Urgent help needed!

[RAV-65]

Hi all,

I recently place my audio system for sale on yahoo! classifieds for sale at $2000... a few days later someone from this email address ( topmosttradingstore@myway.com ) saying that she is keen to purchase my audio system at $2200.

She also said that she would pay via Western Union and dat WEstern Union would contact me regarding the payment, after that, I'm suppose to contact her local agent to ship the audio system over to her.

How do I know if it's a fraud, the price she offered is too good to be true and to elaborate... Anyway, here's a copy of the email from so-called Western Union :

===============================

THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE, PLEASE DO NOT REPLY

===============================

*AUCTION PAYMENT APPROVED*

===============================

® Order Number: 2357937856

Dear XXXXXXXXXXXX,

Congratulations! The order placed by the buyer of your

item ***Topmosttradingstore*** to have a Western Union® branded Money

OrderSM $2200.00 (SGD) sent to you as payment for the item *** Pioneer

P9 Headset w Processor**** has been successfully processed and has

consequently been APPROVED. The financial details of the transaction are

stated below:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*FINANCIAL DETAILS*

(NOTE: All amounts are in SG$)

-----------------------------

AUCTION SITE : Yahoo Auction

ITEM NUMBER : N/A

AUCTION ITEM : Pioneer P9 Headset w Processor

---------------------------

TOTAL : $2200.00

---------------------------

==============================================================

***PLEASE NOTE***

The Money OrderSM will be delivered to your contact information below,

Please verify that the name and address (As entered by the buyer) are

correct:

SELLER INFORMATION.

Name : XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Address : XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

City : singapore

State : singapore

Zipcode : 159963

Country : singapore

Email : XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tel : XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

==============================================================

***ATTENTION***

The order has been APPROVED, you CAN NOW ship the merchandise to the

buyer. You are expected to make the shipment with 48 hours of recieving

this Payment Approval Notification and get to our Costumer/Technical

Dept. with the tracking number for Shippment Verification.

***PLEASE NOTE***

The Money OrderSM will NOT be dispatched or get to your resident until

the shipment has been verified. This measure is taken in order to

protect both seller and buyer interests and to reduce the occurrence of

fraudulent activities.

*SHIPMENT VERIFICATION*

You can have the shipment confirmed/verified in any of the following

ways:

1. Contact western union stating the ® Order Number and the TRACKING

NUMBER of the shipment to our email at:

western.unionmoneyorder-confirmation@financesource.com

***PLEASE NOTE***

Due to the fact that Western union processes thousands of orders daily,

Western union RECOMMENDS contacting the Customer Support Representative

that has been assigned to this particular Order directly. This ensures

speedy verification of shipment as well as prompt dispatch the Money

OrderSM. Send shippment tracking details to

:western.unionmoneyorderconfirmation@financesource.com

2. You can give the buyer of your auction item the TRACKING NUMBER of

the shipment and once he/she verifies the shipment, he/she will also

notify us immediately.

Please do not let your buyer gain access to this Payment Approval

Notication.

===============================

*CUSTOMER SUPPORT*

If you have any questions, Please feel free to contact the Customer

Support Representative that has been assigned to this particular Order at:

western.unionmoneyorderconfirmation@financesource.com

Thank you for using Western Union® Auction Payments. We look forward

to serving your online auction payment needs better in the future.

Western Union Auction Payments.

===============================

THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE, PLEASE DO NOT REPLY

===============================

BUYER PAYMENT

STATUS

Printer-Friendly Version

Order Status:

Auction Payments Order Available

AVAILABLE

Order Placed: 11/7/2005

Order Status: Money order Available

Money Order Approved Money Order Confirmed

Billing Information:

Status: Processed successfully

Card Type: MasterCard

Card Number: 5***********5643

Exp. Date: 9/2005

Name on Card: joyce d. mcfall

Street Address: 233 holden st,

City, State, Zip: osceola, PA, 16942

Country: USA

Services Purchased:

Total Amount posted to card: $2200.00

Auction Payments Fee: $ 50.00

Money Order Amount: $2250.00

Shipped by: Second Day Air ($20.00)

Purchased Item Information:

Auction site:Yahoo Auction

Item ID: N/A

Item description:Pioneer P9 Headset w Processor

Seller Information:

Name:XXXXXXXXXXX

Address:XXXXXXXXXXXXX

City,State,Zipcode: Singapore,159963,Singapore

Country Singapore

Work Phone +65 XXXXXXXXX

Email XXXXXXXXXXXX

..............................................................

Thank you for using Western Union ® Auction Payments.We look forward

serving your online auction payment needs in the future.

Sincerely,

Can anyone advise if this is a fraud? How can I verify from Western Union if it's true?!?!

[RAV-65]

Wah... nobody familiar with Western Union??

[weileong]

Fake one

[RAV-65]

Fake one

Hmm... dat's wat I suspect also... but the offer of $2200 too attractive! I thought I try my luck by asking around...

[Alvin Tan]

bro...isn't this suppose to be notified by post?? y e-mail?? seems abit insincere..

better not take the risk..in case kena con...$2000 lehx..can buy dunno how many piece of coral...haha

[weileong]

did you have the "confirmation" number from western union? with that number, go to mailbox express outlet (there's one is suntec city), verify if that number is real or not. If real means the funds in liao.... then you can safetly ship the item over and then send the tracking number to the buyer. After that the buyer will release the "answer" to you.

Then you go back to mailbox express then give the "confirmation" number and then they will ask you a "question" and you give the "answer" and then you collect your money.

[RAV-65]

bro...isn't this suppose to be notified by post?? y e-mail?? seems abit insincere..

better not take the risk..in case kena con...$2000 lehx..can buy dunno how many piece of coral...haha

yah... can get a few boxes of SPS!

[RAV-65]

did you have the "confirmation" number from western union? with that number, go to mailbox express outlet (there's one is suntec city), verify if that number is real or not. If real means the funds in liao.... then you can safetly ship the item over and then send the tracking number to the buyer. After that the buyer will release the "answer" to you.

Then you go back to mailbox express then give the "confirmation" number and then they will ask you a "question" and you give the "answer" and then you collect your money.

I'm afraid after I ship, the buyer "te siao" and dun release the " confirmation number" leh....

[chtan23]

I'm encountered before a buyer paying via western union and I got confirmation email from western union. But I told the buyer I must receive the cash in my bank before ship out. End up no response from the buyer anymore. So, you can tell the buyer to wait for you to receive the cash before ship out the good

[RAV-65]

I'm encountered before a buyer paying via western union and I got confirmation email from western union. But I told the buyer I must receive the cash in my bank before ship out. End up no response from the buyer anymore. So, you can tell the buyer to wait for you to receive the cash before ship out the good

The email I got is from this address :

western.unionmoneyorder-confirmation@financesource.com

It looks like Western Union, but it's not to be exact...

Even if the buyer is genuine, the fella would be worried that after paying, I screw the fella up!!

Seems like I gotta pass this one liao...

[qazwer]

I'm encountered before a buyer paying via western union and I got confirmation email from western union. But I told the buyer I must receive the cash in my bank before ship out. End up no response from the buyer anymore. So, you can tell the buyer to wait for you to receive the cash before ship out the good

how about checking with local trade authority on this ... or maybe check with bank to secure the transaction before shipping out the goods?

[RAV-65]

how about checking with local trade authority on this ... or maybe check with bank to secure the transaction before shipping out the goods?

Like I said, the money maybe with Western Union, to be paid through her credit card, but if she dun release, I'm still screwed... headache, headache...

[qazwer]

As what mentioned earlier ... You can check with local bank if they willing to transact the money to the bank as if on hold... then once your goods is shipped, produce the AWB to the bank for money retrieval... works just like L/C ... but of course, youu have to pay them some fee ... (you may wish to bill them the transaction fee and shipping fee ... etc)

[RAV-65]

As what mentioned earlier ... You can check with local bank if they willing to transact the money to the bank as if on hold... then once your goods is shipped, produce the AWB to the bank for money retrieval... works just like L/C ... but of course, youu have to pay them some fee ... (you may wish to bill them the transaction fee and shipping fee ... etc)

Wat's AWB har?

[chtan23]

The email I got is from this address :

western.unionmoneyorder-confirmation@financesource.com

It looks like Western Union, but it's not to be exact...

Even if the buyer is genuine, the fella would be worried that after paying, I screw the fella up!!

Seems like I gotta pass this one liao...

The rule for online auction is buyer pay first then seller ship out item. Maybe you can ask the buyer to pay by paypal?

[qazwer]

AWB = Airway Bill ... kind of passport for cargoes ...

by the way, bro, I'm in shipping line ...

[seafood]

check-out Yahoo auction....alot of this creepy fellow around

http://page.auctions.yahoo.com/sg/auction/88046607

[dleecool]

Hi Bro Rav,

I used Western Union to pay once to a seller from US in Ebay. It's some sort of similar to Paypal but using check. I personnaly dont like WU, I prefer paypal as I think it's safer.

If u have paypal, then go for paypal.