Craigslist Scam

A new craigslist scam is making it’s way around Southern Colorado. KRDO Newschannel 13 spoke to one of the scam’s victims.

Sean Holveck had a dream of making a little bit of spending cash when he put his truck utility box on ebay, but that dream quickly turned to nightmare.

” We are easy prey on the internet really,” said Holveck. He quickly got a response from a buyer where she asked for his trust, but Holveck ended up being the one ripped off.

” When she said she sent the check, she gave me a fed-ex tracking number. That number ended up coming back as a a parcel not being able to be shipped. That wouldn’t make sense if it was a check,” said Holveck.That was just the beginning of the empty promises.

” She said that she hadn’t been in contact with me, because her mother was sick,” said Holveck. He finally did get a check, for almost 5 times what got he asked for. He also received some extra instructions.

” She sent me an email that said, she needed me to immediately send her a moneygram, and send the balance to another person,” said Holveck.

The check looked real. ” It was from TD Ameritrade and the Bank of Omaha was on it,” said Holveck. Something about the check, however, did not add up. ” The check said void in 15 days, a check usually takes 90 days before it become void,” said Holveck.

The bank noticed the expedited void date. ” The teller ran the bank account and routing number. It came back fake,” said Holveck. Leaving him with an empty utility box, and empty pockets.

” I was really mad, because I was counting on the money coming from the sale,” said Holveck.

He was lucky he didn’t lose money, or get ripped off for the utility box. He suggested that Craigslist sellers should look for buyers who change instructions often or who send more money than what you requested for what you are selling.