As with the other reports, I too had an item for sale on Craig's List and got an e-mail from this character stating his interest. The item was $85, and he that because he was heading to London on business, he would pay $20 extra for the inconvenience of me having to deal with a money order. I thought it was fishy, but since an actual money order has guaranteed funds behind it, I said ok. Then I got the following e-mail:
"Your payment 's been sent. But there's been a mix up. I just discovered there is an error in the payment sent to you. My assistant sent the payment meant for another item thats more expensive than yours. I have called the post office to see if they could retrieve it but nothing positive. I really dont know what to do now. Please and Please, you can go ahead and cash out the Money Order at your Bank when you receive it, deduct your payment and send the balance via western union to the details i will provide you with. Can i trust you to do that for me?
Gerald"
I knew something was up, but waited to see what would arrive in the mail. What came (in an envelope postmarked Middlesex, MA) was a not even a money order, but instead a fake-looking personal check issued from a "National City Bank", supposedly in association with JP Morgan Chase, with the remitter listed as Barbara A. Wright in the amount of $2,850.15. When I did not get back to him immediately to say the jig was up, I received the following e-mail:
"You should have received payment by now. If you have, you can go ahead and get them cashed, deduct your payment and send the balance via western union to the following details:
Name of receiver: jerry h
address: 31 st. Georges drive
city: london
country: united kingdom
Please make sure you take care of everything today and send me the transfer details i. E Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) and the total amount sent after charges. I will need the money to take care of some pressing bills and pay for pick-up.
Waiting to read from you."
It was only then that the name Jerry Holbrook was used, as the name on the e-mail was Gerald T. McCaughey (g-mail address with handle geraldtops). I did send him a courtesy e-mail informing him that I would not be cashing said check.
Note of interest: If you google either McCaughey or Holbrook, aside from the rip-off repports on this guy, the first hits to come up are a legit McCaughey who is V.P. Of Wealth management at CIBC, and a real Holbrook who is COO of Fox Chase Bank, so unless you look further, the assumed names may seem like valid buyers. Then again those guys probably wouldn't be in a panic to get their Western Union payment to pay bills, nor would they be bargain shopping on Craig's List in the first place.
Good luck out there!
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