Etsy Lessons. An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.
Know the facts and have Success!
We were so excited. We just opened our brand new internet shop on Etsy. We listed our very first piece of custom furniture and within 24 hours we thought we had a serious offer. We were contacted by a woman claiming to be an interior designer. She stated that the order was for a client and offered to make the purchase with a money order since that was our only source of approved funding aside from Paypal. Since the money order would take about 3-5 days to arrive via Fedex, she asked if we would be willing to remove the listing from Etsy as a sign of good faith to reserve the piece as considered “sold” for her. Once we received the money order, we would follow though with typical Etsy protocol and she would even over-compensate with an additional $50 to make up for the delay while waiting for funds.
She then asked to communicate with us via email because she stated that she was “hearing impaired” This would prevent her from being able to communicate over the phone and she also implied that she had special software with her condition that I now know would mask over the typical look of computer spam generated broken language that did occassionally appear.
Something just felt “wrong” from the very beginning. I asked for specific terms in writing so that I could make an invoice that would outline in writing all of the exact expenses including product purchase price, delivery fees, Etsy fees, etc. She stated that she was making arrangements with her delivery person and would have to get back with me on specific shipping prices. She also stated that she would prefer to pay us the total amount for the shipping fees in addition to the cost of furniture and that we would be responsible for giving the money to the delivery person who would pick up the table. I tried to contact the buyer again through Etsy email, but her account there no longer existed. Her account name was "Ifemade"
We received a check in the mail for $6200 which was almost double the asking price of $3500. It was NOT a money order. Remember that “wrong” feeling. Well, now I am feeling really vulnerable. This person has my address, phone number, my potential future product and IF I deposit this check, they have access to the funding amount for shipping with my fingers in the cookie bowl as the last one to cash this check.
We scanned a copy of the check to help the police with potential investigation and then we voided and tore up the check.
I contacted the Oklahoma Police and they had some valuable advice to help prevent theft.
1. Paypal is the safest and only way they would suggest doing this type of internet commerce activity. Money orders and checks can all be forged and false documents.
2. Protect Your Own Legal Involvement: There is technically nothing illegal YET about making a fake check or money order. It becomes illegal when the check is actually cashed. The check could actually be cashed with routing numbers and account numbers that are stolen from a legitimate unsuspecting source making it possible for the transaction to actually follow through to the point where the seller actually gets paid. It isn’t until later that the seller discovers that the funding source is actually stolen. Now the seller with good intentions is now in last position of identified delivery of stolen funds.
3. Do NOT take your checks anywhere and keep your account and routing numbers in a safe and private place. Anyone can order more checks with your account and routing number and start making purchases with your account in a different fake name.
Just in case you are still in the dark about how this works, let me spell out a few scam tactics for you:
-The buyer poses as a real person such as interior designer with an online presence giving you a feeling of security and sends a check to cover the amount of shipping and the product.
-In some scams, there are two separate checks. One check will cash and the remaining check intended to pay for product will not clear. The timing is strategically in favor of the buyer with shipping needing pre-payment and the product payment being delayed until time of actual delivery date or receipt.
-Sometimes, there is only one check and the seller is asked to deliver part of the cleared funds for shipping after cashing check. At that point, there is short term perceived benefit with the seller actually receiving stolen funds and then disbursing those funds to the "shipper" and then consequently also being the last identified person as actually receiving the stolen funds.
SOLUTIONS - Know the Facts and Your Positive Resources
Shipping large items can be more challenging and leave you more vulnerable to the common shipping scam methods. There are now some reputable companies that help with this process.
I just learned about a company called http://www.uship.com/ They are officially linked with Ebay and make the process for delivering singular large items trackable with cost measuring calculators that can be used to help determine shipping costs before the transaction is finalized.
ETSY IS THERE FOR YOU WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION
Keep all communication inside of the Etsy Conversation system with their accountability systems in place which are there for your protection and benefit. See Etsy Protocol here: http://www.etsy.com/ Look under "Sell" tab for a wealth of information. I believe Etsy is a safe environment when you know the facts and follow their protocol for sellers. For even more information regarding staying safe on Etsy, please see the following blog article:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/being-safe-on-etsy-spotting-and-avoiding-advance-fee-fraud-3795/
I have also included some exceptional complimentary strategies for your Etsy and Ebay Commerce Safety at http://newlifeauctions.com/ebay_scams.html
Please feel free to leave helpful comments with links for valuable advice.
We were so excited. We just opened our brand new internet shop on Etsy. We listed our very first piece of custom furniture and within 24 hours we thought we had a serious offer. We were contacted by a woman claiming to be an interior designer. She stated that the order was for a client and offered to make the purchase with a money order since that was our only source of approved funding aside from Paypal. Since the money order would take about 3-5 days to arrive via Fedex, she asked if we would be willing to remove the listing from Etsy as a sign of good faith to reserve the piece as considered “sold” for her. Once we received the money order, we would follow though with typical Etsy protocol and she would even over-compensate with an additional $50 to make up for the delay while waiting for funds.
She then asked to communicate with us via email because she stated that she was “hearing impaired” This would prevent her from being able to communicate over the phone and she also implied that she had special software with her condition that I now know would mask over the typical look of computer spam generated broken language that did occassionally appear.
Something just felt “wrong” from the very beginning. I asked for specific terms in writing so that I could make an invoice that would outline in writing all of the exact expenses including product purchase price, delivery fees, Etsy fees, etc. She stated that she was making arrangements with her delivery person and would have to get back with me on specific shipping prices. She also stated that she would prefer to pay us the total amount for the shipping fees in addition to the cost of furniture and that we would be responsible for giving the money to the delivery person who would pick up the table. I tried to contact the buyer again through Etsy email, but her account there no longer existed. Her account name was "Ifemade"
We received a check in the mail for $6200 which was almost double the asking price of $3500. It was NOT a money order. Remember that “wrong” feeling. Well, now I am feeling really vulnerable. This person has my address, phone number, my potential future product and IF I deposit this check, they have access to the funding amount for shipping with my fingers in the cookie bowl as the last one to cash this check.
We scanned a copy of the check to help the police with potential investigation and then we voided and tore up the check.
I contacted the Oklahoma Police and they had some valuable advice to help prevent theft.
1. Paypal is the safest and only way they would suggest doing this type of internet commerce activity. Money orders and checks can all be forged and false documents.
2. Protect Your Own Legal Involvement: There is technically nothing illegal YET about making a fake check or money order. It becomes illegal when the check is actually cashed. The check could actually be cashed with routing numbers and account numbers that are stolen from a legitimate unsuspecting source making it possible for the transaction to actually follow through to the point where the seller actually gets paid. It isn’t until later that the seller discovers that the funding source is actually stolen. Now the seller with good intentions is now in last position of identified delivery of stolen funds.
3. Do NOT take your checks anywhere and keep your account and routing numbers in a safe and private place. Anyone can order more checks with your account and routing number and start making purchases with your account in a different fake name.
Just in case you are still in the dark about how this works, let me spell out a few scam tactics for you:
-The buyer poses as a real person such as interior designer with an online presence giving you a feeling of security and sends a check to cover the amount of shipping and the product.
-In some scams, there are two separate checks. One check will cash and the remaining check intended to pay for product will not clear. The timing is strategically in favor of the buyer with shipping needing pre-payment and the product payment being delayed until time of actual delivery date or receipt.
-Sometimes, there is only one check and the seller is asked to deliver part of the cleared funds for shipping after cashing check. At that point, there is short term perceived benefit with the seller actually receiving stolen funds and then disbursing those funds to the "shipper" and then consequently also being the last identified person as actually receiving the stolen funds.
SOLUTIONS - Know the Facts and Your Positive Resources
Shipping large items can be more challenging and leave you more vulnerable to the common shipping scam methods. There are now some reputable companies that help with this process.
I just learned about a company called http://www.uship.com/ They are officially linked with Ebay and make the process for delivering singular large items trackable with cost measuring calculators that can be used to help determine shipping costs before the transaction is finalized.
ETSY IS THERE FOR YOU WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION
Keep all communication inside of the Etsy Conversation system with their accountability systems in place which are there for your protection and benefit. See Etsy Protocol here: http://www.etsy.com/ Look under "Sell" tab for a wealth of information. I believe Etsy is a safe environment when you know the facts and follow their protocol for sellers. For even more information regarding staying safe on Etsy, please see the following blog article:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/being-safe-on-etsy-spotting-and-avoiding-advance-fee-fraud-3795/
I have also included some exceptional complimentary strategies for your Etsy and Ebay Commerce Safety at http://newlifeauctions.com/ebay_scams.html
Please feel free to leave helpful comments with links for valuable advice.
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