Is this a scam?
 

Hi..
Thanks very much for your response. I would be buying puppy you
have for sale so kindly reserve it for me. You have to bear with me
that I called with relay service, its because am hearing impaired. I
am sending you this email to make final reconfirmation of the
One Puppy which am willing to buy for my son as his
birthday present and I also want to let you know that payment will be
by certified Check or Money Order. However, I want to alert you on the
fact that you will be receiving the Check or Money Order this week or
next week and payment will cover your cost and as well as the shipping
cost to be paid to the person that will take care of the pickup in
your house. So please as soon as you receive the payment, get it
cashed immediately, deduct the money that accrues to you and send the
remaining balance to the Head Office of the company that handles the
shipment via Western union. Moreso, I will pay you an extra $100 if
you can reserve this for me. So in view of the above, Here are some
of the details I will need for final issuance of the Check or Money
Order to you.
(1) Full Name
(2) Mailing address, no p.o.box please
(3) your direct telephone number both home and cell.?
{4} Acceptance of my offer
(5} Final asking price
Once you get back to me with all the above informations, the check or
money order will be issued out immediately and it will be sent to
you.
Regards

We received something similar to that when we were selling our truck. We even got a check! Well, it so happened that it was drawn on, what looked like, a check from the headquarters of our bank. We took the check to the woman we know and she researched it and said that it was in a series of stolen credit card check numbers.

Also, the scam is paying for shipping. They will always pay more than it actually is so then they ask you for a refund. Be very, very cautious. If it sounds fishy, it probably is.

Was there prior contact made. I've had several calls from hearing impared people. They've followed up with e-mails requesting to be put on my waiting list and would travel to pick up their pup.

I'm seeing a LOT of red flags!! I would ask for the list of info to be filled out by them first. Then if all their info checks out, proceed! If I were buying a pup from you, I wouldn't mind providing my info to you. Be careful!!!

Yes contact was made first by a man that was earing impared.

Sounds like it to me! Some of the scams that come out of Ghana and surrounding areas, use that relay service, and use the same kind of grammar and wording. This is the first time I have seen a pet used in the scam, but these people stop at nothing, so I am not surprised. That email probably came from a room with several computers, and several people online trying to "rope the next victim", in a place like Ghana. They make up their stories as they go along, based on what you tell them. Under no circumstances should you give your personal information out to anyone unless you know they are legit. I have one word for you..... RUN!!!

We have had a huge rash of these scams here (Utah) on dogs and other large ticket items. It is unfortunate that they not only take advantage of the seller, but also the hearing impaired! We also have a LOT of "free" yorkies, where they ask you to send money for "shipping" but the dog never appears. Sad sad.

Since you did speak to a gentleman who seemed to have a hearing problem, is it possible for them to meet you? I would be very cautious and make sure that DH was with you.

Where was he from? did he give you his name.

This was his email he sent me a little while ago.

Thanks for the that i currently live at 00321 S Wilson St Paris, TN 38242 and also will want you to know email sent, I will want you to know that the shipper agent is a private person who does this kind of work and has work with me almost all the time so once you receive the payment there you will be instructed on how to get things done as to send the rest balance to them and will give you there address and name to receive the payment...and i will also want you to check the prior email i said you will be helping me to send the fund to them via western union becos they only receive cash I will want you to take good care of the pups for me Hope you had a wonderful day there.

Regards

It is a scam for sure. My breeder had fake money orders from USPS when i visited her to get on the waiting list for my boy... that has been at least 6.4 years ago... old scam. She had this people from New York call her and when they sent them the money orders was more than she was asking... and she does not even ship !!! She happened to be related to someone who works at the post office and proved the money order to be fake. The end of the ordeal was nothing ! Police could not do anything and the cell phone number they gave her was disconnected or else, they could not track it.
Beware and be careful... too good to be true is too good to be true !
:thumbup:

Based on your previous comment, I would think that it is a scam. I wouldn't go along with it.

This one really sounds like a scam. TN is that much of traveling distance from WV is it? I think I'd inform them that you prefer to meet them

Overpayment Scam
 

By the time you find out the "certified check or money order" is no good, it's too late because you've sent the "overpayment" by Western Union.

see.......he is telling you he will "instruct you"....what??? you need "instructing??" and he has you paying the shipper........the thing is, the money he will send you is bogus and if you were to pay the shipper, then the shipper gets your good money and you get nothing, except scammed and loosing your own cash.