Advertisers: Be Wary of Internet Scams
Once an advertisement is published in the Market Bulletin, the Georgia Department of Agriculture has no control over the use of the advertiser’s contact information (name, address, phone number, email address). This is especially true for advertisements posted on the department’s website where they can be viewed by anyone in the world with access to the Internet.
The Market Bulletin office has heard from some advertisers that have received emails from potential buyers who offer to send a cashier’s check to pay for goods; however, the sender wishes to send the check for an amount greater than the purchase price. Advertisers should be wary of such contacts so as not to become victims of a scam. In such schemes the interested buyer typically sends a cashier’s check for an amount greater than the price of the item, supposedly to pay for the cost of shipping or transport. The sender asks that the seller return the overage, or in some cases, requests that the money be given to a third party, such as the person picking up the merchandise. However, the cashier’s check turns out to be fake, and the scammer hopes the seller will pay the difference before discovering the cashier’s check is no good. The seller then would no longer have the merchandise, would not have received payment for it and would have lost the money he or she paid back for the overage.
Advertisers are advised to never accept a check that overpays for any item they have offered for sale in the Market Bulletin. Also, be wary of individuals who insist on communicating by email only. Ask for the potential buyers name, telephone number and address, and try to verify the information using telephone directories or online resources. “We encourage people to do their due diligence to verify information,” said Agent Forrest Pruitt with the U.S. Secret Service in
Advertisers also should be wary of “phishing” emails. These are sent by scam artists posing as legitimate businesses that try to entice the recipient to provide sensitive personal information, such as back account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, credit card numbers, etc.
Never respond to an email or pop-up window that asks for your personal information. If in doubt, call the institution that claims to be the sender of the email or pop-up window and get verification.
Additional warning signs that should make you suspicious of an email sender are: poor spelling and odd word choices, lack of knowledge or interest in the product or item itself, unusual name and/or unusual e-mail address.
If you receive an offer for your advertised item via email from someone offering to pay by cashier’s check for more than the purchase price, you can report the scam by contacting FTC toll free hotline at 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357), or go to the FTC website www.ftc.gov and click on the option “File a Complaint.”
If you have lost money through one of these schemes, visit website www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml or call the nearest Secret Service field office for your area:
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