Police tip #3: Avoiding the Car For Sale- Overpayment Scam

(Salem) - Police say fraudulent crimes and those known as `scams" frequently take victims by surprise. This type of criminal activity is common, and certain patterns have emerged that can be documented and explained. In this next crime tip by Paul Henninger, a detective with Salem Police, a particular type of scam is exposed so that our visitors can be better armed if confronted with similar circumstances.

Here is Tip #3.

On February 2nd, the Salem Police Department received a complaint from a Victim of the "Car For Sale- Overpayment Scam," commonly referred to as a "Nigerian Type Scam".

The Salem resident advertised his vehicle in the Statesman Journal for $2600. Ads in the Statesman Journal can be accessed world wide on the Internet. A caller from Canada called and immediately offered to pay full price for the vehicle, sight unseen.

When the victim received a cashiers check, in the amount of $4,900, the caller asked him to cash the check and wait for instructions on how to send back the overpayment. A "Scammer" usually asks the victim to wire the overpayment money using Western Union.

The victim was suspicious and did the right thing. He took the cashiers check to his bank, advised the bank of his concerns, and asked the bank to verify the validity of the check. As it turns out, the check is a forgery, a counterfeit.

Advice: Do not be a victim of this common scam. If you sell anything using the paper or the Internet, beware. If you are suspicious, or it is too good to be true, it is probably a SCAM. Don't just deposit the check into your account to see if the check initially clears. The bad guys are using existing account numbers and the funds may initially become available in your account, but the check can be returned against your account at a later time.

You may end up owing the money to your bank, or worse yet, being arrested. The Salem Police Department is open 24 hours a day to serve you. We are a phone call away. We will gladly answer questions. If you are suspicious, call us. We have free informational brochures on common scams at the Salem Police Department.

Editor`s note… The next tip from Salem Police, `"419" Nigerian Scam Involving Internet Chat Rooms ," features more real insight from Detective Paul Henninger. The story explains another crime that concerns police, this one relating to fraudulent checks and Internet chat rooms. If possible, print the stories and share them with your friends and family. By working together with police, neighbors and schools, we can break the cycle of damage in our communities. Thanks to Paul Henninger and Lt. Bill Kohlmeyer for sharing these useful tips.