It has come to my attention that some CHC sellers are being approached via email by scammers. I felt it my duty to alert others and warn you to be aware. Please email me if you suspect an unscrupulous buyer.
While the Internet can be a safe and convenient place to do business, scammers are out there in "cyber world" targeting unsuspecting consumers. The LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com website was built to educate you, the consumer, and help prevent you from becoming a victim of an Internet fraud scheme. Guidelines
To help you in recognizing these types of scams, we have provided below a list of indicators. They are only guidelines, and as always, should be tempered with common sense.
- - Big Promises
- Claims such as offering more money than the asking price without an initial conversation regarding the horse are almost always a sure sign of a scam. Be careful of any individual who wants to send you more than your asking price.
- - Uses Free Email Address
- Scammers use free web-based email addresses such as yahoo.com, ymail.com, gmail.com, live.com, etc.
- - Cashiers Check for MORE than Your Asking Price
- They will send you a (COUNTERFEIT) cashiers check or certified check (cheque) and ask you to send the difference to them or their shipper by wire transfer or Western Union.
- - Request Money by Western Union or Wire Transfer
- Beware of these attempts to quickly defraud you of your money.
- - High Pressure Tactics
- Be wary of individuals asking you to speed up the transaction beyond your comfort range. Again, a legitimate deal probably isn't going to move as fast as your money. Don\'t let yourself be pressured -- think things through.
- - Requests for financial information.
- Don't give out any bank information without establishing a comfort level with the buyer or seller.
- - Always get something in writing.
- You should never complete a transaction without first writing down the terms of the deal and have each party sign it. If you can't afford a lawyer to draft up a contract, you still should write down the terms of the deal in plain English and get it signed. Any buyer or seller that is hesitant or resists is usually a sure sign of a potential problem.
- - Remember the old saying, "If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is."
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