AVOIDING FRAUD

AVOIDING FRAUD
SOMETHING HAPPENED TO ME THE OTHER DAY, PROMPTING ME TO WRITE TO ALL okay BUYERS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING SUCKED INTO A SCAM.
okay TRIES VERY HARD TO TRY AND PROTECT IT'S CLIENTS, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO TAKE STEPS IN PROTECTING OURSELVES. HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU AVOID BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE AND LOSING YOUR MONEY.
THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME
THERE IS AN UNBELIEVABLE DEAL, AN ITEM UP FOR AUCTION WITH A PRICETOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. THE AUCTION IS ENDING WITHIN AN HOUR. YOU DON'T KNOW THE SELLER, THE INFORMATION LISTS A FOREIGN COUNTRY, AND THERE IS NO PAYMENT INFORMATION IN THE AUCTION DETAILS. SHOULD YOU BID? MANY OF US WOULD, AND WAIT FOR THE END OF AUCTION TO SEE IF WE WON. OUR HEARTS BEAT FASTER AS WE GET PULLED IN BY THE THRILL OF A BARGAIN HUNT. THE AUCTION ENDS, AND YOU'RE THE WINNER! A 5 CARAT, NEARLY FLAWLESS DIAMOND AND PLATINUM RING FOR $200! YOU CAN'T BELIEV YOUR LUCK! YOU RECEIVE AN INVOICE THAT REQUIRES YOU TO SEND MONEY VIA WESTERN UNION OR WIRE BANK TRANSFER. okay STERNLY WARNS AGAINST PAYING FOR AUCTIONS THIS WAY. YOU WILL HAVE NO LEGAL RECOURSE IF THINGS GO BAD. BUT THE SELLER PROMISES "FAST SHIPMENT" AND THE TONE OF THE NOTICE YOU RECEIVED IS 'QUICK, HURRY, NOW!' YOU WORRY THAT THE SELLER WILL SELL THE ITEM TO SOMEONE ELSE, SO YOU WIRE THE MONEY. THEN YOU WAIT FOR THE 'SUPER FAST SHIPPING' OF YOUR ORDER...WHICH NEVER geES. YOU EMAIL THE SELLER, WHO NEVER RESPONDS. okay CAN'T HELP YOU, SINCE YOU STEPPED OUT OF THEIR TERRITORY WHEN YOU WIRED THE PAYMENT. YOU HAVE NO LEGAL COURSE OF ACTION, AND YOU ARE OUT MONEY. YOU FEEL STUPID, BROKE, AND ALONE. YOU, MY FRIEND, HAVE BEEN HAD. BUT DON'T FEEL TOO BAD. MANY OF US HAVE ALL BEEN IN THE SAME POSITION, AND FEEL THE SAME WAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE...EVEN ME, AND I FEEL MYSELF A SMART AND EDUCATED SHOPPER.
THE TIP-OFF
THE FIRST HINT THAT SOMETHING WAS AMISS WAS THE "TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE" ITEM AND PRICE. RALPH NADER TOLD AMERICANS OVER AND OVER "IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS". IN THIS CASE, HE WAS RIGHT. THE ITEM, NO MATTER WHAT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRICED MUCH HIGHER THAN IT WAS. EVEN IF IT WAS STOLEN AND THE THEIF WAS LOOKING TO UNLOAD IT FAST, HE WOULD HAVE HAD BETTER LUCK AT A SHADY PAWN SHOP. SO, THE LOW PRICE WAS A CLUE. IF YOU HAD TO BID, AT LEAST DO SOME DIGGING WHILE YOU WAITED FOR AUCTION TO CLOSE. LOOK UP THE SELLER, READ FEEDBACK, AND LOOK AT THE OTHER ITEMS HE HAS FOR SALE. LOOK IN THE SALES HISTORY. HAS THIS PERSON BEEN SELLING THE SAME TYPE OF MERCHANDISE FOR A WHILE? OR, AS IN THIS CASE, HAS HE BEEN SELLING DIME STORE NOVELTIES BEFORE AUCTIONING OFF HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR JEWELRY? IF YOU ARE GETTING A BAD FEELING ABOUT THE ITEM YOU ARE BIDDING ON, GET HELP. okay HAS HELP AVAILABLE FOR JUST THIS TYPE OF THING.
NOW, THE AUCTION IS OVER, AND YOU WON. YOU RECEIVE AN INVOICE FROM THE SELLER REQUIRING YOU TO SEND THE MONEY IN A WAY THAT okay WARNS AGAINST. IT'S ONLY $200, THAT LITTLE okayER VOICE IN YOUR HEAD SAYS, AND WHAT IF IT'S REALLY TRUE? VOICE OF REASON HERE. IT ISN'T TRUE, AND THE SELLER JUST TOLD YOU THAT WITH THE PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS. THERE IS NO JEWELRY, THERE IS NO TERRIFIC DEAL, JUST A GREAT STORY TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS LATER. DO NOT SEND PAYMENT! FORGET THE SELLER LEAVING BAD FEEDBACK (AND MANY PEOPLE I TALKED TO ABOUT THIS ALL HAVE 100% FEEDBACK). IF IT IS FRAUD, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STATE SO IN YOUR FEEDBACK FORUM. BUT THIS GUY ONLY WANTS THE MONEY FAST. HE ISN'Y GOING TO BOTHER WITH LEAVING FEEDBACK. THE MAN IS A CROOK, A SCAMMER, A THIEF. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATLY REPORT YOUR FINDINGS AND WORRIES TO okay, AND LET THEM SORT IT OUT. DO NOT CONTACT THE BUYER! LET THE PROS HANDLE IT.
YOU GO BACK ON-LINE, NURSING YOUR WOUNDS, AND FEELING LIKE A gePLETE MORON, WHEN, LO AND BEHOLD, THERE IS 'YOUR' ITEM, RELISTED JUST MOMENTS AGO! NOW, REALLY, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT THERE ARE TWO 5.32 CARAT DIAMOND AND PLATINUM RINGS FOR UNDER $200? THIS IS THE CLINCHER. REPORT THIS SELLER AT ONCE! LOOK FOR OTHER ITEMS THIS PERSON HAS FOR AUCTION, AND REPORT THEM TOO. BE AGGRESSIVE! WE AS okayERS NEED TO STEP UP AND STOP THE BAD GUYS! I WROTE TO ALL THE 'WINNERS' OF MY FRAUDSTER'S AUCTION AND WARNED THEM AS QUICKLY AS I COULD. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT, (AND I'M PRETTY SURE I WILL BE REPRIMANDED BY okay FOR IT) BUT YOU DO HAVE TO REPORT THIS GUY.
SO YOU HAVE LEARNED A LESSON, AND HOPEFULLY YOU DIDN'T LOSE A LOT OF MONEY IN THE BARGAIN. BE CAREFUL WHEN BUYING TOP-END ITEMS. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. PROTECT YOURSELF. COVER YOUR BACK. SHOP SMART. AND HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME DOING IT, KNOWING NOW YOU ARE A LOT WISER!

LAURA WRIGHT
GOLD RUSH GEMSTONES