<>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<>New Craigslist Scam Uses "Check This Video" Trick<>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<> A new Craigslist scam that's appeared in the last few monthshighlights the need for extra caution when using the renownedonline classifieds site. With an estimated 50 million users in the US alone, and anastronomical 20 billion page views of its online ads permonth, it's no surprise that Craigslist has become a popularsite for crooks. While the vast majority of transactions are perfectly honestand trustworthy, the sheer scale of the site-use means thatanyone using Craigslist should be extra wary. In the latest scam, a friend who was moving and selling lotsof his stuff on Craigslist got this message in reply to one ofhis ads: (Begin message extract -- wording exactly as he received it) I just want to make sure I am going to buy the same which I amlooking for. I can't afford another mistake as i did in thepast. Please check the video and confirm it's the same u have (end of extract) The message then provided a link and promised that if the itemwas the same as in the video, the sender would buy it. But when you follow the link, which, happily, our savvy frienddid not, you arrive at a site which then invites you todownload a viewer-type program so you can supposedly watch thevideo. Now you smell a rat, don't you? The download is really a piece of malware that, according toInternet security specialists Prevx, hijacks the PC and sendsinformation back to the scammer. It also takes over your Internet browser, changing the homepage to one full of ads and a search box that, when you do asearch, takes you to yet another stack of ads. In fact, it does seem to be just adware, but, theoretically,could be used for any malicious purpose, including informationtheft. Trying to return everything to normal and uninstall theprogram is a messy business. The perpetrator of this scam doesprovide details of how to do this on its website but we arereluctant to point you towards it. If you're already a victim, you'll know the name of the hostsite, so key that in, followed by "/movies/uninstall.html"(without the quotes). For everyone else: Just don't fall for this scam. Leave your number Another recently witnessed sneaky trick involves a would-bebuyer visiting a website where they're asked to leave theirphone number for a later call back. Instead, the phone number is used to make premium line callsthat are charged to the owner's phone account. Most other Craigslist scams are not exclusive to the onlineclassifieds market -- many of them are either advance paymentor phishing tricks. With advance payment, or Nigerian scams as they're sometimescalled (because many of them originate in the West Africancountry), the crook sends out a forged check or money orderfor too large a sum to cover an item purchase, home rental, oreven tuition fees. He then asks for the overpayment to be electronically (anduntraceably) wired back before the original check bounces andthe victim is left owing money to the bank. This is a subject we've covered many times at Scambusters. Youcan read more about it in our earlier issues. http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=LppUu&m=1ask67iMmmtWfo&b=B2ayaTLDBm2KBkw2NSYvTg http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=LppUu&m=1ask67iMmmtWfo&b=4nyBauW1lgt0DJr17.kAuA A Craigslist scam that involves phishing simply attempts toget your personal details, including credit card numbers, forthe purpose of identity theft. More Craigslist scam tricks Other Craigslist scams include: * Bogus house sitters -- they don't so much "sit" as do thecleaning, as in cleaning you out. * Crooks who advertise stuff they don't own, from expensivegoods and stolen property, through empty houses and apartments(advance rent required), to disposing of the entire contentsof a house while the owners were on vacation -- as happened inOregon a couple of years back. * "Mule" jobs where you get paid to receive checks and goodsthen forward them to someone else. You may get paid -- but thejob almost certainly will be crooked and you could end up injail. See our special issue on this. http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=LppUu&m=1ask67iMmmtWfo&b=eB.3ZO.hK1KRUp6SPRTk2Q Craigslist publishes a helpful page of information about howto spot scammers, the most common types of Craigslist scamtricks, and examples of actual bogus ads and messages. http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=LppUu&m=1ask67iMmmtWfo&b=OcK8mhgQlWUPlPMks9iFHw Their basic message is that, where possible, you should dealwith buyers and sellers you can meet in person. Do that, theysay, and you'll bypass 99% of all Craigslist fraud attempts. Be especially cautious of anyone who claims to be overseas orotherwise unable to meet you, or who offers to pay forsomething sight unseen. An honest person would be highlyunlikely to do that. Additionally, they warn against advertisers who claim thetransaction is somehow "guaranteed by Craigslist." The companyjust doesn't do that type of thing. Also, never send money wires (e.g., MoneyGram or WesternUnion) either to pay for something you bought or to reimbursea supposed overpayment. Beware too of buyers or sellers who propose using an escrowservice. These are agencies that hold money pending deliveryof an item, thereby supposedly safeguarding the transaction. There are many genuine escrow companies but if the otherperson suggests a particular escrow company, chances arehe/she has set it up as a phony site, either to steal yourmoney (if you're buying) or to pretend the money has beenreceived, thereby prompting you to ship an item you'reselling. Read more about phony escrow services here. http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=LppUu&m=1ask67iMmmtWfo&b=LdlsxHEqcQPsdWc5U1gEhw Two other rules: don't hand over confidential/financialinformation and don't believe those too-good-to-be-true prices-- they're almost certainly Craigslist scams. In an interview with PC World magazine, Craigslist founderCraig Newmark said: "Overall, people are pretty trustworthy.If you give people an environment where they can trust eachother and be fair, for the most part, then people almostalways return that trust." And that's true. Just make sure you know what the dishonorableones are up to and how to spot a potential Craigslist scam. Time to conclude for today -- have a great week!
