Byline: Ryan Schuster
Apr. 20--A potential scam appears to be targeting people who place classified ads in The Bakersfield Californian and other publications.
In at least two instances, Californian classified advertisers were contacted by purportedly interested buyers from out of the area using an operator-assisted phone service for the hearing impaired. The supposed shoppers asked for the sellers' e-mail and mailing addresses to confirm the purchase and set up payment arrangements.
Sally Ellis, classified/interactive advertising manager at The Californian, said the newspaper soon will begin publishing warnings about the scam.
Ellis said The Californian takes steps to screen out fraudulent classified ads submitted for publication in the newspaper and posted on the Internet at www.bakersfield.com.
"We try to protect our readers and protect the people who are placing ads with us," Ellis said. "I guess the message is, 'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."' Det. Greg Terry of the Bakersfield Police Department said it is common to see fraud in which criminals victimize people trying to sell goods through classified ads or online auction sites.
"We get reports of people being victims of these scams frequently," Terry said. "There's just nothing we can do because the people are usually making contact from out of the country."
Californian sports writer Jeff Evans said initially he didn't think anything of it when he received an operator-assisted call recently from a man who identified himself as Kelvin John inquiring about an advertisement Evans had placed to sell an antique desk for $175.
After giving the man his e-mail and mailing address and confirming the purchase through an e-mail exchange, Evans was surprised a week later when he received a check for $3,000 delivered by FedEx. It appeared to have been sent by a company he did not recognize, one with a San Francisco address.
"It looked like a legitimate check," Evans said.
The purported buyer soon contacted Evans by e-mail, confirming that the "certified check" had been sent by a "client" and instructing Evans to quickly cash the check. Evans was instructed to deduct the price of the desk and an extra $70 for his trouble. He was asked to transfer the remainder to a New Jersey address through Western Union to cover "shipping charges" for the desk.
But Evans became suspicious, called FedEx's fraud division and found out the package containing the check had been sent using a stolen credit card. He visited a local branch office of Bank of America, whose name was on the check, and learned the account from which the check was drawn was legitimate -- but that it recently had been compromised.
Evans did not cash the check but continued to be contacted by the potential scammer until he told him on one operator-assisted call that he knew it was a scam and not to bother him anymore. Evans said the man replied, "Does that mean our deal is on or off?" through an operator before finally backing off.
Evans said he still hasn't sold the desk, but that he may put another ad in the paper.
Retired principal and Bakersfield resident Virginia Dallas reported having a similar experience when she purchased a classified ad in order to sell a freezer for $225.
She also received an operator-assisted call asking her to e-mail more information on the freezer, including its price, which was stated in the ad.
But after receiving an e-mail back, she decided the potential buyer "wasn't on the up and up" and decided not to do the deal.
"I just thought, 'Somebody's scamming me,"' Dallas said.
She eventually sold the freezer for $220 to a local buyer who paid cash.
"I think the potential to be victimized is definitely there," Dallas said.
The BPD's Terry suggested that people who receive suspicious checks should have them examined by the bank they were issued by and contact the company listed on the check before depositing them.
Ellis said scams like this one "come along every once in a while."
She said another scam the paper has seen involves ads offering expensive dogs for sale at far less than market value. Those who reply to the ad are asked to wire or mail payments. The would-be buyers never receive a dog in return.
Ellis said it is not normal for a buyer to ask for money to be sent back to them and suggested that sellers deal only face-to-face with local buyers.
Anyone who suspects he or she may have been a victim of such a scam may contact a manager in classified advertising at The Californian at 322-7355, or the BPD's crime prevention unit at 326-3053.
To see more of The Bakersfield Californian, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bakersfield.com.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Bakersfield Californian
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