DON'T GET SCAMMED

Never give anyone your bank account information so they can transfer money to your account. If they get enough information, they can transfer money from your account to theirs.

Don't reply to a scammer

Forward the email to admin@sell5.com. We will start tracking the emails that this person sends to Sell 5 users and also put them on our tracking list.

5 ways to spot a scam attempt

2. Not specific.
These people can be so lazy and uneducated, that sometimes all they do is copy and paste the same email to hundreds of sellers. Most of them don’t really know English but instead use previous scam attempts that are already typed out. They might start out with, “Hello, I saw your advert (advert is a British term) and was wondering if you have pics. This is a dead give away if you already have pics in your ad. They will not ask specific questions about your item but instead ask you what condition it is in and your lowest asking price.

3. Bad English and grammar.
If someone is speaking in broken English and doesn’t even complete their sentences be careful. Most of these scam artists are from different countries and know just enough english to attempt the scam. A lot of these people will cut and paste potential scams that they have found from other people and create their own crafty scam letter.

4. Full price is wonderful!
Beware if someone is willing to pay you full price without caring to see the item or even asking questions about it. All they care about is if you are interested in allowing them to send you a fake cashiers check which could take our American bank up to three weeks to find out. When they do, often times they pull the money back out of your account and ask you to go get your money back from the person that sent you the fake cashiers check.

5. Arranged shippers.
They say they have someone that will come and pickup the item from you. This arranged shipper will take care of everything once you deposit the cashiers check. But remember, this check can be fake and take your bank up to three weeks to find out before they pull the money out of your account.

Addresses of possible scammers

How it works

The Nigerian Counterfeit Cashier's Check Scam
The Nigerian Counterfeit Cashier's Check Scam involves a response to an online offer to sell or auction goods (usually expensive items). Here is how the new scam may unfold:

* The con artist "buyer" emails the seller to express interest in the item, offering to pay with a U.S. bank cashier's check.

* Once the offer is accepted, the "buyer" makes some excuse for sending a cashier's check that is several thousand dollars more than the cost of the item and wants the seller to send excess money: 1) to cover transportation costs for the purchased good; 2) because the buyer's secretary made a mistake and put the wrong check in the envelope; 3) with the purchased product; or 4) to a third party to cover an existing debt.

* Credibility is added to the ploy when the "buyer" insists that the money only be sent after the cashier's check clears.

* The cashier's check is an elaborate counterfeit and it takes the bank longer than usual to discover the fake.

* The seller thinks they have received a good check and sends the good and the “extra” cash.

* The bank notifies the seller the cashier’s check is a counterfeit and removes the check amount from the seller’s account. The seller lost the goods and cash.

More info