I responded a listing on a local Craigslist in Georgia for a MacBook Pro for $600. When I expressed interest I was sent several photos of this item and complete information as if it was taken from the box. I foolishly responded that I was interested and asked about specifics, to which the l lister replied that she was now in the UK, and gave me a DHL website where we could both "safely" complete the transaction.
Having never before been scammed that scenario never occurred to me. I followed the instructions and sent the $600. Via Western Union, after being notified by "DHL" that they had the package in their possession. I was notified by this same "DHL" that the transfer had been confirmed and told the laptop would be shipped overnight express as soon as then had actually picked up the money. Of course, the laptop never arrived, and I realized that I had lost $650.including the Western Union fees. I am retired and can ill afford this kind of a loss.
After the fact, I did my research and discovered that the 'look-alike' DHL web pages I was referred to were phony. I further researched and found that this fraud has been, and is still being perpetrated for a very long time by these very same people and there are websites discussing it, but it is still happening - even Craigslist left the listing on for days after I reported it to them.
It wasn't that difficult to track down the domain in Oregon that hosts that website, so why haven't they been caught and shut down? Is there no way to keep others from falling into this trap?
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