[extropy-chat] internet car sale scam

[Spike]

> > Snopes has a good writeup on this scam here:
> > <http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/carsale.asp>
> 
> They also give a number to call if you have been scammed:
> "If you have been bilked, call the U.S. Secret Service at 
> (202) 406-5572 or write to U.S. Secret Service...
> 
> -- 
> Harvey Newstrom {degrees and alphabet soup snipped}...

Roger that.  We looked into it and it turns out
the bank is now admitting that it is very probable
that the money order was counterfeit.  After the
fact, they inform Johnson that he is liable for the
entire amount of the check, this after the (admittedly
junior) cashier had assured him that the check was
ok, good to go, etc.  He had suspicions about the
deal, then his own bank seduced him into going ahead
with the transaction of wiring the third party
the 3300 bucks.  I urged him to hold the bank
responsible for the 3455 and give them the difference,
of about 8k, since they share blame.  

Heres the deal now: the scammer doesn't know that
we are onto him, so we could potentially set up a
sting operation and nab the reprehensible perp.
Johnson isn't supposed to be back in town until
Wednesday, so we have some time to think of a plan.
If there were some way to put out a phony Western
Union claim number, perhaps we could set a trap.

spike