, here are two used car scams you may want to be on the lookout for, as they’re happening in a large part of the country.

  The first scam we’re going to share today is one we’ve discussed before, and it’s called VIN cloning. This is when car thieves steal a car and replace the vehicle identification number (VIN) tags with VIN tags from a similar make and model.

  This scam recently happened to a man in Phoenix. He found a Ford Bronco Raptor for sale on Craigslist for $75,000. When the man went to buy the truck, it had Alaska license plates on it. He was told the truck had been driven to Phoenix from Alaska. The man checked the truck’s history and no red flags appeared. He was even able to get the truck registered and insured with no problem.

  It wasn’t until the man tried to trade in the truck at a dealership when a technician found a discrepancy in the VIN tags. The truck had been part of a massive car theft incident in Detroit, where numerous vehicles had been stolen from the Ford factory. Police took possession of the truck, which resulted in the man being out $75,000.

  Unfortunately, there was not much the man could have done to protect himself. He did all his due diligence, and still fell victim to a rather costly scam. The only thing we can recommend is to avoid buying cars through Craigslist.

  However, not many people can readily purchase a $75,000 truck. Many people just need a vehicle to take them to work or take their kids to school. And without a car, they may have no way of getting one. It’s difficult to do much of anything without a car in most of the country.

  Scammers are preying upon people like this by selling them mechanically failing cars in a process called ‘curbstoning’. Curbstoning takes place when an individual without a dealer license engages in selling vehicles, often utilizing social media advertisements as a medium, and deliberately hides any underlying mechanical problems. The most significant warning sign in this situation is that the seller avoids transferring the car’s ownership into their name before completing a sale.

  When someone has a desperate enough need for a vehicle, they may ignore any red flags that happen in a car sale like this. The danger is these cars could end up costing them more eventually due to mechanical failures or issues with registration and insurance.

  To safeguard yourself from curbstoning, it’s essential to ensure that the seller possesses the title, and the name listed on that document corresponds with the name on the seller’s driver’s license.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 28, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: advance fee scam ( 45 ), Facebook Marketplace ( 62 ), Online Classifieds ( 12 ), online shopping ( 33 ), Scams ( 1,363 )   

  40 Marketplace scam victims show up to woman’s home 

  

  By Greg Collier

  If you saw an and for a used washer and dryer for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $250, you probably wouldn’t give it any other thought. After all, it’s only $250, what scam could the seller possibly try to pull for that amount of money. You’d be partially right, as the scam didn’t take $250 from victims. It only took $125 from victims, and there we’re a lot of victims. A quick estate believes the scammers made at least $5000. And one victim didn’t lose any money but has lost the peace and quiet of her home.

  In the Atlanta area, the aforementioned washer and dryer was listed for sale for $250 on Marketplace. As you may have guessed, there wasn’t any washer or dryer for sale. It was a scam listing designed to get deposits out of victims. The scammers asked for a deposit of half the price before allowing the appliances to be picked up.

  While the article doesn’t state it, the scammers were more than likely collecting payment on personal payment apps like Venmo or Cash App.

  When the scammers would give their victims an address where they can pick the items up, they gave them a random address in Atlanta. This address belonged to a woman who had no idea scammers were using it until people started showing up to her home looking for a washer and dryer. This has been going on for weeks, with at least 40 victims showing up to her home looking to pick up a washer and dryer. She’s even had the listing removed from Facebook, but the scammers keep putting up new ones. She’s posted a sign in her front yard warning victims there in no washer/dryer, and they’ve been scammed.

  Thankfully, there have been no incidents at the woman’s home. In the past, we have seen some incidents where the scam victim refuses to believe they’ve been scammed, and have become belligerent with the homeowner.

  It doesn’t matter what item is for sale online, there can be a scam attached to it. In this instance, the victims paid a deposit before seeing the product in person. We can almost guarantee the scammers had some kind of story as to why they couldn’t deliver the item.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 25, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: gift cards ( 101 ), Scams ( 1,363 )   

  Can you get your gift card money back after a scam? 

  

  By Greg Collier

  We’ve often said gift cards are the currency of scammers. This is because once scammers get the funds from the card, that money is typically gone forever. Victims usually had little to no recourse once scammers emptied the cards. However, a recent news report claims that better protections are coming for gift card buyers.

  There was a time when gift cards were used in just about any scam. A scammer would pose as some business or authority and demand payment in gift cards. The victim would be asked to read the numbers from the cards to the scammer. From there, the scammers would make immediate purchases using the cards, then sell the essentially stolen items.

  Now, according to CBS News, companies that issue gift cards are stepping up efforts to combat gift card scams. Large companies are named in this report, such as Amazon, Apple, Target, and Walmart. The report states that companies are now flagging or freezing transactions used with stolen gift cards.

  While that may be true, it seems the directions for a victim to get their money back is nothing new. According to the FTC, who was quoted by CBS News, the first thing a victim should do is contact the card’s issuer to notify them of the stolen cards. Then the FTC goes on to state if the scammer has not drained the card yet, the victim may get their money back.

  The problem with this procedure is there is a tiny window between the time the card numbers are given to the scammer, and the time the cards are emptied. Unfortunately, some victims don’t even realize they’ve been scammed until days later, if at all. If a victim isn’t calling a card issuer within minutes after being scammed, their money will probably never be recouped.

  The best protection against a gift card scam is to recognize it before it happens. Gift cards should only be used as gifts and should only be redeemed at the outlets they’re intended for. They can’t be used to pay police or any other law enforcement agency. They can’t be used for any kind of debt that someone is trying to collect. If someone asks you for gift cards, and they’re not intended as gifts, the odds are you’re talking to a scammer.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 24, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: DNA scam ( 6 ), Maui ( 2 ), Scams ( 1,363 ), wildfires ( 3 )   

  Grim scam targets Maui residents 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The poor people of Maui. If it wasn’t bad enough that they’ve suffered through the country’s worst wildfire in a century, they’ve had to protect themselves from a plague of scammers. If it’s not mortgage scammers, charity scammers, or FEMA impersonators, it’s predatory people trying to buy their property for pennies on the dollar. Now, the people of Maui are being targeted by one of the most deplorable scams we’ve seen yet.

  As you may know, over 100 people lost their lives in the fire, with over 1,000 still missing. Countless families are looking for some kind of closure, whether it’s to reunite with them or lay them to rest. Due to the nature of the fire, many remains have yet to be identified. Enter the scammers.

  According to Maui County officials, some residents have been receiving calls from someone claiming to be from ‘DNA Services’. These calls are believed to be offering residents assistance in help identifying the remains of their loved ones, for a fee, of course. The county claims this is a scam and should be reported to local police at their non-emergency number.

  Currently, there is only one official location that is helping residents identify loved ones. That’s the Family Assistance Center at the Hyatt Regency’s Monarchy Ballroom in Kaanapali.

  We don’t often get emotional here, but this may just be the most reprehensible scam we’ve ever heard of. This may even top the recent spate of funeral home scams.

  The people of Maui still need our help. It’s been recommended that if you want to donate to help the people of Maui directly, the best place to donate is the Maui Food Bank.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 23, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: craigslist ( 129 ), Facebook Marketplace ( 62 ), Online Classifieds ( 12 ), online marketplace ( 11 ), Safety ( 45 )   

  How to stay safe when using online classifieds 

  

  By Greg Collier

  It’s been a long time when we discussed safety procedures when using online classifieds like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and even Geebo.com. This subject really hasn’t garnered any headlines in a while, but that doesn’t mean everything is safe now. Like regular people, the media can and often does focus their attention on many things. The media probably lost their attention when it comes to classifieds safety during the pandemic, as it was suggested that everyone maintained social distancing.

  Recently, a news story broke that reminded us to remind our readers about using these platforms safely. A man was shot in Jacksonville, Florida, after going to meet someone he was going to sell an iPad through Marketplace. The victim met the assailant in a gas station parking lot during the daytime. When the victim met with the buyer, the buyer tried to grab the iPad and flee with it. The victim was able to grasp the buyer, a struggle ensued, and the victim was shot.

  The victim followed the unwritten rules of meeting someone through Marketplace. He met them in a well-traveled area during daylight hours. Unfortunately, those rules don’t apply anymore, and haven’t for a while. As buyers and sellers started using these rules, the criminals adapted and became more brazen in their attempted schemes. Tragically, this has resulted in robberies, shootings, and murders.

  For years, we’ve subscribed to the notion that online classified transactions should be done at a local police department. While it’s not 100% effective, proposing to meet at a police department will go a long way in deterring countless scammers and thieves. Many police departments even have a designated area for such exchanges.

  And while we don’t often pat ourselves on the back, Geebo.com goes the extra mile of reviewing our ads to minimize the possibility of scams and other crimes. Also, each one of our ads provides a link to SafeTrade Stations, which provides a list of accommodating police departments. Geebo.com was created with the safety of our users in mind.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 22, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Cash App ( 42 ), craigslist ( 129 ), paypal ( 11 ), real estate ( 127 ), rental scam ( 87 ), Scams ( 1,363 )   

  Elaborate rental scam leaves more families homeless 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Rental scams seem to be grabbing plenty of headlines lately. There hasn’t been an increase in rental scams. Rental scams are one of the more common scams going today and has been for a while. We think the headlines are escalating because increasingly more families are becoming homeless because of the scam.

  For example, two families moved from out of state to Aurora, Colorado. The first family is from Las Vegas and saw an and for a four bedroom home for rent on Craigslist. This family tried to do all of their due diligence. They asked the landlord for proof of ownership, which they provided. The father of the family even drove from Las Vegas to Aurora to meet with a realtor who showed him the home. The man agreed to rent the home and arranged to make the deposit.

  The realtor asked for payment through Cash App, which the man almost recognized as a red flag. However, the Las Vegas man insisted on paying through PayPal instead. Once the realtor received the payment, he gave the family the code to enter the home. So, they packed up all their belongings and moved from Las Vegas into the Aurora home.

  They were living in the home for three days when another family showed up looking to move in. This family had moved from Arkansas to Colorado. When the two families compared their stories, they both realized they had been scammed. Everyone from the landlord to the realtor were scammers.

  It wasn’t too long before the property management company showed up. As property management companies are wont to do, they gave the first family 10 days to vacate the premises or be evicted. The second family didn’t even have that luxury. Now, both families are facing homelessness.

  So, how did the scammers gain access to the home in the first place? Once again, the property management company was probably using a lockbox which contained the keys. Too many realtors never change the code on the lockboxes, leaving them vulnerable to scammers. All a scammer has to do is contact the legitimate realtor and ask for a tour. Since many realtors allow guideless tours, they’ll give the lockbox code to any potential customer, including scammers. Once the scammer has the lockbox code, they’ll use it repeatedly to show the home to their victims.

  As always, the best way to protect yourself against rental scammers is to do as much research about the property as possible. Don’t ask the landlord for proof of ownership, instead contact the county’s tax assessor’s office to find out who the real owner is. Do a Google search on the property’s address to see if there are multiple listings with different rental rates. If there are, the lower priced one is almost guaranteed to be a scam listing. Lastly, never use payment apps like PayPal or Cash App for your deposit. These apps are vulnerable to a number of scams themselves.

  If you want to help the two families taken in by this scam, you can donate to their GoFundMe accounts here and here.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 21, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: impersonation scam ( 144 ), money laundering ( 11 ), police impersonation scam ( 64 ), Scams ( 1,363 )   

  Scam victim arrested for scamming 

  

  By Greg Collier

  It’s a rare occurrence for a scam victim to be arrested for allegedly being part of a scam, but it does happen. Typically, it happens in the reshipping scam. In those cases, scam victims can be charged with a crime if they willingly falsify shipping documentation as directed by the scammers to bypass US customs. This isn’t a story about that, but it’s just as heartbreaking.

  A 71-year-old man from Des Moines, Iowa, fell victim to a police impersonation scam. It hasn’t been reported which police impersonation scam he fell for, but the scammers did pose as federal agents. It wasn’t enough to take the man’s money, as the scammers used him to pick up money from their victims. The man is said to have collected money from the scammers’ victims, and deposited the money to the scammers at a Bitcoin ATM.

  The regrettable part of this story is that even after being scammed himself, the man thought he was legitimately helping federal investigators. Des Moines police even warned the man what he was doing was illegal, but the man persisted anyway. The police say they had no choice but to arrest him. The man has been charged with money laundering.

  Protecting yourself from police impersonation scams involves being vigilant, informed, and cautious when dealing with any situation involving law enforcement or authority figures. Remember, legitimate law enforcement officers will not threaten you over the phone, demand immediate payments, or use aggressive tactics. Taking the time to verify the authenticity of any communication can go a long way in protecting yourself from scams.

  As one investigator said, “Unless you’ve got a police officer or a legit government official standing in front of you, I wouldn’t trust anybody on that phone.”

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 18, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: hail storm, roof repair scam ( 2 ), roofing ( 2 ), Scams ( 1,363 ), storm damage ( 2 )   

  Repair scams plague storm victims 

  

  By Greg Collier

  We didn’t intend for it to be disaster week here on the blog, but that’s how the news cycle went this week. However, today’s story shows that a disaster doesn’t have to be a major catastrophe like the ongoing Maui wildfires. It can be as something as simple as a storm. This week, portions of Minnesota and Wisconsin dealt with severe weather that included hail storms. Some areas received golf ball sized hailstones. When hailstones become that big, they can do a number on your home, especially your roof.

  While roof damage can be a major inconvenience in someone’s life, the damage isn’t too small where scammers won’t show up to someone’s door offering their repair services. One man in Minnesota who does have roof damage from the storm told local media he’s had nine supposed roof repairmen show up at his door. The man said that all nine looked like they were from legitimate contractors, but legitimate looking credentials can be easily counterfeited by scammers.

  The roof repair scam is a type of fraudulent activity where scammers pose as legitimate roof repair contractors but engage in deceitful practices to exploit homeowners. These scams typically involve offering roof repair services at a seemingly attractive price, but the quality of work is often subpar or unnecessary.

  Scammers might knock on doors, make unsolicited phone calls, or send out flyers offering their services. They may claim to have noticed issues with the homeowner’s roof that require immediate attention, such as damage after a hail storm.

  Scammers often provide extremely low bids compared to legitimate contractors, making their offer seem like a great deal. Homeowners are enticed by the prospect of saving money on necessary repairs.

  To start the work, scammers may demand upfront payments or a substantial deposit. Once they have the money, they might either perform minimal, shoddy repairs or vanish without completing any work. They could also begin the repair work but leave it incomplete, citing unexpected complications or issues that require additional funds to resolve.

  To protect yourself from falling victim to a roof repair scam, always research contractors before hiring them. Look for reviews, check their website and contact information, and verify their credentials. Get quotes from multiple contractors to compare pricing and recommended repairs. Seek recommendations from friends, family, or neighbors who have had positive experiences with roofing contractors. Lastly, be wary of contractors who pressure you into making quick decisions or demand immediate payment.

  By being cautious and thorough in your evaluation of potential contractors, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to a roof repair scam.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 17, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: mortgage rescue ( 2 ), mortgage scam ( 4 ), natural disasters ( 20 ), real estate ( 127 ), Scams ( 1,363 )   

  Can your house be stolen out from under you after a disaster? 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The other day, a branch of the Federal Government issued two warnings about scams involving the Maui wildfire. Now, another federal office has issued an additional scam warning. And while the warning currently is intended for Maui residents, it can be applicable anywhere in the country.

  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), has issued a warning about scammers who will offer mortgage rescue or mortgage assistance to homeowners affected by the Maui wildfire.

  A mortgage rescue scam is a fraudulent scheme that targets individuals who are struggling to make their mortgage payments or are facing the risk of foreclosure on their homes. Scammers prey on the vulnerability and desperation of homeowners in dire financial situations. They promise assistance in avoiding foreclosure or obtaining more favorable mortgage terms, but instead, they exploit the homeowners’ financial distress for their own gain.

  These scams can take various forms, but the most important one to look out for is property deed transferring. In some cases, scammers may pressure homeowners to sign over the deed to their property in exchange for promises of temporary relief from foreclosure or the ability to remain in the home as renters. This can result in homeowners losing ownership of their property entirely.

  Homeowners should also be wary of any mortgage relief program that asks for any fees upfront. Scammers may claim that these fees are necessary to initiate the process of refinancing, modifying the mortgage, or negotiating with lenders. Once the homeowner pays the fees, the scammers disappear without providing any actual assistance.

  To avoid falling victim to a mortgage rescue scam, homeowners should exercise caution and skepticism when approached by anyone offering assistance with their mortgage troubles. It’s crucial to verify the credentials of individuals or organizations claiming to offer such services, and to consult trusted legal or financial professionals before making any decisions.

  Legitimate assistance programs and organizations don’t demand upfront fees and provide transparent information about the services they offer. If something seems too good to be true or feels suspicious, it’s best to do thorough research and seek guidance from reputable sources.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 16, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: pop-ups ( 26 ), Scams ( 1,363 ), tech support scam ( 50 )   

  Pop-up scammers are showing up at elderly victims’ doors 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The pop-up scam is one of the more prolific online scams out there. It tends to target elderly victims, who may not be tech-savvy enough to recognize the scam. The scam starts out while the victim is online, and they receive a pop-up message on their device. It doesn’t matter what kind of device it is. They can be using a phone, tablet, or computer and the scam works the same.

  The pop-up message typically says there is something wrong with the victim’s device. The message can even end up locking or freezing the device. There is almost always a phone number included in the message that claims to offer the solution to the victim’s tech problem. These phone numbers often claim to be from Microsoft, Apple, or some other tech giant, so they can appear more legitimate.

  As we’re sure you’ve surmised, the phone number actually goes to a call center full of scammers. The scammers will usually tell their victims that their computer or bank account is being hacked. In either instance, the scammer will have the victim download an application that allows the scammer to have remote access to the victim’s device.

  From there, the scam can go in any number of directions. Personal information could be stolen from the victim’s device, the scammers can access the victim’s financial accounts, or the scammers will ask for a substantial payment to ‘fix’ the device. This can be in the thousands of dollars in some cases. However, all of this is typically done remotely. Now, there is a group of scammers who are going to the victims’ houses to collect the victim’s money.

  In Colorado, a number of elderly victims have reported falling victim to this new scam. It starts out the same with the victim getting the pop-up message, but from there it takes a wildly different turn.

  In one instance, an 83-year-old woman was told the reason she got the message was because her bank was failing. She was also told not to tell anyone in her family or the police. They directed the woman to buy another cell phone they would use to communicate with her. She was then instructed to empty her bank account because the bank couldn’t be trusted, but someone from the ‘new bank’ would come by to pick up her money, so they could ‘protect’ it. A man showed up at her door to collect the money and the cell phone she was using to communicate with the scammers.

  Similar scams happened to at least two other victims in the scam county. One victim was told to buy gold, which they gave $125,000 worth to the scammers. Another victim lost $36,000 in cash. Police were given different descriptions of the people who came to pick up the money, leading them to believe the collectors may not even be part of the same scam ring.

  Anytime someone you don’t know tells you not to talk to your family or police, they’re trying to isolate you, so they can take advantage of you. If you receive one of these pop-up messages, try turning the device off and back on again to see if that resolves the issue. You should never call the phone number in the pop-up because it only goes to scammers, even if they claim to be from a large company.