Letter: Be wary of Internet scam artists

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 | 7:04 a.m.

Regarding the Las Vegas Sun's Dec. 24 story, "Online scam turns honest citizens into fences for stolen goods":

As bad as it sounds, using stolen Bibles to steal money from unknowing victims is just the tip of the iceberg.

One of my recent eBay listings garnered a puzzling response - a message from a "buyer," in midauction, saying he wanted to buy the item for his client, but he did not bid. After the item went unsold, I got an e-mail berating me and advising that he would still like to buy the item for his client, but I must promise to wire him the difference between the item's price and the overpayment.

A quick search revealed an individual from Nigeria sending fake money orders for more than the "price." Just like the Bible scam mentioned in the Sun's story, the "mark" sends the overage in real money and the "check" is fraudulent.

But there is more.

I posted a resume online, and within a day, I began to receive job offers to be a payment representative in the states. I have received dozens of these e-mails, all describing an overseas company, usually from London, often a textile business, bemoaning the difficulty and expense of cashing U.S. payments. They offer a 15 percent commission to handle the payment. This means depositing the payments in your own account and wiring the 85 percent to the "company."

I have no doubt the payments would be false, just as in the shipping scam.

Luckily, I know there is no such problem, and will not fall for it. I fear, though, that many people have, or there wouldn't be so many of them. These overseas scam artists are thriving.

If you surf the net with income on your mind, be careful, and always be skeptical when money is going to change hands.

Brian Ascenzo, Henderson