Police say be cautious about Internet, phone scams

 

By Julie Stevens

C & G Staff Writer

     Jim Fitzpatrick placed an advertisement in Auto Trader magazine when he decided to sell his 1997 Chrysler Sebring convertible.

     The ad he placed in August was well received, but the St. Clair Shores resident just wasn’t getting the offer he was looking for.

     On Sept. 3, Fitzpatrick received an e-mail inquiry from a man named “Clifford,” who was interested in purchasing the vehicle.

     “The last offer I had was for $8,750,” said Fitzpatrick. “So this guy offered $8,800.”

     But, there was a catch.

     Clifford wanted to send Fitzpatrick a certified cashier’s check for $21,000. He informed Fitzpatrick through e-mail that the check was made out by his employer for a previous car deal that had fallen through.

     Apparently, Clifford’s employer was looking to purchase the car for Clifford and his fiancé, Fitzpatrick was told. In addition, Fitzpatrick was informed that the check was made out just before his employer had left the country on business.

     In his e-mail message to Fitzpatrick, Clifford states that his boss has “instructed us to carry on with this transaction, but due to company policy, this check has to be made out in this amount to you because company policy only allows a refund payment on one cashier’s check.”

Clifford told Fitzpatrick that after he received the $21,000 cashier’s check, he would then have to send the $12,000 difference to a company “agent” via a Western Union money transfer.

     That was when Fitzpatrick became suspicious.

     “I knew something just wasn’t right,” he said.

     “I told him in the e-mail that I only handle cash in fist,” Fitzpatrick said. “That we could just meet, I could take the cash and he could take the car.”

     However, Clifford never indicated where he was residing or where his company was located.

     Fitzpatrick said he then received a response from Clifford on Sept. 6. He stated that the check was all that he had, and suggested a possible payment with a credit card — a method that would only work if Fitzpatrick had a credit card machine.

     Fitzpatrick repeated his feelings about dealing only in cash and hasn’t heard from the man since.

     “I don’t think I will hear from him again.”

     According to St. Clair Shores police officer Clinton Rice, Fitzpatrick was right to stick to his guns and not accept the man’s obvious bogus deal.

     Rice said that because many times such Internet scams take place outside of the state — and most often outside of the country — investigators have a difficult time tracking down a suspect or suspects.

     “People should just know that if someone says they will send you a check if you send them a check, it’s more than likely going to be a bad check,” he said. “Some of these guys just print them out and you can tell immediately that it’s not real.”

     Rice said telephone scams are also rampant, with new schemes surfacing regularly.

     “There’s more and more coming out of the woodwork everyday,” said Rice, adding that the most recent report was that from a local woman who placed an ad looking for work as a nanny. The woman was “hired” by a suspect in New York state over the Internet, and was promised an advance payment of $1,000 for travel expenses.

     The suspect informed the woman that he could only send her a certified check for $11,000, so she would just have to send him the $10,000 cash difference. The certified check turned out to be counterfeit, Rice said.

     Last month, one elderly male Shores resident lost over $9,000 to someone claiming to be a customs agent from Canada.

     The “customs agent” told the victim that he had won a $150,000 award, and all he needed to do was send $1,700 to receive it. Unidentified individuals asking for more money contacted the victim several more times via private numbers before the man finally went to the police.

     “If you didn’t enter a sweepstake or something, you probably didn’t win anything and this would be a scam,” said Rice.

     Anyone who feels that may have fallen victim to an Internet or phone scam, should call the St. Clair Shores Police Department at (586) 445-5300.