Blog: How To Avoid Internet Scams and Phishing

You may have seen the warning screen – Beware of fake emails looking for personal information or claiming to be PayPal……but are you experienced? We buy and sell antiques, vintage cars, anything a client has on his/her list. We have shipped vehicles to Sweden, the Netherlands – and Chicago.

Recently, we listed a nice 1920’s French Armoire on Craigslist. We got a quick hit on the listing. A lovely woman named (or so she wrote) Heidi Eduart emailed. The language seemed a bit off,  but we decided to play along. We gave a cell # for any questions and to make shipping arrangements – standard fare. We only got emails back. We then got emails from Heidi’s “Shipping Company” with offices in West Palm and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We gave them a vague address to “calculate shipping” as they had requested. Another email from Heidi indicated she needed our PayPal info to make payment. That was immediately followed by a fake Pay-Pal email that said Heidi had paid the $995.00 for the Armoire, plus another $600.00 for shipping and handling. She requested we forward the $600.00 for shipping via Western Union to her shipper in Malaysia. They would be picking up the armoire through their offices in West Palm Beach.

Now, we knew from step one that this was a scam – but wanted to see how much info we could get on them. The email from Pay-Pal (not PayPal) was pretty good, but the dash in the name gave it away. We notified PayPal, Gmail and Craigslist and they are going after the scammers. What they were doing, besides looking for $600.00 was Phishing……trying to get personal information to steal identities. Here are a few of the obvious warning signs that you are being targeted for a Phishing scam.

1. An offer for the item you are selling that is too fast & too easy.
2. Watch the language in the emails – in our case it was obvious it was not written by someone who speaks English well.
3. Refusal of phone contact is a red flag.
4. The request to send extra $$ that you will forward on – the classic scam. Many people will forward the $$ before actually checking their PayPal account…which of course has no transfer in it.
5. The fake PayPal emails. Ours read Pay-Pal; there is no dash in the real thing.
6. The really badly designed Logos for Shipping Companies.
7. The Malaysian Connection – many of these scams are originated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

What to do? Report them, report them and then report them again. Forward all your emails to the Fraud Dept @ PayPal, or to any other companies listed in the emails. Many people will not report this type of crime. Whether because they cannot be bothered, or out of embarrassment of being scammed.  Also, checking your own Credit Report (Free!) now & then is not a bad idea.

Should this stop you from selling on Craigslist, EBay or other Sites? Absolutely not. We will be listing a pair of beautiful, vintage, Copper Hall Lanterns late this week on Craigslist. Just be smart and be safe.