$2,000 Internet Scam
Date: May 20, 2005Source: wftv.com
An Internet scam cost a man $2,000 after someone convinced him to cash fake money orders to help an overseas student study in Orlando. The victim said he just wanted to do a good thing.
Now the FBI has now gotten involved and believes there are more victims of the new scam. In fact, it wasn't until the man came to the post office to cash a second set of money orders that a postal inspector finally told him they were counterfeit.
"I offered to help him out with a cheap place to stay and didn't think anything of it," explained Scott Stiff.
Stiff was on his computer and met a student who claimed to be coming to the United States to study, but needed some help.
"I empathized, because I've been there, truly not knowing people where I lived or where I've moved to, struggling a little bit financially," Stiff said.
He offered the student a place to stay and the student agreed to send him $2,000 in money orders.
"I was to cash the money orders and wire him the money to purchase the plane ticket and pay for his expenses to be here," Stiff explained.
The two kept talking and then, a week and a half later, Stiff received more money orders, worth twice as much, $4,000. Then he realized there was a problem.
"The money order didn't come from the same person that I had received the initial $2,000 from," explained Stiff.
When Stiff reported what happened to the post office, the post office then contacted the FBI.
Stiff wants to prevent others from getting scammed. "I won't trust anyone anymore."
You can tell a money order is fake if you rip the paper and don't see a thread. If that's the case, you should contact the post office.
Add comment
Email to a Friend
